FACING TROUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 217, 13 September 1930, Page 7

FACING TROUBLE.

NEW ZEALAND'S SPIRIT.

HON. M2l. TTEITCH OPTIMISTIC

CHEEKED BY COMMERCIAL MEN.

"Association Day" was celebrated yesterday by the Auckland commercial travellers in the orthodox manner, the day's proceedings ending with a happy function in the evening. The president, Mr. C. C. Bach, presided, and the Hon. W. A. Veitch, Minister of Railways, was the principal guest. Other guests included Mr. R. Aicken, private secretary to the Minister, Mr. E. Casey-, divisional superintendent of North"' Island railway, and Mr. Eliot Davis, vice-patron of the Auckland Commercial Travellers. Association. In proposing the toast of '"Association Day," Mr. Davis traced the history of the" 'organisation from its inception in 19*1 and paid tribute to the original founders. At the inaugural meeting held in Dunedin, there were representatives from Dominion cities as well as Australia. Social Service. Probably the first and foremost work of the commercial travellers was the "clothes drive" which was held penodicallv. This year in four hours a sum of £1400 in cask had been collected and £14 000 worth of clothing, etc., from which 7000 poor and deserving people in the city of Auckland had benefited. That reflected the greatest credit on commercial travellers in Auckland, and in New Zealand generally. Then the association was noted for its good work in the raising of funds for country hospitals, which was most appreciated by the people. Many of the original founders of the Auckland Association were with them that evening, and the Auckland travellers owed them a debt which would be hard to repay. "The commercial traveller is, after all, the man who delivers the goods; he plays a very great part in upholding the prestige of this country, and helps to sustain New Zealand's prestige in other parts of the world," remarked Mr. Davis in conclusion. "Even with this temporary state of depression we are most optimistic," said Mr. Bach. Pounds, shillings, and pence were not the object of the association; it was comradeship and the promotion of sjood feeling between the men on the road and the warehousemen. Government and Unemployment. "It is up to us to help the New Zealand railways as commercial men," said Mr. Prentis, when proposing the toast of " New Zealand Parliament." There was no doubt that the Government had endeavoured to face the unemployment trouble. If some means were found to assist unemployment, then it would be of benefit to New Zealand as a whole. The Unemployment Act might not be the best, but there had been a sincere attempt to tackle the problem, for which the Government deserved " a pat on the back." The Minister of Railways could feel that he was amongst friends that night. (Loud applause.) Minister Cheered. On rising to respond to the toast, Mr. Veitch was greeted with cheers and prolonged applause. He said he did feel that he was among_ friends. " As a native of Perthshire," said Mr. Veitch, " I am glad to be with my fellow countrymen, Mr. Davis and Mr. Casey, to-night." (Roars of laughter.) Mr. Veitch told many good stories of Parliamentary life, and reminded his hearers that he was responding to the toast of the "New Zealand Parliament" and not the Government, therefore he would not weary them with a speech about railways, of which they had heard so much. (Laughter.) He would say this, however, the railways were trying to be the friend of the commercial community, and he, as the administrative head of the Department, would say unhesitatingly that the commercial travellers were friends of the Department. He ventured to sav that m Mr. E. Casey, who was in charge of the North Island, they had a man who was as near the ideal railwayman as it was possible to b<?. When "Mr. Casey came out amongst them he enjoyed himself like great big schoolboy, but at his desk he was full of responsibility, and realised it too. "We Will Carry Through." The Minister then went on to speak of comradeship and friendship, and how Parliament was affected by those attributes. Although members fought each other on the floor of the House, they were good friends, and that was as it should be. Why should friendship cease because one man held different opinions to another? Members not only had good will and showed respect to their own party, but also to those on the other side of the House. As long as there was a Parliament of honest men in thk country, then there would be nothing to fear. There was that great over-riding loyalty to the Constitution and the Crown manifest. The British Constitution was the best in the world.

"We are-in the hollow of a slump today," said Mr. Veitch, "and we are facing difficulties. Our Empire had to face difficulties in the war, and we overcame them. That is a feature of our character, and we will carry through the same as we have done in the past. (Cheers ) That's the ideal. It is our firm determination to rise to higher levels than ever we did before, and make New Zealand the brightest gem in KinoGeorge's crown." (Loud cheers.) c