PERSONAL TALE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 268, 12 November 1935, Page 11

PERSONAL TALE.

"WAITED SEVENTEEN YEARS." MR. J. R. LUNDON'S HISTORY. "For 17 years I have waited for this opportunity, and that is a large slice out of a man's life," said Mr. J. R. Lundon, Liberal-Labour candidate fori Auckland Central, in St. James' Hall last night when for an hour and a half he related his personal history. Except for a frequent male interjector, and an equally frequent and shrill-voiced woman, the audience heard him with remarkable patience and a vote oi thanks and sympathy with him "in the treatment he had received for 20 years." was carried unanimously. Mr. Lundon promised to deal with political matters on a later occasion. .He said that he had been taken ill arid up till mid-day he had been in bed. Ho was afraid his voice would not permit him to make a speech suitable for the occasion of his first address and he was there in defiance of medical orders. Hβ went on to recount his family history, and when someone called out, "Give us your platform," he replied: Gentlemen—you heard me call you gentlemen (applause)—l hope I have not made any mistake. I propose to run my meeting as I think fit. (Applause) You are hero as my guests. Try and remember that and treat me as a host. These meetings are often degraded by scenes which do not do credit to those who cause them. Mr. Lundon said he had never sought political honours until he was asked by three officials of the Trades Hall. A voice: Name them. Mr. Lundon gave three names. The voice: Traitors all. "In 1894." continued Mr. Lundon, "I was penniless and practically friendless. I am still penniless (laughter) and almost friendless." From 1894 to 1917 he had practised as a lawyer. There were probably many people in Auckland Central who had not forgotten, and many in the city who had cause to remember. The Voice: You made them pay. Mr. Lundon said that when his clients had no money they were *never asked to pay, and when ho believed that he had agood case he found the money foi them He became somewhat noteworthy —some people would say notorious — because he was more concerned with a ( square deal than with the niceties of ; aw. He had been a regular attejider of 1 Parliament from 1891 to 1930. "I know every move in the game," he 1 aid. "I know '.'s tawdriness, its petti- 1 ness, its grandeur and its foolishness. ] I have seen many a good man driven 1 into financial ruin because lie wanted to , do his best for the people. You ' should try to respect your members and 1 they will respect you." < Mr. Lundon outlined graphic details ' of his career as barrister and farmer, and 1 in conclusion said that his idea was that ( all the best men should get together and set on with the job. What did it j matter which party was in power as t long as they got somewhere? f The candidate added his appreciation j of a letter he had received from the 1 Democrat candidate, Mr. Dodd, express- <> ing the courtesies of a competitor. f Asked how he would vote on a no- \ confidence motion, Mr. Lundon said: I 1 shall exercise my judgment according to i the best of my ability, and nobody else's \ judgment will have any influence on e me. 't