GENERAL ELECTION

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 12317, 2 April 1938, Page 2

GENERAL ELECTION

TAUKAXGA EEECTt)K ATE >IK C. H. HI'IIXKTT (.OVKIiX>Ii;XT CANDIDATE Mr C. H. Burnett. M.P.. who has beta unanimously endorsed by the Branch and the National Executive of the N.Z. Labour Party as the Government candidate for lauranga. is the second son of the hue Mr Cornelius Burnett, barrister and solicitor, of Wanganui. Mr Burnett was born on his father s larm at hoidell, and later actively farmed the property for some twenty-live years. He was educated at Wnnganni College. and went farming at sixteen vears of age.

In ills early twenties Mr Burnett was made a Justice of the Peace, and served for some years on the Puma Road Board. Wanganui County Council, and Eordeil School Bcaid. Later ho was elected to the Wati'-amii City Council, serving as a member for thirteen years, and was chairman for periods mi the principal committees. Mr Burnett also served on the Wangamti-Uangi-tikei Hospital and Wanganui-Rangi-gitikei Electric-Power Boards. He was later elected to the Wellington Land Board and served for some eight years. He was a defeated candidate at the Hairy Board election in 11)3 2, but polled a creditable vole.

Mr Burnett was a pioneer member and assisted to found the New Zealand Farmers' Union and was its first secretary at Wanganui. He is a life member of the Wanganui Agricultural Society and was for many years on the executive and an active exhibitor at West Coast shows. Mr Burnett was also an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and Development League. In social matters he was President of the Cosmopolitan Club, a social club of 2000 members. Associated for over twenty years with Liberal-Labour, Mr Burnett was invited in 1035 to contest the Tauranga seat for Parliament, and his win over Hon. Mr Macmillan at this election was regarded as the outstanding win of the election. Mr Burnett’s long and practical experience as a farmer, and his service on local bodies, no doubt stood well to his credit.

Mr Burnett ha s three sons—Dr. Leslie Burnett, Rangitikei; Mr R. C. Burnett, farmer, of Palmerston North; Mr C. B. Burnett, of Dalgety and Co., Morrinsville—and one daughter, Miss Jean Burnett, of Tauranga.