A REFORM SOCIAL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15157, 22 December 1914, Page 3

A REFORM SOCIAL.

1 ——♦- ■ I ME H. D. ACLAND ENTER- ; TAINED. There was a largo attendance Jast night at the complimentary 6odal gathering tendered Mr H. D. Acland, tho Reform candidate for Avon at the , recent general elections, and Mrs Acland, by the members of • tho Avon Brancfi 'of tho Reform., League. The function took place- at tho Cadena Rooms, and in addition to tho guests of tho evening and a large number of tho members of the branch,, thoro were also present Messrs T>. Jones and H. F Toogood, Reform candidates, re- ' I epectively, for Kaiapoi and Christ- ! church North. Mr A. R. Ragg. the j vice-president, in tho absence of tho J president of the branch, presided, and i read apologies from tno frimo Minister I (tho Right Hon. W. F. Massey). tno Hon. U. Heaton Rhodes, tho Hon. >\ • Fraser, Mr W. Noswonny, M.P., Mr William lteeco, and Mr Walter Hill (president of tho Avon Branch of the iteform League). Mr lUassey, iv his telegram, stated: —"I regret exceedingly that I am unablo to be present with you on the occasion of tho complimentary social being tendered to Mr and Mrs Acland. I may say that Mr Ac! and put up a partieulai-ly good and I clean fight, and I hope and believe the I time is not far distant when he will find himself in Parliament, and when I that time comes, Parliament will be all tho bettor for his being there." Proposing the toast of "The Reform Ministry," Mr Toogood said he did so with great pleasure, because hehad como to realise that tho Ministry in 'power had proved thomselvps possessed of cxcepthvaal ability. Hβ believed it was tho first occasion. Tor many years, that New Zealand had a' Ministry, the members of which.-.were of fairly even capacity. For many years they had borne with a Ministry ivhich was a one- ■ man,, or a two-man Ministry, at tho. most! ■ In. the event ot the Ministry leaving the Treasury oenches, the other side of the House could not provide sucha ; strong ■ Cabinet. (Applause.) For that' reason alone, apart from any question of party, he thought the Reform Ministry should enjoy another lenso of office for at least threo years. (Applause.) Mr V>. Jones responded," and said that they did not need to go very fnr back to see about fourteen members of tho House who were laughed at, jeered at, and ridiculed, but since then that party had gone on increasing its majority. Tho figures of tho last general election showed thnt tho Reform Party .was within .11 jOOO. voi/cs of ..represent-ing-a majority of th'o .ejectors.;of New Zealand; as compared with all tho factions opposed to .them- (Applause.) There had been no jingoism ab-ut the Government; perHaps if there had been a little moro jingoism the Government might have got more votes; but they, were men who considered that their work ehould speak.for them. They did not go in for the theatrical stylo that ho felt sure their opponents -would have gone in for. "We are told." Mr; Jones continued, "that tho Ministry ought to get oaf, and get but very-quickly. You. usually wait till a; body is'dead, out the party opposed to us arc-not prepared to' wait for tho' official — evidently they are afraid titat tho body will still live, and that tl-cy wTi! not bo able to get back to power. I think ifc v.'ill be spoken of in the future as one of the funniest incidents of .the' election—tho Opposition organiser chasing that poor Maori into the back-blocks of New Zealand."' (Laughter.)" In further remarks Mr' Jones.said that they ought to remem-' her that they were tho biggest., party. in New Zealand—(applause)—and that' they were the only party that had anything liko a majority of the voles of New Zealaud. . The two parties ju Opposition had nothing in common with each other, except theii- desire to put tho Reform Government'out. The Labour . Party would probably appoint a leader, and would want its pound of flesh for its' support. Tho Government, he. .believed-, tvouW rather meet the Labour Party than the mixed crowd 'n the Liberal Party. It was only ' right that tho producers and tho workers should have the biggest' say in the government of tho country, and tho workers should not be .used by the monopolists and tho middlemen in tho Liberal Party. The Reform Ministry's iirst consideration would not be the Keform Party, but would bo the interoats of tho Dominion of New Zealand, and of its people (Applause.) The chairman, in a eulogistic speech, j - proposed the toast- of Mr and Mrs Ac- j land, and said that during his candi- j dature Mr Acland had' displayed preeminent abilitj as a-politician. (Ap- j plaufie.) In his experience he had never j aeen a contest, fought with such high appreciation of honour or one characterised by such cleanness of- speech and deferonce to political opponente as tho contest .fought by Mr Acland. (Continued applause.) Mr Acland was received with continued and enthusiastic applause. _ He said that tho campaign was to him a. source of a great deal of pleasure, as it enabled him to mako the acquaintance and friendship of a large number of people lie would not have had the pleasure of knowing. He eulogised ihu> enthusiastic work done by his friends, nnd said that it was a good augury fordemocratic government. Since the election he had been frequently asked as to the position of parties, and as to what would happen. As far as he could i see at present it was more than likeiy thnt the present Government would remain in office —(applause)—for tho very good reason that they had a definite aim and programme and policy, and had a united party behind them. The toast of Mr Aciand's committees (proposed by Mr Acland) was honoured, and was responded to by Mrs Brittan and Mr Nutt. Other toasts honoured were: "Tho Secretary" (responded to by Mr 11. jDixon). ""The Ladies." "The Press,' and "The Chairman." Items wore contributed by Misses Chrystal, Murray, Spooner, Hemus, and Harper, and" Messrs A. L. Cropp, B. Lucas, and I>r. Crooke. '_