MR J. A. McCULLOUGH.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17460, 22 May 1922, Page 3

MR J. A. McCULLOUGH.

LABOUR COTmCTL'S PEESENTATION. Members of v the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council and friends met in the Trades Hall on Saturday night to make a presentation to Mr J. A. McCullough, who recently resigned his position as workers' representative on the Arbitration Court. Mr H. ."Wbrrall presided over a fair attendance. _ The chairman stated that the meeting had been called to allow the workers to 6how their appreciation of Mr JMcCullough's services. The presentation that he was to be asked to accept was a local one and had no connexion with the Dominion presentation which was to be made later. Mr McCullough had been prominent in labour circles for about thirty years and during that time he had gained the esteem of all, with whom he had come in contact. Although Mr McCullough had resigned his position on the Arbitration Court, it could be taken for granted that his energies would still be directed in the interests of the working-class. Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., said that when Mr McCullough went on the Court it was to the accompaniment of a blaze of fireworks and a blaze of fireworks had accompanied him when he left it. He had always been a hard fighter but possessed the happy knack of not making enemies, despite the fights he had engaged in. Mr F. R. Ccfke said that Mr McCullough was a rebel, which stamped him as a good man, because it was the rebels who improved aocial conditions. He had never hesitated to sacrifice himself where the interests of the workers were concerned. Mr D. C. Sullivan, M.P., stated that no one in New Zealand had rendered more honest and able service in the cause of the workers than Mr McCullough. Twenty-five years ago Mr McCullough and Mr H. Atkinson _ went out in "the- Square to preach Socialism and the former had never ceased his efforts in the cause. Mr J. Flood said that Mr McCullough. during his connexion with the had been subjected to a lot of criticism, but he had never gone back on the workers. Mr H. T. Armstrong said that although, unlike other speakers, he waß not acquainted with Mr McCullough in the older days, still he had been acquainted with his work for many years. BLr McCullough had carried out his duties in a masterly fashion, and had made' a big sacrifice in resigning from the Court because, to. tell the truth, the position of workers' representative on the Arbitration Court was a good 30b for a working man to hold. Mr C. Renn said that Mr McCullough had come through his term of office with flying colours. During that period he must have come in contact with those who were directly opposed to his ideals, but he had emerged from the ordeal with success. The working class would have to shape the future destiny of the country, and* Mr McCullough had shown -that he possessed the type of mind that was capable of dealing with such an iinportnnt question. Others who spoke were Miss Robinson and Messrs W. Rogers, R. O'Brien, and G. Manning. On rising to reply, Mr McCullough was greeted with applause. It made him feel, he said, when he heard what ivas said about him. that life was worth the living -after all. He would like those present to know that it was Mr Atkinson who had instilled into him all his views on Socialism. The speaker was a more confirmed Socialist to-day than 25 years ago. He believed that there.would be no permanent ameliora-tion-of the workers' conditions unless it came along the lines of Socialism, despite what some people thought to the contrary. 'Becoming reminiscent, Mr McCullough referred to his early experience? with the movement. During the year he was', president of the Trades Council, lie said, sixteen or seventeen new '-unions joined up. How much work that meant for him could be judged when he stated that during that twelve months he was not able to be with his wife and young family for three nights. With regard to the Arbitration Court, he had resigned because he felt that he could not, as nn honourable man, continue, to sit there. He could assure his friends that he would do all he could in future to assist the workers. He would like to state that he appreciated the illuminated address presented to him, and would treasure it always. (Applause.)