TRIBUTES TO LIFE AND WORK OF MR JOHN ROBERTS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28835, 4 March 1959, Page 7

TRIBUTES TO LIFE AND WORK OF MR JOHN ROBERTS

A man noted for integrity, steadfastness to early socialistic principles, and devoted work for unionists, especially clothing workers, was honoured at a complimentary dinner last evening. He was Mr John Roberts, who has retired as secretary of the N.Z. Federated Clothing Trade Employees’ Association. A cheque from the union and a bedside radio set from the Garment Makers’ Federation were presented to Mr Roberts, who arrived as a migrant in 1908, only a few months before Mr Walter Nash, now Prime Minister of New Zealand. Mr Nash, wth- four other Ministers of the Crown attended the function in the Bedford Chambers last evening. Complimentary references made to Mr Roberts in the long speechmaking were:— “His decision to come to New Zealand 50 years ago was a fortunate one for the clothing workers of this country. He is known as Honest John for his. integrity; and as Mr Justice Tyndall said, the Arbitration Court could always rely on his word. He has never deviated from his principles.“ —Mr Roy Hill, president of the Federated Clothing Trades’ Federation.

“I will always be happy to remember you as Gentleman John.” —Miss A. Anderson, secretary of the Auckland Tailoring Union. “John Roberts’s name will remain green in the history of the clothing trades. ... As a trades unionist he is tops. . . . He has adhered to his principles. Call John Roberts a socialist or Bolshevist, he would not care.”—Mr George Welsh, president of the Wellington Clothing Trades’ Union. Standard Set ‘‘He has done more for women clothing workers than any other person and he has also set a standard for the employment of women in industry.”—Mr R. Gray, president of the Canterbury Union. “I had to tell assessors in a dispute:—lf you see his name on the agreement which you have to sign, follow him and you cannot do wrong.”—Mr A. Stewart, president of the Otago Union. “Throughout his whole life, Mr Roberts has been interested in the clothing workers. They were depressed at first. He has stuck to his job with singular purpose. If any union secretary in New Zealand patterns himself on John Roberts, he can’t go far wrong. The workers have little economic

power and John Roberts has set an example to all in the conduct of discussions,”—Mr E. B. Newton, former president of the Federated Clothing Workers. Sacrifice for Principles “John Roberts could have taken Bob Macfarlane’s, and Mabel Howard’s place in Parliament. He has made sacrifices for his principles, because his wife has told him what is right. He has never been a ‘yes man.’ He is sober and industrious. He is loyal and law-abiding and he has had the courage to defend the workers against bad law and injustice, in opposition to which he has suffered injustice and been gaoled.”—Mr A. B. Grant (secretary of the A.S.R.S.) “John Roberts has supported us in victory and defeat. He was a contemporary of the greatest men to grace the political life of New Zealand.—The Minister of Railways (Mr M. Moohan). “We have followed John Roberts on the lines of. being a good secretary. The Secretary of Labour and others from all parts of New Zealand are here to pay tribute to him, because he organised the clothing trades into a union in the hungry thirties. Every time you met John, you were always impressed; he did not have an ounce of hatred in his make-up.”—The Minister of Labour (Mr Hackett). Welfare Contribution

“John Roberts has won the esteem of people throughout New Zealand. The battle for recognition has been won and’ is now entering the now historical stage of responsibility to the welfare state. He made the contribution in the past and we will join in building on it.”—Mr K. McL. Baxter (secretary of the Federation of Labour). “Those who have read the history of the clothing union—its slavery and struggles—will know of the efforts of those in the early days. John Roberts is one of those who got rid of the slavery associated with the employment of women in the early days.”—The Prime Minister (Mr Nash).