FAREWELL FOR M.P.s

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32127, 24 October 1969, Page 12

FAREWELL FOR M.P.s

Call To Retain Industry Link (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, October 23. A warning to the Labour movement to keep its contacts with industry was given to the Labour caucus today by a former Speaker of ■ the House of Representatives, Mr R. M. Macfarlane. “You must never forget the bond between Labour and industry,” he said. “Labour stands for the worker, the common man we represent.” Mr Macfarlane was one of three retiring Labour members of Parliament who were officially bidden farewell at today’s meeting of the Labour Party caucus. The others were Miss M. B. Howard (Sydenham) and Mrs I. M. Ratana (Western Maori). Two more retiring members, Messrs A. H. Nordmeyer (Island Bay) and R. Macdonald (Grey Lynn) are at present overseas.

“Well, that’s the end of the game,” said a tearful Miss Howard. “It was darned hard graft in my early life. We were poor people in those days, downright poor.” The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) paid tribute to all three retiring members. Of Miss Howard he said: “Nobody in our Parliament has given their whole life to politics as Mabel has.”

Mrs Ratana, the first woman Maori member of Parliament, added her tribute: “Noone has made a greater contribution to the women and children of New Zealand, both Maori and pakeha, than has Mabel.”