HON. JOHN RIGG.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 238, 1 July 1908, Page 8

HON. JOHN RIGG.

CONGRATULATORY PRESENTATION. An interesting function took place at the Commercial Travellers' Club last evening, when tlio Hon. John Rigg, M.L.C., was the- recipient of ail illuminated address and handsome chcquo from his friends, ; political'and otherwiso, presented by'way of congratulation .on his recent / marriage. Amongst those prosont wore the- Minister for' Labour '(Hon/J. A. Millar),' the Hons. J. B. Callan, J. T. Paul, C. M. Luke, R. A.Loughnan, and G. Jones, Ms.L.C.

,In. making the presentation, Mr. M. 'J. Reardon • (chairman) said that when'they had got over the surprise caused by the. news that tho Hon.. Mr. Rigg was about to tako. unto himself a wife .it was decided by a small committee of his friends that it was for showing their appreciation of his many good qualities by expressing in a tangible form tneir congratulations and wishes . for bis future happiness. It was deemed advisable not to make. it a party affair, • and subscriptions were received from Invorcargill, the AVost" Coast,-arid indeed nearly all parts of tho colony. It was a tribute to. Mr. Rigg that ho possessed friends on all sides, in Parliament and out, and so long as a man fights with"; clean hands, no matter on what side he may-be, ho Avould earn the respect of those of all shades of political opinion. There were no two opinions' that Mr.' Rigg had ■ fought fairly. arid well. (Applause.) ■He had much pleasure in presenting Mr. Rigg with ari address and a cheque- for a substantial sum. . The address read as follows :-r- ■ '

' "To'tho Hon. John Rigg, M.L.C. ,"P?? P s®'?»~on behalf of a large number of ■ friends 111 this Dominion we liavo very great pleasure in'handing you the accompanying purso of sovereigns as a tribute of our appreciation of your public services and sterling worth. f 'A\c take this> opportunity to sa,v that ,thd gift is a.'jftrisly'spontaneous' one on tho part of. your many friends on the' occasion of your marriage, and one and all join in wishing.you and'your good wifo long- life, continued good health, and'prosperity. ■ On ■ behalf, of • tho. .subscribers, believe us, yours truly, 'M. J. Reardon (chairman of cdmmitteo), IVni. M'Girr, Allan Ward, E. J.' Le Grovo, E. J. Carey. Win. Naughton, A. R. Hislop (secretary)." Tho Hon. Q- Jones, in adding-his congratulations, born testimony Lo llio esteem and' respect'in which Mr. 'Rigg was held, and stated that it was his sterling honesty that' was responsible for /his not' occupying a higher position politically than ho did. After his ihealth was drunk,- the Hon.' Mr Rigg returned thanks for the honour that had been done him by the representative gathoring present. He had been surprised afc the warmth with which his venture had been received. Some mention . had been made of his political career, and that he had friends wlio hold opposite-views in politics; ■As .a of fact,, all :his best friends wero his political-enemies." . There were those who could not seo eye to eye with' him, and wero surprised ; at, tho strong attitude he had taken-on certain-questions which lie' claimed that subsequent events had justified. Many of the questions that:cropped up wero ahead of the public, and opinions on them could only be expressed'by the. student of politics. He did not say that he was always . right— (laughter) they wero all human, but he would say; that stands' lie had taken which - had earned him unpopularity at the time had been . justified by subsequent events. .One thing that,should: not be forgotten— lie represented ; a , class (though some Labdur men held that a member of tho Legislative Council could not represent Labour), and. in advocating the' Labour cause—a cause which hp had at recognised, that the solution of its troubles was tho' foundation and root of. the happiness of the country. ■He did not take a pessimistic view of "tho Arbitration Act. Ho thought it was possible so to amend the law as to restore confidence in the Act, and there were means by which it could be made' effective, and the awards of tho Court respected. He had foreseen that what was now happening, was inevitable, but tho trouble in tho Legislative Council was that' by tho time a Bill, reached them the House of Representatives had adopted a definite course, and substantial alterations would mean the dropping of the Bill. He had made a point whenever ho could of embodying in his speeches matter appertaining to tho working of the_ Arbitration Act, and they now read like a history of the'operation of the Act. In support of what ho said, about- the inevitable, ne read a pportion of a speech delivered on October 25, 1906. This had come true, but he made so many prophecies ' that some must come off. (Laughter.) ' He 'attributed the mistakes that had been made'to rushing Bills through in'the last hours of the session. In conclusion, he thanked tlie committee, and. especially Mr. A. .R. Hislop, who initiated the presentation. • \ The toagt, of " The Parliament of ' New Zealand" was proposed .by Mr. P. J. O'Regan, and was responded to by the Hon.. J., A. Millar, whose interesting remarks appear' elsewhero in this issue".