A POLITICAL SOCIAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1316, 20 December 1911, Page 6

A POLITICAL SOCIAL.

MR. W. H. D. BELL'S COMMITTEE. ENTHUSIASM FOli All,'. HKIIDMAX. Mr. E. I'.. Hammond presided at a social evening given by Mr. \V. 11. .1). Hell, (lie nowly-elocled member lor Wellington' Suburb* 'anil 'Country Di-tricK in lilt* Burlington renins on l.aiiihjnn Quay In--t evening. Among Hie hundred mid present Hcrc:-Mcssrs. \Y. Pia-cr, W. C. Huchiimiii. A. t. Ilerdnian. Dr. .\. I\. Newman, M.P.'s, Mr. 11. )). Hell (father ol" the i iber). and Mr. Clifford (l-'laxbouriiel. The proceeding.-, which were of the hnppie-t order, r-miniciieed with, the chairman calling on Mr. Hell to propose-. Ihe health ol' the onniinillces. The young momb:r, who was greeted with applause mid cheers said tlmi lie had to propose the health ol' the ladies' and -men's committees, and incidontultv explained Unit in drinking it they would not be honouring themselves sn much as each oilier, lie took tin: opportunity, now that, they were all together, ol' thanking them from the bottom of his hr-nrt for what.they had don:' for him in tho recent campaign. They had dme so much, and done it with siieh good feeling and enthusiasm that he. could take no responsibility tor the result—(laughter) —and. if in (he future the afl'-iirs of the country were hashed up by the member for Wellington Suburbs, he would refer Parliament to his committees'. He could not put it better than he did in the papers the day alter the election—they had selected a young man. had put him forward "for .a Government seat, and had returned him. ('Applause.) ' They could do him no greater service that he could think of. There was another point he hud to refer (o-lhat was the difficulty which had arisen over his meetings in connection with the second ballot campaign. when the meet-' ings were. discontinued. Munv members of his committees hud hauled him up over his action, and others had looked black at him, as much as to sav, "You shouldn't have done it!" it may have been right, or it may have been wrong, but. never mind, thev had backed him up, and pulled him through. (Cheers mid applause.) He wished once again to express his grateful thanks. It might be the last time he would address them— ("No! .No!")—but if (he occasion arose he was going to depend on "ev-yyonc in the room to engage once more'in the light. (Applause and chorus, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow.") ' The chairman, replying on behalf of the men's committee, said that Mr. Bell made one-mistake, and had made it all along, and that was in exalting his committee and depreciating himself. When they had first met him, and he. laid down Ins principles and plans, he "caught tho room. - They saw that he had a clear mind, could think ouicklv, and knew what he wanted, -anti wiis not afraid to S' y lK T,mt ,vi '3'i»o type of man that the Jfeform party wanted. Further, he liaiL improved on acimaintniice, and had established a feeling"of esprit de corps from top to bottom. /Applause.) Thev now - Jiad their organisation and'he did not think tnere was a better one aiivwherc, but they should not disband. (\ voice: "Certainly not.") 'Thev did not know at what moment thev would be called on to operate again, and if each one would only make one convert a davit was fine training in tact-it was well worth, it. It the occasion arose thev would once more nut their shoulders retire wheel that would trundle .Mr. Bell into Parliament. (Applause.)' Mrs. Martin replied briefly on behalf ol the ladies. , -"this stage Mr. A. L. Herdman, M.P. lor M. ollmgton Aorth, entered the room. Much to his surprise the v;hole room stood up and gave hini three hearty cheers, and sang' lustily "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," and followed it up with more cheers. 'When the clamour died down Mr. Herdman said it was a most embarrassing experience for'him to reply alter such a warm reception. It gave hiiii great pleasure to be present at a "-atliermg assembled to honour Mr. Bell. He had had something to do with gettin" him to engage in the Suburbs contest, and he was iust the type of man thev wanted in the House. (Applause.) He (Mr. Bell) was quick to grasp a point, and was one who spoke his mind straight out when the. occasion arose. (Hear, hear.) Thev wanted men who would speak out clearly, and let their urineiples be known, aiid he vjusralislird that Mr. Bell was of that kind. They had. good reason to be proud of the result of the elections. Thev liad won .17 scats out of the HO, and' were quite in a position, with the independent votes with them, to put the Government nut of ofiice. (Loud 'applause.) He believed that the Seddon-Ward dynasties were destroyed once and for all. (Applause.) They were fortunate in drawing to the ranks of the lloform navtv men like Mr. Hell. .Mr. Statham. of Diinedin, Mr. Lee. of Oamaru. and Mr. Cainnbell. of Hawke's Bav—all young men of , the right stamp. He was delighted to be there., and if there was another election —he hoped there would not be—lie would like to see them all wrirkin;; for Mr. Bell again. (Auphuise and cheers.) During the evening songs were contributed bv Messrs. D.' Kenny, E. J. Hill. A. AV. Newton, and others. Mr. Kenny presided at the piano, and Mr. M\ "Williams (Mr. Bell's secretary) acted as master of the revels. ' .