DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
"MR. FRASER WOULD BE EMBARRASSED"
How, if Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., were elected Mayor, he would be embarrassed in welcoming distinguished visitors, was pointed out by Mr. Wright when speaking at Miramar last night. Mr. Wright's opening remarks in reference to Mr. Eraser were greeted with applause by a section of the audience. "I see I have some of Mr. Fraeer's friends present," commented Mr. Wright. "I am very glad to have them. I hope before the night is over that I will convert them from their present frame of mind. I want to say this in all good humour: I cannot conceive of any man in the world being more embarrassed than Mr. Fraser would be if he occupied the Mayoral chair. Now, what has the Mayor to do? One thing he has to do is. to receive any visitor of distinction who comes into New Zealand. Some time ago we had a very distinguished visitor in New Zealand— the Princes of Wales " (Interruption.) A voice: "Oh, cut it out. Give ug something else, Mr. Wright." Mr. Wright: "This is my_ meeting and I am going to address it in my own way, and am going to say what Mr. Fraser did, if not for your benefit, then for the benefit of the Press. Mr. Fraser was a member of the Wellington City Council, and the Wellington City Council, in common with all the other councils in New Zealand, drew up an a-dl--dress of welcome to a distinguished visitor. Mr. Fraser was the only councillor who .refused to sign that address of welcome. (Loud applause.) There were three other Labour members on the council, and they signed the address of welcome as men, as gentlemen, should do. but Mr. Fraser was the only man who declined to sign it. What would Mr. Fraser have done had he been Mayor? Sir John Luke did what was quite right and proper—he gave the Prince a Mayoral reception on behalf of the city. I 'cannot conceive that Mr. Frasor would have done that. If he would not sign the address of welcome—a very simple and homely thing—l am" not sure that if he had been Mayor he would have donned the Mayornl robes to give that distinguished visitor a welcome. Ha would have been embarrassed in the position. I leave it at that."
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19230417.2.83.1
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 91, 17 April 1923, Page 8
Word Count
393DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 91, 17 April 1923, Page 8
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