A SCOTTISH ADVOCATE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 24, 28 July 1927, Page 8

A SCOTTISH ADVOCATE

.REV. JAMES BARR, M.P.

A CIVIC RECEPTION

'A civic welcome was accorded yesterdj^ afternoon to .the Ecv. James Barr, M.P. for Mothenvcll, Scotland, •who is visiting New Zealand. Mr. Barr has for many years been prominent in social and temperance work in Britain, and is a member of the Labour Party in the House of Commons. 'Amongst those present were: The Eon. .3. A. Young (Minister of Health), Messrs. P. Fraser, M.P., B. M'Kecn, M.P., "W. J. Jordan," M.P., D. G. Sullivan, M.P., and members of the Wellington Presbytery. The Mayor (Mr. f2r. A. Troup) presided. The Mayor extended to Mr. Bjir a welcome to tho city. Mr. Barr, lie said, had had a very distinguished career. Mr. Barr was a prominent Presbyterian minister, and not only was he a theologian, but ho was also a TOember of the British House of Commons. . He was a Scotchman—a Scotchman with a deep fund of humour. .(Laughter.) Scotch humour, although referred to as "pawky," was rually genuine and profound. (Laughter.) Be was not only a member of the Glasgow School Board, but took a keen interest in tho industrial and housing problem.

Councillor E. Semplc welcomed Ah. Barr on behalf of the City Council. It ;was of especial interest to know, lie said, that the visitor was an earnest Student' of the housing problem. The Hon. J. A. Young (Minister of Health) welcomed Mr. Barr on benalf pf the Government. He mentioned the me class of pioneers who had conic to Sew Zealand from Scotland —pioneers trho had assisted most materially in mildiag the foundations of this coun"ry. On behalf of the Wellington Presbyiciy and the New Zealand Alliance, the lev. E. J. Orange (Moderator o£ the Wellington Presbytery) also welcomed &r. Barr, who was, he said, a moßt listingnished member of the Free 3hurch of Scotland.

,A welcome on behalf of the New pealand Labour Party and the Oppo•ition in Parliament was extended by Mr. P. Fraser, M.P. Mr. Barr ' had been for many years, he said, a stalwart temperance advocate, anil a leader In social improvement questions. As a brother Scot, Mr. B. H. Nimmo, president of the Caledonian Society, llso welcomed Mr. Barr. A BURNS ENTHUSIAST. Mr. Barr thanked those present for fhe hearty welcome which had been extended to him. Referring first to the illusion which had been made to his Scotch nationality, the visitor said he-I ttad, he supposed, delivered more adBresses on the poet Burns than alb»08t anyone el«e, so far as ho knew. , go had delivered about 800 addresses I in. the Scotch poet. He was born trithin twenty miles of Burns 's birthplace. • For many years he had been a I {nember of the Liberal Party, but for Reasons he would not enter into.-ho had felt it his duty to associate himself pith the Labour Party. Ho was pleased to say that the Labour Party was Itruggling for high ideals in many ftirections. There were men in that paj-ty whoso names were known every-(rhere-T-inen of great moral -force; aiid pen who were an honour to the Labour Party ?throughout tbo worM. (Applause.) Ho thought that perhaps the Wonderful reception which had been given to him was due a good deal to the fact that he combined the offices of a minister of religion and ol" a labour member of Parliament. When coming over in the steamer from Australia someone asked him if it was true that he had given up his position as a minister of religion to beeomo a member of-Parliament. Ho replied: "No; I preach every Sabbath day." Some people had said that he had passed from a higher to a lower platform; but his reply was: "We all stand on movable platforms, and we make our platforms just as high or as low as wo make them purselves." (Applause.)

THE GLASGOW TEAMS. Alluding to tho municipal tramways (Df Glasgow, Mr. Ban- said that t"ey were famous, and justly famous, throughout the world. Tho Glasgow City Council had set an example to municipal corporations in other countries, because during the last eigliteen months they had instituted a maximum 2d fare—you could travel on the Glasgow tramways for thirty miles for 2d. One of. the results had been an increase in the revenue. MucH attention had been devoted to public health, and great progress had been made in sanitary conditions, and especially in providing better housing. Many years ago tord Shaftsbury had affirmed that until the housing conditions of the people were reformed and improved, hopo of great moral and spiritual advancement could not be looked for. Tho speaker

concluded by referring to the .immense sum of niouey expended in Britain on liquor, and maintained that the expenditure of a comparatively small portion of that money would provide "better people for the homes and better homes for the people."