TRIBUTES PAID

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 16, 20 January 1938, Page 11

TRIBUTES PAID

MRS. H. E. HOLLAND

FAREWELL SOCIAL

Tributes to both Mrs. H. E. Holland and to the memory of her late husband, who was leader of the Labour Party in Parliament' from 1919 until the time ;of his death, were paid by several hundred persons who gathered at the Trades Hall last evening to bid Mrs; Holland farewell prior to her departure, for Australia. The social hall was well filled and the stage was gay with flowers. Mrs. Holland was «' escorted by. Mr. J. O. Johnson, president of the Wellington Labour Representation Committee, and accompanied by the Prime. Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage), Mrs. French, the Hon. W. Lee Martin and Mrs. Martin, and Mr. and Mrs. Roy Holland. The Hon. F. Jones and Mrs. Jones, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong and Mrs. Armstrong, the Hon. P. Fraser and Mrs. Fraser, the Hon. P. C. Webb, the Hon. T. Brindle, M.L.C., the Hon. H.. G. R. Mason, and-Mr. and Mrs. H. Holland were also on the platform. Others ■ present included the chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board (Mr. J. Glover) and the Mayor of Upper &utt (Mr. A. J. McCurdy). , Mr. Johnson said that it was Mrs. Holland's wish that the gathering should be as informal as possible. He read apologies from the Hon. R. Semple, the Hon. F. Langstone, the Hon: W. E. Parry, the Hon. Mark Fagan, and others. Mrs. S .E. O. Snow, speaking on behalf of the women of the Labour movement, said she had known Mrs. Holland probably longer than anygne else present. Mrs. Holland had been of great help to her late husband in his .fight for freedom. Mrs. Holland, had .sot other women in the party a good ■ example and at the same time was an ideal wife and mother. The women of the movement appreciated what she had,done and they wished her a pleasant, voyage to Australia and hoped to see her back in.New Zealand before long. . . ~ ; Mr. J. Roberts, national president of the New Zealand Labour Party, said that it was difficult for any man in the Labour movement, to do good work without the assistance of his wife, and Mrs.'Holland had played a large part in the success of her husband in. poli- , tics. Mr. Roberts paid a tribute to the;memory, of Mr. H. E. Holland, and went on to: say how glad he was to see so.many of the old stalwarts of the Labour movement present. . On behalf of the Labour Party, Mr. Roberts presented Mrs. Holland with a beautiful bound folio containing the of her late husband and an address- from- the Party. On behalf of the Arawa Maoris of Rotorua, the Hon. D. Wilson, M.L.C., read a letter conveying greetings to Mrs. ■ Holland. The Maoris, he said, had asked him to present a greenstone pendant to Mrs. Holland on their behalf, and he would do so as soon as it came to hand: \ Speaking on behalf of the Labour Representation Committee, Mr. Johnson^ said that he could most heartily endorse all that had been said about Mrs. Holland. On behalf of the Wellington L.R.C. he presented a travelling rug to Mrs. Holland. It would not .be needed, in Australia, he said, but it would be useful when, crossing the Tasman and during future visits to New Zealand. . . ; "A man Can't make a success in life unless he has the assistance of a good mate," :said the Prime Minister,' and provoked prolonged laughter and ap,plause. £He' : was:glad;to b f e. there,-Mr. "' Savage - saidj' because" it brought '"Sack' .old memories. His mind went back ' to 'when they had the guidance of Harry Holland and as a guide he sel- ■ dom made mistakes. He, was also a philosopher and a friend whose mem- . ory- would live. They were there to do honour to his mate. He had been in the world long enough to realise the part - played by women in the hurly-burly of life, and for that reason he was pleased and privileged to be there to say a word to Mrs. .Holland. He would always be glad to-sec her whether in Australia or New Zealand. They could not afford to forget old friends and^he was glad to see many old friends present.: . They had a long way to go in New Zealand, Mr. Savage said, but. their "spirits were good and their case was sound/ There were difficulties to overcome, but the more difficult the road ahead the less-likely they would be to forget the friends who had gone. Mrs. Holland was leaving thousands • of friends'in New Zealand. On behalf of the Government, said Mr. Savage, it was his privilegel to wish Mrs. Holland a pleasant voyage tolher native land and health and happiness in the'future. Speaking on behalf of his mother, Mr. Harry Holland thanked the speakers and all who had helped to make the social a success. On behalf of JYTrs, Holland's family, he expressed appreciation of what had been said about Mrs. Holland, which was appreciated all the more because it was true. His mother, he said, had suffered a great loss, but it was a comfort to her to know that the party that had been led by her husband for so many years was progressing so well under the guidance of Mr. Savage. . During the evening Mr. Harold Glark, Mr. Thomas McNair, Mrs. Logic, Miss McGavin, Mrs. H. Chapman, and Renais Jrage provided the concert programme, every item being warmly applauded. Renais Gage, a girl of only nine years, had a particular appeal to the audience and had to respond to two encores. She first sang "A Heart That is Free" (Rolyn) and then "Harbour Lights" (Kennedy and Williams).

; The function concluded with a social gathering around the supper table.