COUNTIES CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 July 1945, Page 6

COUNTIES CONFERENCE

MINISTER AND DEMOCRACY WELLINGTON, July 25. When he became Minister in charge of local body government, said Mr. Parry, opening the Counties’ Conference, to-day, he had declared that the local bodies would be democracy’s most powerful' sheet anchor in the world of conflicting ideologies. He reaffirmed his faith in that statement and hoped he would be pardoned for striking a note of warning. -There were forces to-day which might create an impression on the minds of people and tend to destroy the democratic .system. Three of the most important things for which the Allies had been fighting were: The right of freedom of speech, free elections and freedom of worship. The exercise of these three freedoms implied obligations that should not be trafficked in for party political purposes. We must be careful not to set up a different kind of warfare whereby, by wordy strife and imputing unworthy and dishonourable motives, we created contempt lor the democratic system. Real social progress could only be made when we had free discussions between parties where there existed a healthy difference of opinion. DELEGATE'S DEATH. WELLINGTON, July 25. Mr. Rodney Coates, Chairman of the Otamalca County Council and delegate to the Counties’ Conference,, died suddenly at his hotel last night, At the opening of the conference today, the President, Mr. W. Morrison, paid a tribute to Mr. Coates, who, he said, had been a delegate to inc conference for many years. /lhe conleience recorded its appreciation oi his long and faithful-service. The Minister for Internal Allan’s (Mr. Parrv) prefaced his opening address with a tribute to Mr. Coates, whom lie described as a very line, man; indeed, a great citizen and a great spirit. Mr. Coates was a brother of the late Mr. .1. (L,Coates.