In Retrospect

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1946, Page 2

In Retrospect

' [TO THE EDITOR.] Sir,—When eulogising the service to the country of his best friend (Mr. Webb), and telling how/ between them, assisted by Mr. Hickey, they had formed the first Federation of Labour on the Coast, Mr. Semple recalled to many old Coasters the arrival of the Semple-Hickey-Webb trio at Greymouth from Australia and how they preached their doctrine - from their soap boxes on Mawhera Quay to an amazed crowd ■of loyal citizens. The crowd was so incensed and disgusted at one stage that it endeavoured to manoeuvre Mr. Semple to the edge of the wharf with the intention of giving him a cool bath, but he was too cunning for them. Later the trio was joined by Mr. H. T. Armstrong and Mr. J. O’Brien and then the Runanga State mines came into existence.

Mr. Semple has mellowed with the years but still maintains his flow of language (all his own) to which he treats us occasionally, and, assisted by the best engineering brains in the country, plus an unlimited bank account, he has certainly left his mark on the countryside. Mr. O’Brien (at heart more Liberal than Labour) is much tamer than he used to be. He has done a good job, and by precept and example has done much good for his fellow men. As to Mr. Webb, his bland allusion to the loss of his civic rights for 10 or 12 years over the conscription issue may go down with the Red element of the rising generation, but to those whose relatives did not return in the 1914-18 war it does not sound so good.—Yours, etc., OLD COASTER. Greymouth, Sept. 20.