Candidate’s Plea For Thought On Future Of N.Z.

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 November 1947, Page 2

Candidate’s Plea For Thought On Future Of N.Z.

An assurance to the electors that he supported the policy of the National Party wholeheartedly was given by Mr J. F. Lockington, candidate for the Westland by-election at his meeting at Greymouth last night. He added-.that during the course of his address (which followed the lines of that given at Kumara on Monday night) he had merely attempted to give some of the ideals of the party and some of his own. “I do not want to plead with you to vote for me, or for any ideal, intimidated by anybody, but to think, and. to think fairly. If you do give real thought to where our country will ultimately drift under the present conditions, I have no fear of the result on December 3,” said Mr Lockington. “In the six years of war that have just passed,” he continued, “youth, by its endurance, self-sacrifice and leadership has inspired yo& all. has won for you that priceless goalvictory. In return, youth asks you to give it its rightful place at your councils, at your parliaments and at your peace conferences. Tolerance For All

“If you accept youth, with its vigour and drive, backed by the realities of the horrors and the terrors of war —not having just heard or read about them—it will give you a just and lasting peace. Not only peace from war, but peace from want and fear, with a tolerance embracing all sections of the community.

“This country of ours was founded by people imbued with a spirit of independence and individualism. They came here and carved a home out of its bush and left behind a code of honour and respect which has been the heritage of all true-blue New Zealanders. “We have risen gloriously as a nation to defend the flag of our Empire. Now let us rise to defend something more near and dear to us. Our own birthright—freedom, unfettered by State control. As a nation we may have a great destiny, so long as we marshal our resources intelligently and so long as we are not 1 living in a fool’s paradise of cheap slogans and faith in a system devised overseas and not applicable to our own needs,” concluded Mr Lockington, amid applause. First Big Meeting

Mr Lockington, although it was his first public address to a large audience of electors, proved a strong and clear speaker. The Mayor (Mr F. A. Kitchingham) presided at the meeting, and in introducing the speaker referred to the fact that Mr Lockington’s family had been genuine West Coast pioneers, and had lived in the Reefton district when it was isolated and the work wasv heavy, hard and long.