TRIBUTES PAID TO LATE J. O’BRIEN

Grey River Argus, 29 September 1949, Page 4

TRIBUTES PAID TO LATE J. O’BRIEN

Anniversary Ceremony At Karoro Cemetery

In spite of the bad weather conditions yesterday afternoon, a good crowd, representing branches and affiliations of the New Zealand Labour Party from various parts of the Westland district, attended the ceremony at Karoro Cemetery on the occasion of the second anniversary of the death of the Hon. James O’Brien, who represented the district in Parliament almost continuously between the years 1922 and 1947. Many beautiful floral tributes were sent to the graveside, and, amongst the numerous messages sent, were telegrams from the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, other members of Cabinet, and Mr J. B. Kent, M.P. for Westland.

Mr P. Blanchfield, president of the Westland L.R.C., read the messages, and also a number of apologies for absence from friends and admirers of the late Mr O’Brien. In the course of a brief address. Mr Blanchfield referred to the notable part played by their late Member in the advancement of the West Coast, the progress of the Labour Movement, and the work of the Labour Government. He remarked that the simplicity of the ceremony that day did not betoken any lessening in the sincerity of the purpose of their movement, nor in the genuineness of their regard for the man whose memory they commemorated. It was the idea of the friends of the late Member for Westland to commemorate his anniversary just as the friends of the late Mr M. J. Savage and Mr H. E. Holland honoured the memory of those two great humanitarians. Mr Blanchfield said that so many fine eulogies had been delivered by eminent speakers on the character of the late Mr O’Brien that it was not for him to stress those great attributes any further on this occasion. "Suffice it for me to say”, said Mr Blanchfield, “that the presence of so many of his friends and admirers in this boisterous weather’ is a better tribute of appreciation than any phrases I might make. We are determined not to let the passing of the years dim our memory of this great, man, and we wish to keep it evergreen, so that posterity will know the late Member for Westland as a genuine friend of the needy, the invalids, the widows and the orphans. To al! who knew and loved the late Jim O’Brien, and they are legion, I suggest that the finest appreciation we can pay him is to pause for a few minutes in silent meditation here at his last resting place and recall him as a living personality, a champion of the people’s rights and needs, a friend to everyone”. The message from th e Member of the District was as follows: — “Am with you to-day in honouring the memory of one who loved his fellow men, and whose name will remain always in the hearts of all who knew him. To us he hands on the torch! Be it ours to hold it high—if we should fail, he shall not sleep. Peace to his ashes!—Jim Kent”.

After a short period of silence, Mrs K. O’Brien briefly replied, thanking the gathering for theii’ attendance, and also those who sent messages and floral tributes on the occasion of the second anniversary of the passing of hex’ late husband.