APPRECIATION

Northern Advocate, 9 February 1935, Page 11

APPRECIATION

MR A. J. MURDOCH’S WORK | FOR MARSDEN ELECTORATE. PRE-SESSION GATHERING. SEVERAL REQUESTS MADE. Appreciation of the work done and being done for the Marsden electorate by its representative in Parliament, Mr A. J. Murdoch, was expressed at a gathering of local body representatives and Whangarei business men at the Commercial Hotel yesterday. Mr Murdoch leaves shortly to .attend the coming session of Parliament, and the opportunity was grasped to thapk him for* what he has done, and to make several requests. Mr L. Webb, chairman of the Whangarei County Council, presided over the gathering, and said that the council appreciated the great assistance Mr Murdoch had been. At no time since he had represented Madden had he been of such assistance as during the past year As time went on the council would require further assistance, and he was sure that Mr Murdoch would give it. The chairman asked that the member watch the interest of local bodies during the framing of the Mortgage Corporation legislation. Protection in regard to rating was needed. Harbour Board Needs. Mr J. A. Finlayson publicly expressed the thanks of the Harbour Board to Mr Murdoch for the work he had done in connection with raising money to pay off the board’s 7 per cent. loan. Actually, Mr Murdoch’s assistance was not required in the end, but that assistance had been given and was there for the board -to take advantage of had its own negotiations fallen through. On behalf of the Kamo Town Board, Mr W. Wakelin also thanked Mr Murdoch for his assistance, and asked him to expedite the rebuilding of the Kamo Post Office, for which he understood provision had been made in the estimates. Messrs Bloomfield and Weir, of the Onerahi Town Board, made requests for the extension of the jetty, the provision of a public telephone box, and the setting aside of ari area as a scenic reserve. The Deputy-Mayor, Mr E. G. W. Tibbits, apologised for the absence of Mr W. Jones, and extended to Mr Murdoch the best of wishes. Mr T. Mitchell said that what was most read in the newspapers was criticism of the Government. Not much was' read qf the, good work which was being done in the interests of the country.' “I do not think,” he said, “that any serious-minded person would believe that the legislation enacted within the past few years has been for anything hut the gqod of the country.” Kamo Coal Situation. The president of the Whangarei Chamber of .Commerce, Mr C. V. Stringer, said Mr Murdoch had bean of great assistance tp that body iii the past, and requested that he do his best to secure a portion of the railway order for the Kamo coal mine. The chamber was not trying to take orders from any other mine or party, hut, as statements had been made that unemployment funds were being used in the interest of the Hikurangi district, it was felt that those privileges should be extended to the Kamo people. Any additional orders for Kamo would result in the employment of more men and mqre business for Whangarei- Only five or six men were employed at Kamo now, it having beeri necessary to put off between 40 and 45. The coal was good, and it was asked that the railway orders previously held in the district should be returned. Mr G. C. Munns, president of the Twenty Thousand Club, congratulated the member on the work He had done for the district. His request was that Mr Murdoch support the club in requesting the Government to buy the Whangarei Falls as a national scenic reserve. He also felt that something should be done to get orders for the Kamo mine, which had great capacity for future development. Other speakers included Messrs F. Elliott, H. W. Crawford, A. 'Clarke T. N. Blake and L. A. Johnson, the last-named asking that an allocation from an art union' be granted to the Whangarei Municipal Band. Mr Finlayson also mentioned the scenic reserve extending from the Frenchman to Bream Head, and asked Mr Murdoch to do his best to have a privately-owned portion of the bush secured as part of the reserve. Mr Murdoch was then toasted. Mr Murdoch Replies. In response, Mr Murdoch expressed his appreciation of the thought which prompted the gathering, arid said it was gratifying to feel that any work he might have done was recognised and appreciated. One did not go into Parliament with any idea of getting kudos or appreciation—in fact, the opposite was often the case—-but it was nice to know that work done was appreciated. During the time he had represented Marsden it had fallen to his lot to do a great deal of breaking in. In 1919, when he first went into the field to contest the seat against Mr Mander, the only way he could cover the electorate was on horseback. There were only very few miles of metalled roads. Now there were only few roads in Marsden unmetalled. In those days also the North was regarded as a place from which was obtained a bit of kauri gum and ship’s spars. Now the North was known and talked about all over the Dominion. Happy Association. His association with the local bodies had been a happy one, and he felt sure that in the future they would to co-operate for the welfare of the district. The Government, like everyone else, had had to face hard times Many nasty things had had to be done, and there were some members who would have bolted had they i been able. Many things had been done which members did not like, but they had been cases of necessity. It had been a golden harvest for the Opposition, which had seized , its opportunities to tear into the Government. In regard to the requests made. Mr Murdoch said he had been working quietly for some time in connection with the Kamo mine. The Railway Department was satisfied with the quality of the coal, and was giving further consideration to the extending of orders. The Onerahi requests had already been made, but he would take them : up again, and while at present the.:

Government had ruled that art union funds must be devoted to unemployment or other certain objects, he thought it might be possible later to secure an allocation. In regard to the Whangarei Falls, he suggested that a request be made through him to the Tourist and Lands Department, and he would be pleased to take the question up and see if the Falls could not be secured for Whangarei,