MR. FOWLDS'S "HOLIDAY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14932, 4 March 1912, Page 5

MR. FOWLDS'S "HOLIDAY."

GARDEN PARTY AT MOUNT

ALBERT.

An "At Home" was given by the Hon. Geo. Fowlds and Mrs. Fowlds at their residence, " Greystone Knome," Mount Albert, on Saturday afternoon, to the members of Mr. Fowlds's election committees and other friends and supporters of the ex-member for Grey Lynn. Although the weather was not very favourable for such a function, there was a large attendance. A special train ran from town, and conveyed the visitors to and from Mount Albert. The guests, who were received by Mr. and Mrs. Fowlds on the lawn at the entrance to their residence, were provided with refreshments in a large marquee. A band was present, and played musical selections during the afternoon.

Mr. Fowlds, in the course of a shortspeech expressed his pleasure at seeing such a large gathering of his friends and supporters. It had been tho custom, he said, for a long time, for Mrs. Fowlds and himself to invito their friends to spend an afternoon with them every three years. These gatherings had hitherto taken place after a successful election contest. (Laughter.) On this occasion the contest had been unsuccessful, but that was no reason why he should not invito his friends to meet him as usual. (Applause.) _He would not, ho said, make a political speech on this occasion, but he expected at an early date to invite the members of his committees to meet him and to talk business. (Hear, hear.) He was in no way depressed at the result of tho election. His present holiday was doing him good, and ho would bo better fitted for servico when the electors of Grey Lynn desired to again call him back as their representative. (Applause.) He had no feeling of bitterness or complaint in rogard to tho election, and he did not even blame himself very much in connection with it. The circumstances were very unique, and might never occur again. Ho thanked all his supporters for their past support, and hoped that when the opportunity came they would be again ready to fight alongside of him. (Applause.) Mr. W. J. Holdsworth (secretary of Mr. Fowlds's Election Executive Committee) said that whilst they had been disappointed at tho result of the election, those who thought a lot of Mr. Fowlds would be inclined to feel glad that he was not in Parliament at the present time, in view of what had lately been _ taking place. "We would rather," he said, "be on the side of Mr. Fowlds and be defeated than be on the side of some gentlemen who got there." (Laughter.)