OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT COMMITTEE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19136, 2 April 1924, Page 5

OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT COMMITTEE.

NJJW LABOUR CHAIRMAN. -MINER AND TEMEPEEANCE ADVOCATE. (Thom Oub Own Correspondint.) LONDON, February 21. It is officially announced this molding that, at the invitation of the Secretary of State for the Colonics, and with the consent of the President of the Board of Trade, Mr IV. Lunn, M.P., has become chairman of the

Overseas Settlement Committee. He holds the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade in the present Government. He is a Yorkshire man, and it is said a man with energy beyond ordinary human limits. From Mr S. V. Brachcr’s " Herald Book of Labour Members ” it is possible to learn something of his early career. “It was with coal and local government.” says this authority, “ that Mr Lunn’s proparliamentary career was mainly, but by no means exclusively, concerned. He has long been a Co-operator, a Hechabite a.nd Temperance advocate. From the foundation of the I.L.P. 30 years ago he has been one of its prominent members. And I do not know what could keep him away from the annual

gathering of the old scholars of the Primitive Methodist Sunday School in his native Rothwell. Born in 1872, the eldest of a family of eight, he went with his father to work in the. local pit at the age of 12. Victimised at the age of 16 for loading a pony drivers’ revolt, he had to walk three or four miles each way to work in the Middleton Colliery. There, as miner and (front the age of 27) check-weigher, he remained for 30 years. He was branch chairman of his union at the age of 19, and the Middleton men had

a settled habit of returning bim unopposed as delegate to the Yorkshire Miners’ Association. In attendance at international conferences he acquainted himself with mining conditions in Austria, Germany, Prance, and Belgium “ Hos 28 years of local public life—school board (at the age of 21), urban district council, and board of guardians—were regularly punctuated with big electoral majorities. Ho was for many years a school manager, and he chiefly is to lie thanked that during the miners’ strike of 1912 no child in Rothwell was unfed. As chairman of the Hospital Committee, he has striven many years for the complete oonrmunalisation of health. For his great parliamentary majorities in the last two general elections he modestly thanks a body of devoted workers.”

The meeting of Hereweka Lodge. Porlobello, held on March 22, was presided over by N.G. Bro. P. Kemshed, when there was a good attendance of members and a largo number of visitors from the city lodges, who journeyed down by motor bus to do honour to Grand Mastei Bro. M. J. Hooper, of Auckland, who paid an official visit, accompanied by D.D.G.M. Bro. C. A. Bolton, Grand Treasurer Bro. L. U. Ritchie, Grand Herald Bro. Klee, P.G.M. Bro. Valentine, Grand Trustee Bro. Kemnitz, and Grand Lodge representatives, Bros. W. Smith and AV. Kilpatrick. The N. Grand, in extending a welcome, expressed his pleasure in having a visit from the G. Master. After the busi-

ness was dealt with, which included the resignation of Secretary Bro. J. Clearwater, who is leaving the district, the lodge closed and one and all adjourned to the supper room, when the following toasts were honoured :—“ Grand Badge of New Zealand.” responded to by G.M. Bro. Hooper, who gave a very interesting address on the work of the Order and expressed his pleasure at the welcome which he had received; “Grand Lodge of Australasia,” responded to by G. Treasurer Bro. Ritchie; "South Otago District Lodge," responded to by D.D.G.M. Bro. Bolton; “ Hereweka Lodge.” responded to by N.G. Bro. Kemshed. Reference woe made by several speakers to the resignation of Bro. Clearwater, the secretary, who had been an ardent worker since the lodge stiu-ted 20 years ago. During the evening musical items were given by Bros. T. Morris, J. Duncan, C. Cullen, and D. Rutherford. The visitors’ toast, proposed by Bro. Gill, was responded to by representatives of Pioneer, Leith, Unity, Linden, Maori Hill, and St. Hilda, after which a pleasant evening was brought to a close.