SOCIAL TO MR E.H. CLABK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2714, 21 March 1906, Page 13

SOCIAL TO MR E. H. CLABK.

(By Otm Special RepobtekJ ■PALMER&TON, March 14. " The Town Hall, Palmerston, was very largely attended this evening on the occasion of a social tendered by his supporters and friends to Mr E. H. Clark, the unsuccessful candidate for the Waikouaiti seat at the last general election. Mr E. Lefevre, chairman of Mr Clark's committee, presided, and was supported on the platform by numerous ladies and gentlemen. The hall had b-een tastefully decorated. Apologies for absence were read fiom the Pieinier, the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Messrs J. F. Arnold, A. R. Barclay, J. MacPherson, T. K. Sidey, E. (Jr. Allen, M.H.R.'s, and others. The Chairman, the preliminaries ever, said they had mot that evening to do honour to Mr Clark for the very able fight he had made in the late election campaign. The Waikouaiti district had been represented in the past by a member of the Liberal party. He referred to that great statesman Sir John M'Kenzie, who for so many years represented the electorate. When they lost him the people of the electorate lost one of its right-hand supporters, for he was ever working for th« interests of the district and of the colony as a whole. Subsequently it was felt the right thing as an electorate to look round for someone to again represent them in the same interest, and a committee was formed, of which he was pleased to say he (the speaker) was chairman. Looking round for someone to represent the electorate in the Liberal interest, the committee's choice fell on Mr Clark, and he thought all would agree that the choice was a really good one. — (Applause.) When Mr Clark came out he was practically a beginner as far a* political -peeclieb were concerned, and many present would bt-ar him out when he *aid that his addresses surprised many besides his supporters. He was generous in everything throughout that election, and never once hit below the belt. Bp said that if he could not win the contest without resorting to underhand measures he did not want to win it. If Mr Clark had beon returned he had no doubt he would have

[ followed worthily in the late Sir. John I M'Kenzie's footsteps, and he was. confident Mr Clark had the ability to soon make a name for himself in Parliament. . When 1 the abilities of his opponent, Mr Thomas Mackenzie, as able a man he supposed as could be found in the political field, were taken into consideration Mr Clark's achievement in polling 1600 votes against him spoke for itself. His committee considered that, after the excellent manner in which Mr Clark fought the late contest, they would be lacking in their duty if they failed to express tangibly their recognition of his efforts, and the movement to that end had received most generous support, even those who had not been among Mr Clark's supporters coming forward with subscriptions. This last fact snake volumes in Mr Clark's behalf, and he lilt sure that if that gentleman would allow himself on a future occasion to be nominated as a candidate for the Waikouaiti electorate he would undoubtedly be found on the right side at the poll.— (Applause.) He (the chairman) had great pleasure in presenting to Mr Clark a gold watch, inscribed with his monogram and bearing the inscription : " Presented to Mr E. H. Clark by his supporters in the Waikouaiti electorate as a memento of the general election of 1905, " and to Mrs" Clark a gold bracelet set with diamonds and turquoises. Mr Clark, who was heartily received on rising to respond, said he felt that, looking round him, he might consider he truly had the esteem and respect of most o£ the people in the Waikotiaiti electorate, and he was only sorry that no members of the Opposition were present that night. He could assure them that when he oame out to contest the election he was actuated by the highest motives, for he thought it time that the electorate had to represent it in Wellington 6omeon« who was living in the electorate, and had his interests there. It was only a matter of common sense that a person brought up in the electorate, and having a stake therein, would have a greater interest in the constituency he represented than a representative who was living in some other part of the country. He did not wish to say anything disparaging "of Mr T. Mackenzie, but he thought it high time that a gentleman who had been representing an electorate for 21 years, and sitting under the present for 14 years, should say whether he supported or opposed that Government. The speaker said he supported a Government that was recognised as the best the colony had had, and the merits of which were recognised by the . whole civilised world. The elections in the Old Country showed that the woi'king people there were following in the wake of fche people of New Zealand, and any country must go to the wall in which capital and labour did not walk hand in hand. In New Zealand the Government was trying to bring the capitalist and the working man together, and .the result was that in New Zealand they had ' the best little colony in the world. He took it as a great honour that in the Waikouaiti electorate 1600 persons had recorded their votes" for him, and he took ifc as nothing to have been beaten by a majority of 700. At last election at least 100 voters had told him they would have supported him had they not given their promise of support to his opponent. That reduced the majority against him to 500, and he had before him three years in which to talk those people over. He was going to do it, and he was sure that if he had the assistance he had at last election they would come out. on top at the poll without the slightest diffioulty. r If his supporters would stick to him he was more determined than ever to come out for another contest in three years' time, aiid he hoped the fight would be purely 3 political one, and devoid of personalities. Of the present Government he had no need to speak furl her in eulogy, and would only say that the Cheviot as he had seen it was to-day a speaking monument of the good work done by that Government, and if there were now 2000 people where a few years ago there were but 12 or 15 it was because the present Government had stepped in and broken up the country, and enabled the worker io get a home for himself. On behalf of Mrs CT.ark and himself he thanked them all to the utmost for their kind expressions and gifts. — (Applause.) The Rev. J. R. Clark also spoke in complimentary terms of Mr Clark, emphasising the courage he had shown as a candidate in the late contest, and ether speakers followed in similar vein. The social element was made a prominent feature of the proceedings. A good programme of eongs and musical items was contributed, and the formal function was followed by a supper and a very largely-attended dance. •