WAIROA'S GOODWILL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19372, 9 July 1937, Page 4

WAIROA'S GOODWILL

EARTHQUAKE MEMORIES MR. HAMILTON'S HELP NATIONAL LEADER SPEAKS (Special to iho Herald.) WAIROA, this clay. A tribute to the celerity with which the Hon. A. Hamilton, as a member ol the Cabinet in 1931, had speeded aid to Wairoa immediately after the town had been partially destroyed by the earthquakes, was paid by Mr. H. L. Harker, Mayor of Wairoa, in introducing Mr. Hamilton to a large audience at Ostler's Hall, Wairoa, last night. Mr. Hamilton appeared in the course of his tour of the East Coast territory on behalf of the National Party, and was accorded a close and attentive hearing.

The Mayor took the chair, and referred to the action of Mr. Hamilton when, as Postmaster-General, he had been the first member of the Cabinet with whom Mr. Harker could get in tbuch with at the time of the earthquakes.

It would always be a warm memory with him, said the Mayor, that within an hour of the telephone conversation, Mr. Hamilton had sent a Public Works Department engineer on to the road to Wairoa to restore essential services in the town.

The audience of 150 electors included a large number of ladies. The meeting was most orderly, not one interjection being heard, and the speaker had a most attentive hearing. Non-Labour Interests The address given by Mr. Hamilton was on similar lines to that delivered in Gisborne on Tuesday night, the Opposition Leader pointing out that he was engaged in an effort to weld into one team the non-Labour interests in the country, in order that they might be effectively represented at the next general elections. He asked the audience to consider the effects of Labour rule in the country up to date, and to decide whether the country could afford to continue under a regime aiming, he said, at the extinction of individual enterprise. Mr. Hamilton said that he represented a constituency very much like the Bav of Plenty, and while elsewhere they might be able to get in touch with many centres it had not been oossible till now to reach Wairoa. The people were fortunate in having such a fine district, though to get here on the present occasion he had to travel through snow, and Poverty Bay was quite as cold as Southland, but it had now again cleared up nicely.

His purpose was not to attack the Government or Labour, but to give the electors an ooportunity to exchange thoughts, and by the advice forthcoming from the electors to help in building up a policy that would make for the betterment of New Zealand. The people were now taking an increased interest in politics, which was a very hopeful sign. Last Political Landslide The speaker then went on to deal with the factors that brought about the last political landslide, claiming that when the people had decided that they wanted a change they had gone farther than they intended, so that for what they were getting now Parliament and the Labour Party were not to "blame, but. the people themselves. He dealt also with the duty of all the electors, and not a section of them, to uphold democracy, which, he said, showed a tendency to break down, quoting Spain, Italy, Germany and Russia, and called upon all who loved their beautiful country to uphold its best interests. The speaker pointed out the danger of Communism slipping in through a multiplicity of parties, and said he favoured a two-party system.

The audience was given an opportunity to ask questions at the close of the address, but no inquiries were forthcoming. Mr. T. le C. Powdrell moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Hamilton, the motion being seconded by Mr. H. Crichton, and carried by acclamation. The Mayor was also accorded a vote of thanks for presiding.

Subsequently a provisional committee was set up to prepare for the next general elections, and to enrol members of the National Party. Later Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. T. G. Wilkes, the Hawke's Bay organiser, left for Napier.