WAITOMO L.R.C.

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5603, 9 April 1943, Page 4

WAITOMO L.R.C.

ANNUAL MEETING HELD PLANS FOR GENERAL ELECTION The annual meeting of the Waitomo L.R.C. was held in the Labour Rooms, Te Kuiti. Delegates representing the trade unions and the Labour Party branches in the Waitomo electorate were in attendance, as well as a number of member visitors. Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from the Hon. J. E. Duncan, Wharepuhunga, Messrs J. Knights and J. Dennis, Waitanguru branch, and W. Bentley, Mangapeehi Timber Workers’ brancji.

The chairman, Mr K. W. Hunkin, Te Kuiti, gave the annual report, which was an inspiring retrospect of the activities of the L.R.C. during the past year, and a rallying call for a new spirit of vitality and alertness for the future. The L.R.C. had held meetings each month during the past year, and it was worthy of note that this L.R.C. had held meetings every month over the past eight years, with the exception of the January meeting in each year, postponed owing to the Christmas and New Year holidays. The work of the secretary, Mr Jack Jones, had been such that any words of his would be quite inadequate to express the appreciation of himself and every delegate, said Mr Hunkin. The Labour Movement in Waitomo was deeply indebted to Mr Jones for his enthusiastic and inspiring efforts to further knowledge and adherence to the ideals, policy and principles of the Labour Party. The assistance he had received from the secretary and the treasurer, Mr W. Calver, was something he greatly appreciated. Messrs F. Price and W. W. Nelson, Te Mawhai and Otorohanga respectively—had served the L.R.C. faithfully and well as delegates to the No. 4 Divisional Council, and Mr Price, who had given reports generally of the deliberations and decisions of council meetings had always made matters very clear to L.R.C. delegates. The thanks of the L.R.C. was due to these comrades. No one in his position as president of the L.R.C. could have received better assistance and finer co-operation than he had received from all concerned in the activities of the Movement in Waitomo. The ladies who had supplied and arranged afternoon refreshments for delegates and visitors at every monthly meeting over the years, were deserving of the highest praise and thanks. It was evident to all that the ladies had felt it to be a pleasure and honour to be able to serve the Movement in this way.

This, said Mr Hunkin, was election year, and the L.R.C. would have much work to do organising and making contacts between the active and the sympathetic forces of Labour in the electorate, so as to ensure the winning of Waitomo for Labour. From some quarters came reports of lost enthusiasm, falling away of membership, meagre attendances at meetings and dwindling activities. He had also heard that there were tendencies to breakaways and moods of defeatism. In Waitomo they must see to it that these things did not happen during the coming months, otherwise this situation would find its ominous reflection in the forthcomng general election returns. The Labour Party’s status as a dynamic national force must be retained, and the best way to see that this was done was to see that the Labour Government was returned with a greater majority than in the past. “If we allow our minds to look backward to the years immediately preceding the Labour Government taking over the Treasury. benches, we are conscious that the picture that represents itself to us is one of human wreckage at'every turn and amid surroundings of infinite natural beauty and infinite natural wealth,” said Mr Hunkin.

Continuing, the speaker said the profusion of the people’s inheritance surpassed only, at that time, by the tragedy of the people’s fear and want. The Labour Government on coming to power immediately challenged the wisdom of the economics of its predecessors in office, and its achievements during the years it had held office, overlooking its sins of omission and commission, must be their inspiration to active work for its return at the general election. “ Our loyalty must not be allowed to wear thin, and we must give it the proud endurance, the unflinching and unflagging industry, it deserves of us,” said Mr Hankin. “We must aim towards a victory worth while winning.”

The chairman’s remarks were received with loud and continuous applause, and his report was adopted unanimously.

The treasurer, Mr W. Calver, gave the audited statement of accounts, which went to show that L.R.C. finances were healthy.

The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted: President, Mr K. W. Hunkin (Te Kuiti, re-elected unopposed); viqe-president, Mr W. Nelson (Otorohanga, re-elected); Secretary, Mr J. Jones (Te Kuiti, reelected unopposed); treasurer, Mr W. Calver (Te Kuiti, re-elected unopposed); auditor, Mr N. E. Wilson (Te Kuiti, re-elected unopposed); trustees, Messrs F. H. Campbell and K. W. Hunkin (Te Kuiti elected unopposed); delegates to No. 4 Divisional Area Council, Messsr J. Jones and F. Price (elected unopposed); executive, Mrs H. Corin (Te Kuiti), Messrs R. Smith (Otorohanga), F. Price (Te Mawhai), Hon. J. E. Duncan (Wbarepuhunga), F. L. Johansson and F. H. Campbell (Te Kuiti); annual conference delegates, Messrs J. Jones (Te Kuiti), and F. Price (Te Mawhai).