A VETERAN POLITICIAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9534, 5 May 1909, Page 1

A VETERAN POLITICIAN.

PRESENTATION TO MR TANNER

THE PREMIER'S COMPLIMENT.

There was a cordial and enthusiastic gathering at the Scottish Society's Rooms last evening, when the old constituents of Mr W. W. Tanner, who until last November had represented Avon in Parliament continuously for eighteen years, met to express their appreciation of his services and to make presentations to him and to Mrs Tanner. The Mayor (Mr C. Allison) prei sided. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, attended to make the presentation, .and among others present were Messrs G. Witty, M.P., and T. H. Davey, M.P. Apologies for absence were received from the Hon D. Buddo, ..Mr G. Laurenson, M.P. , Mr J. A. Flesher and many others.

The chairman said that Mr Tanner had served the Avon constituency faithfully for eighteen years and had worked his; way up from the ranks- of labour. Until the recent election he had been returned, election after election without defeat, a sure indication that the value of his services was appreciated by his constituents and that they retained the fullest confidence In him. (Applause.) ' '. Sir Jose.ph Ward, who was received, with continued applause, said that it was with very great pleasure that he had responded to the invitation extended to him to be present to help to do honour to a gentleman who for so many years had ably and sincerely represented the people of Avon (Applause.) In 1890 Mr Tanner was returned for the first time,' and he and Mr Tanner from that time on until the last general election,, when the Fates were against him, had been in the House of Representatives: He thought he was entitled to say that he had had as good an opportunity as anyone else of realising the character of' the man and the work he had done, and the anxious desire on his part to serve the necessities of the people in the country. He thought he was right in expressing the belief that there was not a member of the House, on either side* — and he did -not often venture to say anything for the other side— who would not on, such an occasion, even if .-..•he.- differ-,, ed from Mr Tanner's views on any question, cordially join in honouring a. veteran member of the House. They had to remember that in Parliament, where men were cent to carry on the work of the country, there would be no diversity of opinion, no spirit of emulation, no progress, if everybody was of one idea, or thought the same, ot believed the same political dogmas. Mr Tanner, who had been regarded as a studious man from the day he entered the House, and had been a close reader of political economy, had been looked upon by members of the House generally as /a well-informed member. Whenever he spoke on any^ matter affecting any industrial requirement of the people all knew he had taken the' trouble to familiarise himself with its history, and had. the courage of his opinions, and was not afraid to express them on the floor of the House. For that reason he himself felt it a great pleasure to be present to join in doing honour to their late member. He might also be allowed to # say one word expressive of the appreciation of the co-operation of Mrs Tanner in Mr Tanner's work. Men in all branches of public life knew the value of .the assistance of a good wife, who was prepared to devote nerself to helping to smooth away the difficulties ; the men who carried on the work of the country knew that they were bound to be criticised adversely, often by some of their best friend©. Mr Tanner had had very valuable cooperation from Mrs Tanner, whom he was -leased to know was well enough to be present. Men who went into the political battlefield, like men who went' to war, had to stand in the forefront, as , their late representative had done, and someone in the campaign had to fait by the way, and .so long as the record of the man who fell was one on which there was no blemish, although the pain of foing out was great the recollection hat he had tried to do his duty was greater still. (Applause.) Mr Tanner was not going to be out of public life in New Zealand for very long. (Applause.) He could say that Mr Tanner accepted the decision of the people with that equanimity that had characterised all his battles in the House, whether he was in a triumphant majority or not. The life of a public man was one of great activity, and one of interest to thoge who wanted him to get on, as well as to his opponents, because in the political world a man was judged very often by one mistake, and all his triumphs were forgotten. That was the fastidiousness of the people: When politicians went before the public for the purpose of stating that they had tried to do their duty, they had to take the result of the people's decision calmly and^like philosophers. He was perfectly certain that Mr Tanner, in the truest sense of the term, was a 'philosopher in that respect. Sir Joseph added that he wished to be allowed to endorse cordially the kind sentiments and the good-

will which the gift of a beautiful gold watch and chain conveyed. It was valuable, but its value was insignificant compared with the feeling that underlay it, and the goodwill, esteem and 'affection of the people who were asking Mr Tanner to accept it. The donors asked him to convey to Mr Tanner the kindest wishes and hopes for the blessings of good health and the tranquility, that, was bound to be around him in private life. They could not do other than look forward cheerfully to a time when he might again become of use to the Sople of the country. He hoped that r Tanner would live longer than the watch and chain. Sir Joseph then handed Mr Tanner an insonbed gold watch and chain, amid great applause. Continuing, Sir Joseph said that he had a still more pleasant duty to perform in handing to Mrs Tanner a beautiful gold bracelet. He thought

that those who were paying a tribute of respect to Mrs Tanner showed very fine feelings indeed. With all due deference to Mr Tanner's many good qualities, he thought they would not have been "a patch" on what they were if it had not been for the good offices and assistance of Mrs Tanner. He had known Mrs Tanner for a very long time, and had always found her the same quiet amiable lady in every possible respect. It was a very sincere pleasure to ask Mrs Tanner to allow him to place the bracelet on her wrist- Further applause greeted the presentation, Sir Joseph Ward wishing Mrs Tanner "good luck and prosperity"

Mr Tanner, who was .received with enthusiastic applause, said that the kindly references to his services and the splendid present handed to him by Sir Joseph Ward made it somewhat difficult for him to arrange his thoughts to express what was in his mind. While he had never, asked for anything of the kind, it had been a source of the deepest gratification to liim to receive the memento which had been handed to him by the Prime Minister. Looking back over the years in which, he had been associated with the Parliament of the dominion, he felt proud to have been oue of those selected by the people of the colony at the time that he was first returned to represent them. Ho had stopped in the House long enough to see tho whole of his first comrades disappear. This was not an occasion for anything in the nature of an electioneering address, but he would say that he wished the young people were as ' well aware of the condition of the country twenty years ago as they should be, since they would .be then in . a position to judge of the work done in Parliament during the past two decades. Twenty years ago there was an opportunity and a demand for .representation, of a type which had not arisen iu the country before. Labour had a right to representation, and power to enforce that right if it chose to use it. He was proud of the time when, he told an audience of 3000 persons in the Tuain Street Hall that the remedy for certain evils of which they w_re complaining lay in their own hands. The audience responded to that sentiment, and hewished the same spirit had remained among the Labour people till now. Labour had never been represented according to its numerical strength, and it was less fully represented noAv than it had been in the past. He did not say Labour should be represented to the exclusion of other portions of the community, and he had no sympathy with the ideal which some Labour leaders of to-day set before their fol-lowers---the capture and control of the legislative machine. The legislative machine .should be captured by no party;, and it would be a nationalcalamity for a Government to be at the mercy of any one section of the community. There must be toleration and consideration for all parties and interests, notwithstanding the great value Labour must hold in the industrial world. : The magnificent series of reforms which had distinguished the legislation of the past twenty years was accomplished by unify of the Labour section with the small settlers, and this combinatibn had. feee.__ attended by -he palmiest days of success fji" the first ten year? of the period he referred to. He had no sympathy with those wliose idea of political progress consisted of nothing but a hard and strenuous course of galloping. A steady trot was. an easier and safer pace to set. Labour had made up a lot of leeway in the past twenty years, and with unity and fixity of purpose it could make up a good deal more. It was the duty of every section of the community to keep itself informed of the current of human affairs. New Zealand had a magnificent educational system, and he used to be proud of it, but it was a question whether his pride was not modified by the conduct of a number of young people in Christchurch at recent meetings. It was a pity that some knowledge of modern history and of the social conditions of. their own country was _ not included in the State school curriculum. Hundred of boys left the Sixth Standard or the secondary schools who knew more about Julius Ctesar than they did about John Ballance, and knew nothing of such men as Sir George Grey and John M'Kenzie. The name of Seddon was nothing more to them than the name of a strong personality, now departed, and they knew far more about sport than about the legislature, though they turned readily enough, to that legislature in every difficulty. The young people could not remain blind to the requirements of the age, and give blind adherence to any political movement that came along, without landing the country in confusion. The young people of tci-day were the coming electors, and they should pay less attention to sport ana more to gaining some knowledge of the legislative problems of their own country. Referring for a moment to the question of defence, he would say that the time might come when a few capable riflemen might be worth more to New Zealand than all the Dreadnoughts in the English Channel. He was not an alarmist, but it was always advisable to be prepared for the worst. Sir Joseph Ward had spoken very highly of his yeans of service, but he would express the hope that liis years of service were not yet over. When he looked at the faces of so many staunch and tried supporters he knew he could rely upon them and, he hoped, on a good many of the younger generation, in years to come. He hoped the time had not gone by when, he could render equal services, and cet-tainly more experienced services, than he had done in the past. (Applause.)

Mr D. B. M'Laren moved a hearty vote of thanks to Sir Joseph Ward for his attendance, and the motion was carried with three hearty cheers.

In responding the Prime Minister said that his next appointment was at Wellington at 7 a.m. the following day, and he expressed his regret at .being unable to remain till the conclusion or the proceedings. Sir Joseph Ward was warmly cheered ae he left the hall. Mr J. W. Hunter, on behalf of MrTanner, returned thanks for the present that had been given to her, and the kindness shown to her on the occasion.

Mr T. H. Davey, M. P., said that it was not quite a. pleasure to be present at a gathering in honour of a beaten old warhorse. Mr Tanner had left the House with a character abso-

lutely unsullied, and although it had been said that his creed had becotoe an obsession with him. no one could honestly say that he had not always conscientiously done his duty.^ He had done a vast amount of solid reasoning, which to scores of members, as well as himself, had been of much assistance. Mr Tanner carried more political knowledge and past history in his head than any man in Wellington. He hed been alongside Mr Tanner on many questions, notably the labour question, and he honed that a woorthv

man would take his place. ' He, with every member of Parliament, regretted Mr Tanner's defeat, and would be glad to see him go back to Parliament. He did not like to think that the occasion was valedictory. (Applause«.) Mr G. Witty, M.P., said that like Mr Davey he was not proud, to be present on the occasion, because he would have been more pleased if it had been to celebrate a victory and not a defeat. ' Those present were to be .congratulated on their desire to honour Mr Tanner, who had a splendid cal record, and had a grasp of political questions, equalled by few men in New Zealand. He had had the appreciation and good-will and respect of every member of the House. Mr Tanner had been a great help, especially to a new member. Very few men had done more for labour than Mr Tanner, and he had done valuable work as chairman of the Labour Bills Committee. He had given fair play to both labour and capital, and had never been biassed. He had thought that Mr Tanner should have been elevated to the Upper Chamber, but .he had been glad to hear the ring of Mr Tanner's decision to fight again, and he wished his success on another occasion. • (Applause.) \ During the evening a number of vocal item's were^ contributed by : . ladies and gentlemen, and the proceedings closed with a. vote of thanks to the chairman.