TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22509, 17 September 1938, Page 9

TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

CELEBRATION BY TRAVELLERS

SPEECH BY PROFESSOR A. II TOCKER

The growth of New Zealand during the last 25 years was discussed by Professor A. H. Tocker. of the Economic Department at Canterbury University College, when proposing the toast of "The Day We Celebrate" at the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Canterbury Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association last evening. The association, he said, had been founded in 1914, and up to that date, which marked the end of an era of peace, prosperity, and expansion, the growth of New Zealand had compared more than iavourably with that of any country in any part of the world. "*.

New Zealand, he said,' had become a nation during the war, largely because so many young people had gone abroad and found that they could match themselves with those of other nations. During the depression New Zealand had had "a pretty thin time," the national income having fallen by 35 per cent., but the nation had survived it. It was then that many movements, political, social, and economic, had been set on'foot. They had not ended yet and were not likely to end. JProfessor Tocker said that the last 25 years had been stirring times. He did not propose to discuss the growth of the association, but he felt that a tribute was due to it for the manner in which it had carried on its work, especially for its actfvities as a friendly society, and its insurance work, in which "it had shown great organising ability and energy.

The president (Mr H. L. Babington), who referred to the coincidence of the celebration of.the twenty-fifth anniversary of the association and of the United Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association, thanked Professor Tocker for his address. He was supported by the vice-president (Mr A. E. Romeril).. Other toasts honoured were:—"The United Commercial' Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association of New Zealand" (Mr R. E. Voller, Messrs H. H. Wauchop arid G. E. King); "Our Visitors" (Mr S. .A. Orchard, Messrs W. Machin and C. Mewton, and other •visitors): "The Press" (Mr G. E. Hatton, Mr. J. S. Kelly); "The Performers" (Mr A.E. Romeril; Mr R. Allison). Items were given by Messrs C. I. Hindle, W. Toomey, Thorpe Cherry, A. E. Romeril, and "Swanko."