HONOURING MR. MICHEL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1841, 29 August 1913, Page 9

HONOURING MR. MICHEL.

PROGRESS OF THE REFORM MOVEMENT. (By Meifraphz-HDOtia! OorrcsDondent.) Hokitika, August 28. Referring to tho demonstration held in Grcvmoutli on Tuesday in honour of Mr. jfichel, yesterday's "West Coast 'Times" savs:—"The remarkably successful gathering of the supporters of the Reform party which was held at Grcvmoutli last night marks tho opening of a now era in tlio political and social progress of tho West Coast ill general and the Grey electorate in particular. The keynote of the function was the innato enthusiasm and the conspicuous earnestness. Primarily the gathering was held in honour of Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Michel, and was promoted * with the object of expressing 111 a very r tangible way the appreciation and admiration which nearly one thousand u elector's of Grey feel towards Ml'. ~ Michel, but the gathering, or shall we t say the series of gatherings, heralded I tho birth of what i 3 one of the most 3 enthusiastic and influential branches of y the Reform League. No one who was £ present at last night's gathering should I liavo any fears for the future of the or Reform cause on the West Coast, for j the movement has tho whole-hearted j support and genuine sympathy of men 1 in all spheres of life, and while we are 3' glad to note that the men who have a x slake in tho country are, strongly in „ favour of tho Reform Government, what is most gratifying is tho whole-hearted i support which so many of the clean- { living, intelligent, and independent young men and young women of tho v northern town are giving the Reform party The congratulations which were showered, upon Mr. Michel i were tflroroiighly deseh'ed. It was a strenuous a.nd hitter fight that • was 1 waged against clean government a.nd { sane administration, yet, notwithstanding the unusual and unholy : alliance whiioh was arranged against the Reform candidate, Mr. Michel always bore himself as a gentleman, and wo know that 0.1 l true Britishers must have admired the good fight he fought. It is better to met defeat, honourably than to win victory at tho price of honour. We congratulates our Greymouth friends upon the spontaneity a.nd sincerity whicih permeated the whole of last night's proceedings. They gained a moral victory, inasmuch tlhat the allianco which _ was arranged against tho Reform candidate will have far-reaching effects when the peoplo of tihe Dominion next use the ballot 'box. Notwithstanding tlio bi£ obstacle whiMi had to bo surmounted, despite tho daily attacks of tho four newspapers of the Grey electorate, the cause of tho Reform party grows in strength every day, and is now tho dominant party in the electorate. Three months ago wo were told tlhat there, was not room for tlio Reform movement on tho West Coast. ' To-day, in tho Grey and Westland electorates, there 1 aro six thousand loval and determined supporters of tiho Reform party, and tho ranks are being swelled every day. Tho outlook for Reform on tho West Coast is particularly bright and encouraging, and if tho Reform movement has , made such marked progress an a. district ivhidh was claimed as being etor- 1 nally 'Liboral,' how much more must tihe movement havo gained in other placo9 of tho Dominion where the Reform party has always beeti in popular favour?" ■