CRITICAL DAYS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19988, 13 July 1939, Page 5

CRITICAL DAYS

DOMINION OUTLOOK MR. HAMILTON'S OPINION PARTY PAYS TRIBUTE EXPRESSION OF LOYALTY (Per Pross Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Unstinting tributes to the Hon. Adam Hamilton, as leader of the National Party, were paid during the annual conference of the party which opened in Wellington yesterday. Representative speakers from the Parliamentary section and speakers representing the various divisions >n .he party organisation participated. A motion confirming loyalty to Mr. Hamilton and confidence in him as leader was carried unanimously. The president of the party, Mr. C. H. Weston, in his address, remarked on the concentration of the Labour Party's attack on Mr. Hamilton. Not only’ had a form of whispering propaganda been started against him. but by every lonn of underground method, as well as by direct attack led by responsible ‘Ministers of the Crown, an effort was being made to suggest that Mr. Hamilton was an unsuitable leader. Attributes of Leader

“We stand under Mr. Hamilton,’ said Mr. Weston. "We are satisfied with him. He has the greatest attributes of a real leader and the time has come when a general realisation of this will cause the mass of the public to turn to him to lead us to recovery.”

Returning thanks for the reception accorded him. Mr. Hamilton said he considered the party had every reason to be proud of its efforts and the Parliamentary reinforcements were already acquitting themselves magnificently. Before tong the Labour Party would; know what a really strong Opposition it had. struck. He saia that the Nationalists elected would put up a great fight for the 400,000 people by whom they were supported.

”1 thank my colleagues and the delegates for the very fine expression of 'loyalty to me,” said Mr. Hamilton. “I never doubted it. Extreme Difficulties

“These are critical days. The Government .is in extreme difficulties internally and externally and its ranks are badly shattered. It is a party that has succeeded by fostering trouble and capitalising grievances—by setting employees against employers and the poor against the rich and so on.

"The internal machine has been set in motion. It cannot now stop. And all this is not taking into account the material embarrassments to tilt* country at home and abroad. “It is a sad, but perhaps a sharp lesson that the National Party has to maintain its four-square attitude and advocacy for the restoration of sound government for all sections. You are a. force in the political world in this time of trouble, greater than any other political agency, for good politics have to be taken seriously to-day and it is a deadly serious game we are playing.

“I am proud to be your leader and I wilt not be buffeted about in pursuing the case on your behalf for the fundamental democratic ideals upon which our whole policy is based ”