HOLLAND MEMORIAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 15, 11 October 1937, Page 8

HOLLAND MEMORIAL

-Preaa Auoclatios.)

Tributes to Labour Leader. at Unveiling WORK FOR HUMANITY

(By Telcsrtph-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. Depicting the strivings of the human r&c# to. achieve Mgher and nobler things and symbols of the ideals that inspired tio late Labour leader, the momorial In Bolton Streefc Gemetery, Wellington, to the late Mr Henry Edmund Holland, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party from 1919 ti 1933, was unveiled by the Prime Minis ter yesterday afternoon, The largt. crowd gathered on the cemetery slopei . included Cabinet Ministers, members oi Parliament and the Legislative Council, th e widow, Mrs Holland, members oi the late leader 's family, and xepresent atives .of the industrial labour movement. After paying a bigh tribute to th« qualities of Mr Holland, the Prime Minister unveiled the memorial with the words; "And now I unveil an "en* during memorial to a friend of the people, to a plain man who f ought hard the fight in the cause of soeial justice — and won." Within a short distance of Parliament Buildings, the memorial itands on an imposing eminenco and looks out over the city and harbour oi tbe capital in which the great part of Mr Hollandrs work was done. Engraved oa ihe memorial are the wordsi ' ' This monument i« dedicated to the memory of Henry Edmund Holland, leader of the Labour Party, 1919-1933, j to com* memor&te Ha Work for humanity. He divoted his life to: free the world from 1 uahappiness, tyranny and oppresssion." "Wa hav© asssembled here to pay,a tribute to a great -leader, teaeher and poet," said Mr'James Eoberts, national preaident of the New Zealand Labour Partjw ."'Although it. is four years pinee he p&ssed away, the assemblage here it the best evidence that his memory efcill lives on,"- His work, Mr Eoberts said, had been to bring peace, happiness and eomfort to the people of Kew Zealand, peace and goodwill to the people of tho world, There .wero few men who had Hved in the last half century who had done so much to create a feeling of -goodwill among tho peoples of the world as Mr Holland. , ' The Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. jPTebb), representing the Buller electorate, the electorate formerly represented by the late Mr Holland, said he desired to pay Ms respects to probably one of the greatest men this age had produced. His work lived in almost every part of the world at the present time. Throughout the whole West Coast his loss was mourned, "The work of our late comTade was a work of devotion to principle," Mr Webb continued. "I believe 2 am expressing the sentiment of the working class of Australasia when I say Mr Holland was the mcst courageeus and mosfc intellectual man the movement has produced during the last century:" "The Prime Minister, all peoples assembled here, ladies and gentlemen, pakeha and 'Maori, salutations to you sll," sajd vPrincess Te Ptiea Herangi, representing the Waikato Maoris. According to the traditions of the Tainui canoe era, I as a woman would not have been privileged to speak on such an occasion as tbis. Owing to the indisposition of my uncle, I am on this occasion privileged to bring a tribute of respect from King Koroki and the Maori people of New Zealand generally t feel I should not allow this occasion te pass without mentioning the part played by Mrs Holland and her .family in tbe lifetime of the man to whom we are paying our respects to-day. "I know the active life Mr Holland lived in the public affairs of the coun* try. I know Ms family was an inspiration to him in every way. It was during his public activities that he came among the Waikato people. It was on the slopes of our sacred mouniain, Mount Taupiri, that his spirit was called awa y .by the Supreme Being. Owing to the activities o£ Mr Holland in the rnany parts he played for the welfare of the people, his memory must 'ive on even if we had not honoured him by the statue we see before us." Mr B. Eddy, national vice-president of the New Zealand Federation of labour, said he had the pleasure of meeting Mr Holland soon after the latter's arrival in New Zealand from Australia to assisfc the Waihi miners, Mr Holland had immediately thrown himself into the fight on behalf of the miners. Wherever the oppressor raised Ms head, there Mr Holland raised Ms voice and pen on behalf of the workers. His life was one long sacrifice in the interests of the working people he loved so much. Among the many messages received was one from the High Commissioner ;'o t New Zealand in London, Mr W. J. Tordan. At the close of the ceremony aiany wreaths were placed on the menorial, Including tributes by the Primo Minister, Mr F. Holland (on behalf of the family) and by Mth P. Fraser (on behalf of the Labour women of New Zealand),