TRIBUTE TO MR. J. B. HINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1920, Page 4

TRIBUTE TO MR. J. B. HINE.

ENTERTAINED AT STRATFORD. A HANDSOME GIFT. (Prom Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Last Night. As a demonstration of their appreciation of his services as their representative in Parliament for eleven years, and in recognition of his sacrifice and devotion to duty at the war, the political supporters of Mr. J. B. Hine, in the southeast, and west portions of the Stratford electorate, tendered him and Mrs. Hine a complimentary social in the Stratford Town Hall to-night, and presented Mr. Hire with a cheque for .•01000.

There was a very large attendance and the proceedings throughout were very enthusiastic. The hall had been beautifully decorated by the Ladies' Committee. As Mr. and Mrs. Hine en--tered the hall, accompanied by the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. J. \V. McMillan), they were received with warm applause, and Mrs. Hine was presented with a beautiful bouquet by the little daughter of Mrs. M. T. Phillips, of the Ladies' Committee. The Prime Minister, in apologising for his absence, wired as follows: "Much regret, owing to Parliamentary duties my inability to be present at complimentary social to-night. I hope that Mr. Hine's services are not finally lost to the public life of the country, and that before long he will again be found representing his constituents in the Parliament of this Dominion." Speeches eulogistic of Mr. and Mrs. Hine's work on behalf of the electorate, and of Major Hine's services at the front, were mode by Messrs. J. W. McMillan (Mayor), F. Brown, E. Hemingway, N. B. Fryday, and R. H. Cameron (chairman of Mr. Hine's Central Committee.) In presenting Mr, Hine with an address of appreciation, together with a cheque of £IOOO, Mr. Cameron, said: "I now have much pleasure, on behalf of the Central Committee, in presenting you with a cheque for £IOOO, and also this address as a recognition of our affection for you. ( We feel it is only a small compensation for the great sacrifices you have made on our behalf during the time you were in Parliament, and we hope you wfll accept this in the spirit in which it is given." . The address was its follows: "Your political supporters in the south, east, and west portion of the Stratford electorate desire to place on record their appreciation of your high political integrity and rectitude during the eleven years you have represented them in Parliament. We believe that true propress is made only on sincerity of action, that what a man believes to he right should he uncompromisingly maintained by'him, and that what he believes to be wrong shall be strenuously opposed, let the consequences be what they mav. You have always been actuated by high political principles, and have kept unswervingly thereto. You have now compromised not under terms with undesirable interests in order to secure their support. While we believe that your absence from Parliament will bo a loss to this electorate and the Dominion generally, it pleases us to remember that certain principles and opinions which are dear to us and which politically actuate us have ever been achieved by you. and that you have never betraved your convictions. We desire to prefere oiir best wishes for the future welfare of yourself. Mrs. Hine and family, and we ask you to accept herewith as an earnest thereof, a cheque for £1000." • Mr. Hine suitably replied. i