DISTRICT MEMBERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1939, Page 6

DISTRICT MEMBERS

CHRISTMAS MESSAGES TO CONSTITUENTS The following Christmas messages are addressed by the district members of Parliament to their constituents:— MR J. ROBERTSON, M.P. It is customary at this season to look back over the year drawing to a close and to visualise, so far as we can, the year ahead of us. The year 1939 has been a year so marked by changes in the international relationships of the peoples of the world that it must go down in history as one of the most momentous periods in the evolution of the human race. We see today new alignments of peoples and ideologies engaged in a life and death struggle, the consequences of which we may’ guess at, but no one can with any certainty predict. In this fortunate land of New Zealand we have seen change also of far-reaching import, the most outstanding being the inauguration of the principle of a common responsibility for the health and well-being of all the people. “The old Christmas message of ‘Peace on earth and goodwill towards men’ may seem to many at this time, to be only a tragic irony. Yet to mankind the message was never more necessary. To understand this we have only to think, if we can, how hopeless and futile would be all our endeavours and struggles, if the ideal embodied in the message were absent from the hearts and minds of men. Where there is no vision the people perish, and because of the vision which the message conjures to the mind, I can with all sincerity wish everyone a Happy Christmas and with faith and confidence believe in a New Year of great fulfilment.”—(Signed) J. ROBERTSON. M.P.

MR BEN ROBERTS, M.P. “'With the approach of the festive season, may I extend to one and all my sincere wish for a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. “We in this favoured land, have much to be grateful for, while the dark clouds of war hang over millions of our fellow citizens in Great Britain and over millions of human beings in Europe, we are enjoying peace and plenty in our own land. We can also be grateful for the opportunity to celebrate our centennial of progress in pride and thankfulness for the heritage we have received, but let us not forget at this time our responsibility to carry still further the torch of progress which has been handed down to us. Our sons on land, sea and air are receiving their baptism of fire and we hush the bargaining of the marketplace to extend to the relatives and friends of those who have made the supreme sacrifice our deepest sympathy in this dark hour. "I am told by those who ought to know, that this war may be a long land bitter struggle. If it is. we may 'be called upon to face harder conditions than exist today to help Britain and her Allies in their trial of strength. Nevertheless, 1 am confident that the Wairarapa people, as in the past, will not be found wanting in qualities of seif reliance, tenacity of purpose and generosity in a great cause. May I express the hope that out of this struggle there may emerge a new spirit of humanity and world peace.”—(Signed) BEN ROBERTS. M.F..