The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1887. THE MEMBER FOR AKAROA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1599, 2 July 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1887. THE MEMBER FOR AKAROA.

The retirement of Mr Montgomery from political life, owing to a serious affection of the heart which has rendered it necessary for him to absiain from all excitement, is news that will be read with general regret throughout the colony, alike for the tact and for its cause. Mr Montgomery, though not a brilliant debater nor possessed of any remarkable gift of oratory, was nevertheless a speaker to whom both tbe House and the country always listened with respect, the member for Akaroa being a moderate-minded thinking man who never talked for talking's sake, and who had always something sound and sensible to say when he essayed to speak. He had not sufficient dash and recklessness to make him a good leader, and m political warfare rather took the place of a heavy gun battery than of a light cavalry brigade, and a? such was often capable of admirable service to his own parly by reason of the weight of metal he was able to direct against their opponents. But he had still better qualities than that. He was always a thorough and staunch ally, and a generous foe, and his name was a synonym for honesty and integrity. Difter from him as many did, and do, m political views, no one ever ventared to suspect him of preferring his «wn interest to that of the country he served so well, and from all sides of the House the regret will be general that he is to take his place within it no more. And the regret of his quondam fellow ; members, as that ot his many friends ' and admirers m all parts of New Zealand, will be all the keener that his retirement is caused by a circumstance which indicates that his constitution suffered, m all probability not a little from the harass and excitement of public life. Is this doubted? Then let the doub'.er consult the roll of members of Parliament for the last twenty years and we think the doubt will be dispelled, for the mortality among, them is so remarkable as to indicate that political life takss heavy toll of the forces of physical life, Though not by any means a young man, Mr Montgomeiy is yet not by any means an old one, and though he does wisely to listen to the connsel of his physicians it is to be hoped that we shall yet have him ior many years among us. Nay, is it not possible that though the turmoil of the Representative House may be too exciting for him, he may yet be able to serve his country m the calmer atmosphere of the Upper Chamber ? If so, there can be no question that the very first name submitter* to His Excellency for a call to the Legislative Council should be that of Mr William Montgomery.