PERSONNEL OF THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1365, 16 February 1912, Page 6

PERSONNEL OF THE HOUSE.

FIEST IMPRESSIONS. Occupants of the |alk-ries yesterday affenu/oii wore uipro in tlie personnel of this new ITouse that is to make history than in.the formal proceedings. The members were all in the plates which they will occupy throußbout the fnteful no-confidence debate, and until a ehant-e of Government cause; them to iwek fresh places on opposite sides of the Chamber. The big semi-circle, which oonipri.-a.'s all I lie members' benches, is divided by aisles into six sections. Last ttwinn four of then', roughly speakin?. were- occupied by the Mini<iteriali-(> find two by the Oppo=i!i'in. but now the divi(■ion lV uenrly cf|iial, with tlie Independent and f.ab.-iiir mcrak-rs about, thtf uiid-

die. Tho first section on the Speaker's right is tenanted bv the lions, 'i , . Alaekeuzic. .1. A. Millar, l>. liuddo. Colviii (Into Chairman uf Committees), iMacdnnnld, and 1111 (Government Whips), Witty and Davey. Sir Joseph Ward, Sir .lames Carroll, the Hons. J!. M'Keuzie, ami A. T. Ngnta. are, in'their old places in (he next section, and behind them are Messrs. Hanan, J{. \V. Smith (Rangitikci), J.- V.. Brown, To Ranßihir.m, IVrbes, Clark, C'raisip, Laureu-oii, and Russell. Air. J. C. Thomson, having given up to Air. Diekson the seat he had previously appropriated on the Opposition side, is now to bn seen next to Air. Jlanan. Sir Joseph. Ward is, therefore, spared the necessity of having the man who defeated Sir .Mm Pindlay just behind him. There is ono new member in this subdivision, tho dapper little .Mr. '!'. W. Rhodes, of the- Thames. Coming lo the third section, two of the. Independents sit together in the front row. These are Mr. JR. J. (i. Coates (Kaipara), who is tall, fair, and ruddy, and Air.'Harry Atmore, of Nelson, with black hair, shaven face, and a serious air. Air. W. J. Jlickic, <if Selwyu, rotund, -and largely-built, wearing a grey imperial, ami Mr. 11. Al'Calhim, tall, grey whiskered, and rather bald, have the bench-next behind. Mr. C. J>". J'arata, ivlio succeeds bis fatlur as member for the Southern Alaori j)istriet, Aressrs. Tom Seddon, Glover, Poland, Buxton, Sidey, Alycrs, and Reed are in the same section, and there are also two new members in the back row. Mr. (i. li. Svkes, who defeated Air. Hogg at. Alasterton, is tall, and everything about him seems to match his quiet, .■.■iiiiliiirnt iiice. Air. .). 11. Bra'biey (Auckland West) has a fair -moustache, and a sanguine, energetic nir. I'orcnmst in tho'fourth seel ion an.' Air. Hugh Campbell, the cheerful and sturdy sheepfarmei■vim won Hawke's Hay for the Reform partv, and Mr. T\ Al. I!. Fisher. The substantial figure of Dr. I'ouiare (Wester ji .Maori! shares a bench with Mr. Lang, and behind them are the Itmg-faced Air. K. J.'. Lee lOtimaru) and Ihe round-faced Afr. Dieks-Du (I'uniell). Then come Air. W. A. Vcilch (Wangftiiui). short and (lark, Mr. ,1. A. Young (Waikato). broadshouldered, with clear-cut, firin-.-.e't features, and Air. A. Harris (Wsiitcmala), who is young and slight. The cheery Air. A. H. Ilindmarsh (Wellington South), tin , . ~hrewd-looking Air. .1. Robertson (Otiiki), , tho 'inscrutable Air. J. Payne (Grey Lynn), and tho already sufficiently well-known Air. Isitt till the back row. The next, group is a solid Reform phalanx, comprising Alessrs.. Alas-sey. Allen, G. M. Thomson, I!. H. Rhodes (Senior Opposition Whip), Huchanan, K. Newman, Scott, ILerdmaii, Hiiie, J'carce, Okey, Buick, Guthrie (Junior Wliip). and four new members— Messrs. W. 11. D. EeTl (Wellington Suburbs), ('. K. Wilson (who has just that redoubtable aspect one would look for in the victor of Tauniarunui). Air. G. Hunter (Wa.ipawa). and Air. .1. H.- Escott (Pahiatiia). The front benchers on the extreme left are-.. Messrs. Hemes and Fraser. Just behind are Me.--.sr*. Malcolm. Alander, and Anderson. Afr. C. J». Statliain (Duii(•din Onrral), who is yoiin-r,- and looks intellectual, is neighboiircd !>y Air. F. H. Smith, who. if his bearded countenance does nol belie him, is a quiet, practical man. Finally, in the back bench, Air. John Bollard has the company of his son, Air. R. V. Bollard (Raglan), wlm wears the heaviest moustache in the House. Taken as a whole, the new House is notable for the number of young men among its members, and the maiden speeches of several of them are expected to hi of high quality.