Page 1 Advertisements Column 5

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1991, 29 January 1907, Page 1

wlio wore recommended for appointment wore not uncompromising or opposod to tlioir legislation. What consideration but this would account for the exclusion of Sir William Russell, whoso high character and long years of faithful sorvico in the Lower House gave him claims which on all other grounds wore second to none. An opponent of tlio Government ho certainly is, but an exceedingly candid and chivalrous ono, and the Government would have gained far more than it could have lost if it had reciprocated his chivalry by giving him a well-deserved honor. Of the Wellington nomiuoss, Mr. C. M. Luke, at any rato will ho conceded to have done more than enough to justify his appointment. As the head of a largo industrial concern, lie has long playeda leading part in the business lire of the city, and though the citizons declined to elect him to Parliament, ho lias served with success in tlio highest municipal offices. Dr. Collins has no such record of public service to show. Ho has been assiduous in his dovotion to tlio party now in power over since Mr. Seddon’s policy took on its strong Imperial color, but his real claim rests upon his eminence in his own profession, and upon tlio desirableness of giving that profession some ‘ representation, especially in tlioso days, when tlio public health occupies so large a share of tlio attention of legislators. Mr. Louglinan s appointment is, perhaps, best regarded as paying a similar honor to the profession of journalism, a profession which is, however, far bettor qualified to make its inlluence amid the turmoil of politics than any other. As an educated gentleman, with a wide knowledge of colonial affairs and a very facile pen, Mr. Louglinan lias long hold a high place in New Zealand journalism, and, though Ins 1 arliamentary capacity has yet to bo proved, the public will have no occasion to complain if lie serves them as well on the floor of the House as he had for years served them from the gallery. Of the fourth of tlio Wellington dominations, the less said the better. It comes as a general surprise and disappointment, and is only to be explained as the result of some political exigencies which made tlie public interests a secondary consideration. The general average of the appointments from other parts of the colony seems to us a high one, and in some cases they are excellent. Captain Tucker and Mr. Anstey, who are supposed to represent farming, are unknown quantities in M elling+nn but Mr. W. W. McCardie, who ha s'been a member of the Wellington Land Board and of the Lands Commission, and who fought a forloin hope against Mr. Massey at the last election, has exceptional claims on party grounds, as well as higher and broader ones. A curious featuic o the Dunedin appointments is that, while the representatives of tlie Southern city in the Lower House aie two Labor members and one lawyer, it is now given two lawyers and a Labor member to represent it m the Council. The special representation given both 'to. labor and to law by these and other appointments seems to us excellent. Messrs. 13a rr and Paul could hardly be improved upon as representatives of labor, while lavvers of such standing as Messrs. Callan Samuel, and Sinclair should add much to tlio effectiveness of what is still supposed to be a revising chamber. Altogether the infusion qf new blood represented by tlio addition of 14 members to a chamber, which previously included on.v 34, should give it vigor enough to keep it going till tlio day arrives in the near future for putting it on a frankly democratic basis.” —Evening Post.

The Press, commenting on the appointments, remarks: “It lias been announced the list would be more or less a surprise. This prediction lias been verified, anfl mingled with the surprise will be a certain amount of disappointment on the part of the public. We admit at once that the list is superior to the general average of the late Mr Seddou’s appointments, but „Mr Seddon’s standard with few exceptions, was so low that the public at length came to the conclusion that lie had formed a deliberate policy of lowering the Conncil in tlio estimation of tlie public, and consequently lessening its influence. What we particularly regret is that the Government has apparently attached so little importance to political experience on the part ot the nominees. The bulk of them are little known outside their own particular localities. ’ We are glad, however. to see that tlie Government lias strengthened the legal element in the Council, a course we urged very strongly some time ftgq. »• Smith’s appointment will give general satisfaction in Christchurch. Mr. Wi Pere is the only other exmember of the House of Bepresentatives. whose name appears in the official announcement, and we have no hesitation in saying at once that we regard this selection as the worst blot on the list- Neither liistarcer m tlie House, nor liis connection with land transactions on the East Const, have been such as to inspire either natives or Europeans with confidence in him as a legislator and it is difficult to imagine on wliat grounds the Cabinet can justif- his appointment. It will certainly not tend to give the Maoris confidence regarding the native land legislation of thp Government. The selection of Or. Collins, of Wellington, we suppose, is intended largely as a compliment to the medical profession, since the gentleman in question lias never shown any special aptitude for public affairs, or even any particular interest in them,, being always very much wrapped up in his profession. Mr. Gilmer will ho a decided acquisition to the House Committee, but ho has yet' to prove his capacity as regards the science ot politics. . . . Wc are not sure that the custom of acknowledging the services of journalists by conferring on them titular distinctions is conducive to the best interests of the press, although so high an authority ns Mr. Gladstone was, wo believe, tlie first to introduce it into England and it has since become very general. Mr. Louglinaii’s brethren of the pen will, wc feel sure, be tlie first to congratulate him oil a distinction which they wquld hardly have ventured to predict was in store for him. The selection of Mr. Paul, of Dunedin, and Mr. Barr, of Christchurch, is’ justified. They are generally accepted by the Labor party as the best exponents. . . • Speaking of the appointments as a whole, we think they might have been worse, and at the same time might very woll have been better,” —Christchurch Press, , Commenting on the appointments tj the Legislative Council, the Otago Daily Times says:—“Looking dispassionately at tlie selection that has been made, we must candidly confess to a feeling of disappoimnont with respect to tlio calibre and probable usefulness of several of the appointees; and, as to others, they are, so far as wo are concerned, unknown quantities. It will bo difficult to many to account for the inclusion of moil who, however estimable they are in privato life, cannot by any stretch of the imagination be said to possess qualifications that entitle them to be appointed as legislators.” Tlie Times ccngraulates the Government on tlio selection of three Otago representatives.

Mr T. Harle Giles, secretary of the Auckland branch of the Liberal and Labor Federation, expressed surprise that Mr. P. J. Nerheny, president of that branch, had not been called to the Council. “The late Premier himself intimated to me before his visit to Australia,” said Mr Giles, “that it was liis intention to recognise Mr Nerlieny’s great services to the Liberal party by elevating him to the Upper House, and that intention is well known to the present Premier. The general feeling, so far as I can ascertain from the people I have met, is one of intense surprise that Mr Nerheny’s name Is not among the list of those appointed. I really feel unable to express any further opinion on the matter until I have interviewed Sir Joseph Ward on the subject.” Mr. Arthur Rosser, secretary to the Auckland Trades and Labor Council, and a leader of the Labor party in Auckland, on being interviewed, said: —“I know both Mr Barr and Mr Paul, and I think they will both make excellent legislators. They represent perhaps opposite lines of thought on some matters, but they are both of the highest type. of labor men. As for Auckland X feel that there must be some good reason why the city has been overlooked. I notice that the other cities are well represented,there being only one country member in the whole of the South Island appointments. Taken altogether I think the Government has endeavored, up to a certain point, to include all classes of the community, but I think that organised labor, in view of its XU'oportion to the rest of the community, is entitled to more than two -extra, 'representatives, Auckland. Las