MR. NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 112, 28 May 1937, Page 5

MR. NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN

It was with some difficulty that Mr. Neville Chamberlain was persuaded to enter British politics, although he had enjoyed a successful public career in Birmingham and was very popixlar there. In, 1915 he was Lord Mayor of that ejty, and he moved into fhe national field2 iu .1918 wheu almopt 60 years of age and without any great desire for, a distinguished career, Howevpr, within five yeara he was Minister of Health with a seat in the Cabinet, and in August qf the same year, upon Mr. McKenna refusing the Chancellorship of the Exchequer, Mr, Chamberlain received it. An early jbmportant post, therefpre, was that which he fills at present, though when he was Chancellor in 1923 the Government fell before he could present a Budget. Mr, Chamberlain 's life in politics has been a strenuous one, for he has bees consulted in those questions of party manoeuvxiiig which are the making op unmaking of political organisations between elections. He is a son of the famous Jogeph- Chamberlain and a yQunger brother qf Si? Austen, whose death reeently occurred, After his education was finished, Mr. Chambenaxn went to the B aka was and Jived there for seven years before returning to Birwinghwn, where his active mind was soon at woi'k on local affairs. He had estabUshed a cossidsrable ioeal reputatioa before the war broke out, and it was therefore xxo surprise that he should be appointed Director of National Service, His first Ministerial post was that of Postmaster-General, which he held for about two years and theu relinquisbed to become Faymaster-Goneral. In 1930 Mr. Chamberlain was induced to take over fhe chairmanship of the Conservative Pafty and in 1931 be was appointed Chancellor of tbe 'Excliequer, which position he has held up to the present time.