THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 378, 29 July 1884, Page 2

THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

OTAGO. Mr M J. S. Mackenzie (Mount Ida) comes from a Scotch family who settled in the West Indies early in the century, but suffered reverses at the time of the emancipation of the slaves. He was educated in, Edinburgh at *•! jpESlr^Watson's, a well L known and very oldestablished educational institution, of which Mr George Coombe was then leading director He arrived in Victoria in 18G2, and took to station life, at the same time showing a decided taste for journalism. He came to New Zeaiand in 1870 as manager of Deep Dell station, and three years later, settled at Kyeburn, He contested the Mount Ida seat at the last general election with Mr De Lautour but was narrowly defeated. Since Mr De Lautour's retirement from the editorial chair of the ' Mount Ida Chronicle, Mr Mackenzie has filled that post, and has also been a frequent contributor to the columns of the Dunedin Press. He wrote two articles in the 'New Zealand Magazine,' and one of them on the land question attracted considerable notice at the time. Mr Macken- \ zie, who is a son-in-law of Sir F. D. Bed, is thirty-nine years of age, aud is an excellent speaker. Mr Joseph Hatch, the newly-elected i M.H.R, for Invercargill, is the only surviving son of the late J. J. Hatch, wholesale furrier, Friday street. Cheapside, London. He came out as a youth to Melbourne in 1856, and was for some years an assistant in the well-known firm of Messrs Youngman M'Can, and Co. now Felton, Grimwade, and Co., wholesale druggists, of that city. He has been a resident of Invercargill for the past twenty years, having come over from Victoria with the exodus from that colony in 1867 consequent on the discovery of the Lake Wakatipu goldfields. He has acquired during his residence iii Invercargill an extensive business as a manufacturing and agricultural chemist, but he is knowu beyond that town as an enterprising commercial man, and before * the closing of the Seals Fisheries under the i Seals Fisheries Protection Act, 1878, he had numerous sealing parties constantly employed at the islands in the Southern Ocean. He haii during the past ten years taken an active part in the conduct of the municipal and social institutions of the town, filled the offices of Mayor and councillor for several years, was a member of the Hospital aud Athenaeum committees and other public bodies. Mr Hatch's politics are decidedly Liberal, and he will probably be found supporting Sir Julius Yogel. He has the credit or discredit of being too great a talker : but a correspondent, who knows him well, having been at the same governing board for some years with Mr Hatch, informs us that the charge is exaggerated. On one important occasion, when a temporary majority wished to rescind a resolution, Mr Hatch spoke for about five hours, until two absent councillors were brought to town, when the decision of the Municipal Council as a whole was obtained. Ordinarily, he occupies no more time than other members in the discussion of public business, and in addition, he brings considerable practical experience and commercial knowledge to bear upon the question at i*_sue. He is a ready debater, andean maintain his position with considerable ability, and will likely prove a decided acquisition to the House of Representatives. r i-tr' J. '__}." who |}as. Boer). returned for D-inediii Central, first entered Parliament in 1875, as member for goldfields tovvns. He was always a Liberal, especially in land questions, aud was instrumental in getting settlement for the first time on goldfields in 1800. He was appointed Mm Jstcri'al Agent for the goldfields of Qtagq in i'B7/.' lie vyent *to Auckland" in lft6B, returned ib Otago in }B'/0, arid wn-s 'returned i'or \Vaikaia to the General Assembly, and Roxburgh ior the Otago Provincial Council. He held the offices of Treasurer, Secretary for Public Works, and Secretary for Goldfields as member of the Council. AS private member of Par^arnent ho introduced tlie iSfB. anc} tl-*el.-_§unipt_qn of Lancls for 'Mining Purposes in the same year." both Acts' -fre nojw ia\y. tp_ was member of the' Waste Lands Board in 1870, |n 1575 he contested "the Lakes 'seat, "and \yas defeated on the education digestion, iie ten yfjar*-} ift'|%ljaiiiej}t, asd e}ght'yp_H's of 'that tinje b<q vy-ai? q StaJpordiJ-e, 1 and -for the other two years a Vogclite. He was Deputy-inspector of Lunacy until contesting Duuedin Central. He is still a Commissioner of Waste Lands, and has voted against dummy ism on every occasion. He contested no seat in 1880 owing to ill-health, although solicited by more thau oi^c constituency.

• Mr James Gore, member foy Dunedin L South, is fifty years of age. He arrived in Dunedin from Victoria in 1861, and comt menced business as a contractor, in which ' j occupation he has been engaged up to the > ; present time. He has been engaged on some . of the largest public works in Otago, having built the Bank of New Zealand at Dunedin. [ the Bank of New South Wales at Christ- ' church, the Lunatic Asylum at Seacliff, and 1 All Saints' and St Matthew's churches at Dunedin. Ho first entered public life nine years ago, wlien he was returned for South Ward in the City Council, and represented. that ward for six years, until elected to the Mayoral chair in 1881, when he polled the largest number of votes recorded in any municipal contest up to that time. He has several times been asked to contest a seat iv ■ the House, but always rcfiiscd, and only contested this election at the e*eventh hour, f'n-l he come out earlier, there is no doubt iv. t . uu would have been returned by a much ' larger majority. He is an Independent, but has a strong inclination to range himself under fair Julius Vogol's banner. He is a fair speaker, and as a City Councillor, has had considerab c experience in committee work. He should make a painstaking, useful member. Mr William Downie Stewart, member for Dunedin West, is forty-two years of age. Having beeu educated in Scotland, he came to the Colony twenty-two years ago, and i immediately entered the oiiice of Messrs j Kichinoruland Gilles. Afterwards he became a pupil ot the present Chief Justice, Sir Jas. h endergast, then in practice in Dunedin. He was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in J 867, and he has since had a leading practice in Dunedin as a barrister and solicitor. He has always taken an intel'-St in public questions, aud in 1871), on the retirement of Mr Stout, Avas returned as a member for Dunedin, defeating Mr C. S. lieevts. He voted against Sir George Grey's Government, and on-the dissolution which followed, he was returned for Dunedin along with Messrj Diok and Oliver. He declared Jii'mxelf as opposed to Sir George Grey, but as willing to support Mr Macandrew. He voted against the Grey Government in the new. Pai'iiameut, but "decided to work with MrMacantlrcw,and opposed the Hall Government. At the general election in 1881 he contested Duuedin West against the Hon. Mr Dick, arid', after a close contest*, lost by eight votes. He is a good debater, and , takes the greatest interest inlegal and social reform. ■ Mr A. H. Ross was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland, and resided for several years in Sunderland, in which borough he filled the offices ofi town councillor and guardian of the poor. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1859, and has resided |n the Roslyn district for twenty-three year*. • having settled there before the surveyof the' township which gives its name te the electoral district. He lias been actively engaged in public duties, having been chairman' bf road board and school committee, and on the constitution of Roslyn into a municipality was 1 elected councillor, and ih 187'J w^s chosen Maybr without opposition. He has, also served as councillor .for the City bf Dunedin, and in 18S0 was elected Mayor fof 'tliO City. For many years he haa done service as member of the Committee of tjie Otago Benevolent Institution, and in 1883 rwas elected chaiiman of the. Harbor B^ard.- --" wheh' position he how holds. ' : ■ ' j Mr Robert Giilies is forty-eight years pt age came to the. colony in 1852 as a, boy: . * wi-iS- engaged? oh his father's"r*u"tfahd farm in^ Tokomairiro for some years, and then entered the Survey service, ahd was for some years senior assistant immediately under Mr J. *T. Thomson, the late Surveyor-General^ On the breaking out of the diggings Ivlr Gilliet* commenced business in Dunedin as land apd!! estate agent, and -after a time the firm became the well known one of Gillies and ' Street. Recently this firm has been amalgamated with Connell and Moodie, andj a public company formed, known as the Perpetual Trustees Company, of which Mr Gillies is chairman. Mr Gillies has been, closely associated with many public matters. He was one of the founders oftthe Dunedin Water Company, and their chairman for many years, bringing it to a successful issue. For years he also was a chairman of the 'Daily Times' and 'Witness J Company, but ceased his connection with that company when the concern was sold to the present Company. He has been a member of road boards, athenreums, and other small public bodies. He has always b§en liberal in politics and in land legislation.^ He is a man of avowed religious opinions (Presbyterian),but so^liberal asjalmost to be looked at askance by his own denomination. His family have been wellknown in New Zealand politics. His father was speaker of the first Provincial Council of Otago, and afterwards j occupied the position of Resident Magistrate and Sheriff. His eldest brother (Mr Justice Gillies, of Auckland) was a prominent man in the House of Representatives, and was 1 Postmaster-General in the Russell-Whitaker Ministry. His brother John L., was Speaker of the Provincial Council and member of the ' General Assembly for some years. Mr > Gillies is a fluent speaker, and is intimately ! acquainted with public and departmental 1 business. '> 1 Mr J. C. "Buckland, the new member for r Waikouaiti, is a native of the Colony, being ' the eldest son of the late W. F, Buckland, ' who was for many years a member of the » Auckland Provincial Council,and represented - Franklin in the House of Representatives. ' Mr Buckland has been connected with 1 Otago more or less for eighteen years, and has resided in the Waikouaiti district for the 1 past twelve years. Hitherto he has taken no • active part in politics. 1 CANTERBURY. < Mr Wakefield who succeeds to Sir John r Hall's old seat, inherits much, of the ' family talent, and uses it in leader writing ■ both in the ' Timaru Herald ' of which 1 journal he is the shining light, and. in other ■ Southern papers. He arrived in New Zea- ' land while still very young, and having been secretary at one time to Sir Edward Stafford • knows the political history of the oolony well. He has been in Parliament before, but failed to secure his return at' the last election, being beaten at Geraldine by Mr Postlethwaite ; and subsequently, at Inangahua, a bye election, by the Government candidate, Mr Shaw. He is opposed to the Atkinson Ministry, and declared some time ago for Sir Julius Yogel. Mr William Montgomery, as leader ofthe largest and strongest section of the Opposition during the past two sessions, ia also wellknown throughought the Colony. He is a native of the North of Ireland ; is tall, big, and strongly framed, and was engaged for many years as captain of sailing vessels trading to the Mediterranean. He has been in Canterbury for many years, and carried on a large and most successful business in Christchurh as a coal and tiniber merchant. In the old Provincial Council he took a prominent part, and was at the head of one or more Executives. Since then he has done muchj for Education in Canterbury, l both as Chairman of the Board of Governors of Canterbury Qoilcgo, ai^d M§Q *•# -^ a^iv^ membgr of the Board qf Education . in fact the thorough education of the people is ' Mr Montgomery's sheet anchor. One of the great points in Mr Montgomery's political character is extended local self-government, and his efforts it} thjs d^reotion have heen twisted iiito Resigns upon the. unity qf the Colony. Separation ox the islands, however, he has always sjtrongly repudiated. . " Pecen-. tralising " the Government is his aim. He has suffered ere now in Parliament from, de~licient power as an orator, b,ut h,is "caaitter is always better than \\\s fanner. He has, been memher for Akayoa fpr many years,, and is greatly respected the -district. _\lr Holmes^ \vlip, defeated _\Jr Jpynt for. Christchurch South after a close contest, wag returned to tlie hist Parliament for sftr_\e constituency. He is a SQUoftw ift fair prac-, tice, and £\rj Ir^hman of Irishmen as. far as, iorigi^e, '*. gift of the gab,''* ' and warmth of temper.' go"j iijileed,' his hot-headed personal of ad.dress has made him n\any enemies ih' the House, Mr Holmes was engaged in politics in Victoria, and, we believe, also in Canada, his arrival in this colony dating back bui a few years. For three sessions he has been a very active member of the Opposition, and has ofteu been twitted with a hankering after the prospective Solicitor

Generalship, Resides practising os a lawyer, Mr Holmes ia a,- farmer, He will follow the lead of Sir Julius Yogel. Mr J. L. Coster, managing director of the New Zealand Shipping Company and founder of the direct line of steamers in the teeth of much opposition from some of his co-directors, and also from outsidt, has for nearly a quarter of a century been one of the leading mercantile men of Canterbury. While quite a young man he was mauager for the Union Bank of Australia, and for many years he also conducted the alfairs of the Bank of New Zealand here with great ability. He has but lately re--1 urned from London, and easily ousted the s.tting member forp,-.Heathcote.,.. l .-.He4s,considered au able financier and most energrtie man of business,' though not likely to' prove a brilliant, speaker. This is his first entrance on the stage of colonial politics. "'•*'" ** ' ' The lion. W. Kolieston, elected for Ucraldinc, is Minister for Lands," and* has played so great a part in politics during the last few years that further mention of his name is unnecessary. He was more than once Superintendent of Canterbury. ;: He is Uie son. of a Lincolnshire clergymlij^fand brother of the late Professor- Koi_*a_tp'_fe of Oxford. -- -- -y-iyy. *