Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,1884. OUR MEMBER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 250, 18 September 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1884. OUR MEMBER.

Mr Mac Arthur has made a most creditable effort m what may be called his maiden speech m the House of Representatives. Although no new hand at speaking to a public audience, Mr Macarthur has A flqt been so long m Parliament, and it is the more \o his credit that he attempted his first speech so soon, ajid succeeded m it, so well. The subject of debate was the motion of want of confidence m the Atkinson Ministry. Sir Julius Yogel had previously spoken against' Ministers, twitting them constantly by calling them the v Continuous Ministry. 11 Mr Macahthur seems ! not to have hesitated to spar with I the "lion 11 himself, and said he ; deemed the fact that a Ministry had continued m "office a very long time a sign of its capabilities as a Ministry, andjHat'tr^possessed the confidence of the people. The discussion had already been enlarged upon to some extent by members of tjie same party, but to Mr Macarthur is due the credit of havingbrought out several original opinions, which must have carried a great deal of weight amongst other 1 members, especially those of the 50- -... called middle party, upon whom the downfall or triumph of the Ministry ,at that moment greatly depended. It has-been said that the qualities of t a good representative should comprise a " thinker, 1 ' a " talker," and a " doer, 1 ' and usually the greatest stress is laid upon the last ■of the three. But we maintain that to be able to debate a question is of equal importance m a ..member as to be able to think over *it or to be active m working for the , interests of his constituents. Many ' : Ta good measure has been brought before, the House of Parliament, both m this colony and m the Old Country, which has been lost solely through a want of sufficient debating power amongst its supporters, to ensure its details being carefully laid before the House, and its advantages thoroughly pointed out to its members. It will be seen that this quality is at any rate a very desirable one m a member, especially if he can also give a measure careful consideration as well as look after the interests of his district by real active work. We seldom find a man m whom these three qualities are combined, but think we can safely say that Mr Macarthur possesses them all. Those who have seen him and known him m the past, are aware that he can originate a scheme as well as think it out. Those who have lived m the Manawatu district any time know him to be an actual worker, as well as a schemer. And those who will take the trouble to read the third yolume of Hansard will, we think, come to the conclusion that he can put his views into plain sensible, forcible English, and m such a manner as must have a great effect upon his listeners.