WOMEN M.P.'S

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12604, 15 November 1926, Page 5

WOMEN M.P.'S

It was an accident, but a very lucky one, that—giving a little tea on the Terrace one afternoon—l found myself able to have at the table two such interesting women as the Duchess of Atholl and Miss Margaret Bondfield (writes “T.P.” in an English paper). To a House of Commons man I a«ed not say that, in spite of their differences, the two ladies were quite pleased to meet. I always think it one of the most delightful features of House of Commons life that, outside the Chamber itself, there are always the most agreeable relations, in entire forgetfulness for the moment of political differences, between all members of the House or Commons. In every social room of the building—the smoke rooms, the dining-rooms, the tea room, the terrace—you constantly see members of different parties amicably seated at the same table. There was a time in my early days when the Irish members kept apart from all other members of the House; they were making themselves such a nuisance—as they were bound to do—that, naturally, feeling ran against them'very strongly, and if they made any approaches to other members they might well think that they would he repelled. It seems strange to me now in my elderly years that there was a time when I was not on speaking terms with a single member of any other party —the first man of another party to whom I spoke was John Morley—but then he .• and I were old friends; and I may add that I think I was for Some time the most generally unpopular member in the House. I retained that painful supremacy until Mr Healy entered ; but in time > also his position was changed. SIR JAMES RAMSAY. The person of whom I wished to hear most was the lather of the Duchess of Atholl, for whom, without ever having seen him, I had a great admiration; and what the Duchess told about him fully justified my admiration. H® was, as is well known, * a great historian, and produced several volumes. He had found his mission early in life, and stuck to it with extraordinary tenacity; his last act of importance was to read the proofs of Ins last work. All this life of continuous labour did not shorten his days, for he was over ninety years of age when he died. His longevity was largely due to stern self-control, with spare diet and a walk every day. It is no wonder that the child of such a parent should have great abilities, and her appointment is one of the big successes amid Mr Baldwin’s choice of colleagues. Her gifts, I may say, are reflected in a_ pair of the most brilliant and beautiful eyes in the House. If Lord Eustace Percy should go to the Broadcasting my nomination of his successor would be the Duchess. A POCKET PORTIA. Miss Margaret Bondfield is a winsome creature —small in stature, mignonne in. figure, with a face somewhat babylike in the smallness of the features and in expression—which is wistful and candid. I have never henrd her on the platform, but I have heard so authentic a judge of oratory ns Mr Devlin, declare that he had heard few speakers who moved him so much. She comes, as is known, from Somerset, and there isn’t in the world a more enthusiastic admirer of that delectable county. It makes me somewhat sad to think that this gifted woman had once to walk day after day, week after week, to try and get a job in a drapeiV house. At last she got into Whiteley’s; there she served for years at the counter; close to her was Caradoc Evans, that outspoken Welshman. Margaret was selling blouses, Caradoc umbrellas; one is now a member of Parliament; the man has the hig distinction of being a playwright and writer and a good journalist.