Bon Soir, Tozer

NZ Truth, Issue 1184, 9 August 1928, Page 6

Bon Soir, Tozer

T7RBNCHMEN axe known, for their gay r spirits under .all -clrciinistfLnces. I .The Foreign Region; :'"/. ecattere'd traders m the inlands, remptia ., ''warships* ,-7-all, these represent France abroad! ' ;■"' HoY fitting , then, that, m bur own backblocks, we should have ; a Son •of La Belle France. „v .. „ 'Away back at the Clarence Accom- ! modation House, .tucked atway m the ranges^ at .the back . of Hanmer, "Ernie" Tqzer dispenses that sort of hospitality, for which,, ; his countrymen are famous. /'. .';■■; . 'v ,•.■ ■*"' y^' :*?'"'■'."'■■. .'■ Needless ;to say, .. h*s hquse-T-deßpite its; isolation— is.; known alt /oyer .the Dominion,; ■ I--'. ; -': .• :: ; . ':'■ }■■■ ■':'; /■■':' "Ernie" ■ has ideas , all. of -hls> own about , entertaining... His table' is snowy linen, and his silver"; shiiies' -with, a glow that many. , a butler mighfe well shvyv"-: ,•■'.■■ ••■'■"'•...'.■: . ; ' •:'■'.' - -.^ ; V-i?- .■"-.■ :'.-.•• Whether you'rea tourist or a. drover, he just can't do enough for,. you: And' if you can't wade thro ugh! plate, of gloriously cooked steak ' and .four 'eggs, "Ernie 1 , 1 .becomes (juijte Qoncerned^ about your health.' . ; • ; . . ■ • ■• '■"'■ For twenty years and more, he has been on the job without a thought. of a holiday.^ Yet, lust try and trip him oh any matter of general interest. It can't be done. . With a philosophy all his own, Tozer would not change his life for that, of a bloated millionaire. He loves the wilderness and is content . « ,

Rhodes Will Mark/ Listen and Learii SOMEONE recently made a few disparaging, remarks about our members of Parliament. Suggested, m fact, that they were a mediocre crew. Perhaps so; but if only men of scintillating wit, arresting oratory, breathbss eloquence and boundless vision were eligible to enter the charmed circle, then Parliament might be an even more bbresome assembly! than it is to-day. The plump and plain folk of Thames, for,, instance, are not likely to assert loudly' that T.W Rhodes is the most brifliant, gem m the Parliamentary cluster. But they will say that "Toby" Rhodes has topped every election, for the past seventeen 1 years. He is the representative of a mining district, where a spade is generally called a spade, and where solid, honest, worth is m greater esteem than plausible eloquence or verbal trimmings. And now T. W. Rhodes is shortly to pack his suitcase and proceed to Canada as one of the three , New* Zealand delegates to the Empire Parliamentary Conference. A nice little reward for -'-'Toby" for consistent party support and a pleasing "rounding off" of an entirely uneventful and unexciting political career. Unless, of course, the plain and honest folk, of Thames prevail upon him to leave a nomination form behind — or he sinks eventually to rest m the plush recesses of the Gilded Chamber. < "Toby" is an Aucklander, born and bred. Forty years ago he launched out as a newspaper proprietor on the goldfields and also appeared regularly at the Warden's Court m the capacity of a mining agent. He was a figure m local politics long before he took his place m the House as a Liberal and freeholder. If the opponents of daylight saving have again to talk round the clock, there will be more than one unspoken "5.0.5." for T. W. Rhodes. Not that "Toby" ever would take the floor for any length of time, but throughout a stonewall, he can be stubbornly awake, watchful and set of purpose while weaker spirits are silently stealing off to slumber. .. „ And if he .stayed m Parliament another twenty years, he is not likely to go grey, m the service of the people. A kindly, homely chap, yet a shrewd politician, he holds more than a large measure of esteem, both m his constituency and m the House. Twenty or thirty miles on horseback is as nothing, just so long as he can meet the man outback and discuss his problems. ' ' A chorus of "Au revoira" wilj speed him to Canada, where he will mark, listen and learn, rather than talk at random. , ' .