HIES TAE HIS AIN HEARTH

NZ Truth, Issue 1198, 15 November 1928, Page 6

HIES TAE HIS AIN HEARTH

ELECT a man to sit m Parliament and he "usually acquires an incorrigible desire to stay there.' The strenuous labors (so-called) and bread-and-butter salary weigh ever, so slightly against the pomp and circumstance of the job. Few ever renounce voluntarily the magic •letters, M. P. They prefer the risk of receiving walking tickets on polling day. Bluff and honest Jimmie Horn might have gone on representing the electors of the rugged hinterland of Otago for a score of; years had he felt so inclined. But on winter nights to come James Horn will toast his toes over his am fireside and read m "Hansard" about members dozing on their benches. Jimmie entered Parliament as a Liberal, came into 'line as a Nationalist and said his political obiter dictum 'neath the fluttering banners of the United Party. Anyhow, what's m a name? His political principles were definite, clear-cut — let the party travel from Alpha to Omega m search of a name. First impressions might have led you to the belief that Horn was a ruddy, genial son of the Old Sod. When he commenced to. speak, you involuntarily held your sides m readiness to explode at a crackling of delicious wit. < . but it nev<»r came. For Jimmie is a sober-minded Scot, with an appropriate distaste;. for untimely humor. Actually, he came to New Zealand from lnver-something-or,-other, which is nowhere near Killarney. He followed the romantic and adventurous trail to the goldfields .of Otago. Where the gold was being hardly won from bleak, gullies, Horn opened a general store, the ; sort of indispensable place where the hornyhanded could obtain anything from a miner's right to a pair of Blucher boots. And now a ,chain of stores emblazon the name of James Horn. Place a Scot anywhere m the wide world and he simply projects himself into the life of the community^ Just so with Jimmie Horn. Vincent County Council, Wakatipu Licensing Bench, Otago Education Board, have all sat up and taken notice of him. A cannjA Scot- New Zealander, there is not an ounce of bigotry or intolerance m his whole outlook. Work may be salvation,- but he would be the last to deny the rights of the people to enjoy the' wholesome pleasures of sport and recreation.* . Nothing brilliant about Jimmie as a member of Parliament. He never afflicted the House with spectacular ideas for the uplift of the nation, nor did he barb his criticism with sheaves of invective. Never did he wittingly seek to prick the feelings of the least sensitive of the people's elect. The new Parliament will know not Jimmie Horn. But who knows? The subtle call of the House may some day once again lure him back from retirement.