ITALY'S PRIME MINISTER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 185, 23 June 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

ITALY'S PRIME MINISTER.

WILL WIN* A GLORTOCS VICTORY van OUR ALLIES. " It is a pleasure for me to express to your Excellency my fervo.it wislw-.s lor the glory and prosperity of Great Britain." When, at the dinner given in K one in honour of the recent visit of Mr. Asquith, Signer Salandra, tic Italian Prime iMnister, thus cxpre.scd himself in his fe'icitous speech, there was double sincerity in his words. No man in Italy lias a greater admiration for our Parliamentary and constitutional system in general and for Mr. Asquith in particular tfan Signer Salandra, and men of all shades of opinion in the "land of sunnv skies'' admit that Italy is fortunate in having had such a man at the head of the Government during the war. Nevertheless, when Signer Salandra became the Italian Premier in March. 101 1. there were many who doubted his strength of will, character, and skill i:i statesmanship. "Salandra," they said, "has mere'y been made Prime Minister as a stop-gap until somebody better is found." It has since been discovered, however, that tlwre is no better man for the job in Italy than the man who, some thirty years ago, abandoned science for polities.

Although ho hnfi had over thirty ye us of Parliamentary experience, until a couple of years ago lew peop:C, even in Italy, knew much about Signor Salandrn, who entered the Cabinet as Minister of Agriculture in I>W, and two years later was Under-Secretary of State for Fnaucc.

Born in 1853 at Troia, near Foggia, the hottest town in Italy, Sej;nor Salandra is the first south Italian to occupy the Premiership for eighteen years. There is a rule »a Italy that no one can enter the Chamber until lie is thirty years old. Salandra entered short 1 / after he had attained that age, and soon made his mark it finance.

Of his private life very little is known, for he is a man who sh.'ns publicity. His wife, however. Donna Maria Salandra, is well known in conneet'on with philanthropic work .'n Italy, and her extensive chanties have endeared her to the hearts of thousands of her countrymen and countrywomen.