THE NEW GOVERNOR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 366, 18 April 1910, Page 3

THE NEW GOVERNOR.

SIR JOHN DICKS ON -PO YXDER. A MAX UXSi'OiLED ill" RiRTUXE. AN APPRECIATIVE ARTICLE. The Christchurch Press publishes an interesting article on our new Governor/ written "by one who knows him." It is as follows: — The British Government is to be congratulated on the choice it lias made when selecting Sir John Dickson-Povn-(dor to succeed Lord Plunket in the Governorship of New Zealand, and I prophesy that twelve months hence the Dominion will congratulate herself on having attracted the new Governor to her shores. Born near, if not within, the purple, Sir John has remained unspoiled by the gifts of fortune, and amid the turmoil of politics has retained all his friends. Even when he crossed the floor of the House of Commons, as he did in 1905, friends merely shrugged their shoulders and said what a pity it was that Lord"Salisbury had not caught him young enough and kept him chained with the shackles of a parliamentary secre-

taryship. It is now more than twentyfive years since John Poynder, a boy fresh from the Harrow- school, found

.himself destined to be a very rich man indeed, and -a baronet owing- to the death of -his uncle, .Sir A. C. Dickson, a. wellknown captain of the Royal Navy. ITe took up Tiis abode at tile beautiful Hartham family home at the top of Box. Tunnel Hill, Hartham House, in North Wilts, so well known to those who travel along the famous "Bath" road. Corsham, a beautiful village in the very north-west corner of Wiltshire, is some four miles nearer Bath than Chippenham, and as you reach the summit of Box Hill and look across to the beautiful Gloucestershire Cotswold hills you pass on the left-hand side Corsham Court, the family home of the Methuens. with its lovely woods, its lake beloved of skaters, and its famous picture gallery, whilst on the richt the delightful j eye rests on the beautiful grounds and ;■ park of Hartliam. i As soon as -he came of age the young Poynder -assumed the name of his uncle and became "Sir John Poynder DicksouPovnder." TTe took the oaths of a justice of the peace in respect of his two Wiltshire estates, Hartham and THII- - some ten miles away in the, Marlborough Down country, let it b6 known that lie accepted the ordinary Conservative tenets of the English country gentleman, intended to settle down to country life, and would be an aspirant for Parliamentary honors. Prom the very first he displayed tile practical side of his maternal ancestors, who had all been successful, indeed, noted sailors and soldiers. It was discovered that Hartham contained quarries of that feutiful Box stone that has made Bath one of the most beautiful cities, and the voting baronet threw all his energies into developing; an industry that employs hundreds of men at Corsham and Box. ENTERING PARLIAMENT. In 1892 he was asked to contest the ridYth-western division of Wilts, which had arisen on the ashes of the extinguished borough of Chippenham. The Liberals at that time were determined to wrest the old aristocratic county of Wiltshire from the political grasp of jthe great Tory families, the Bruces, the Thynnes, the Pleydell-Bouveries, a|nd the Longs of Rood Asliton and those best qualified to judge were of the opinion that the well set-up young bachelor squire of Hartham, with his handsome face, attractive manners, and pleasant cheery ways, was the only irian' likely to- save the seat. Their prognostications were verified, and , Sir' John safely defeated, though by a very'narrow majority, "Charlie" Hobhouse (how a . Liberal Minister), and won golden opinions, on all sides. He took a great part in the 1895 general election, when Wiltshire ejected every Liberal member. This time a Liberal tenant farmer was put up against him, but results proved that the quarrymen of Corsham, the bacon curers and packers of Calne, the railway workers of Chippenham, and the agricultural laborers of the villages had" not tired of "Sir John." ' About this time Sir John began to address himself with his usual energy to the affairs of one of the most successful -and best managed friendly societies that exist anywhere, viz., the Wiltshire Working Men's Conservative Benefit Society, and in the year following the general election 'Corsham gave an enthusiastic welcome to the beautiful Miss Dunds, -tfho had consented to become Lady Diokson - Poynder. In 1803 came the Teal turning point in his career, when London elected him to its county council. Here he found his partv in a great minority, and there can be no doubt that rubbing shoulder to shoulder with progressives "like John Burns. Captain Hemphill, and Lord Monk swell, not only enlarged Sir John's political horizon, but profoundly modified his views. SERVICE IN SOUTH AFRICA. : All too soon was he called away from this usual social work to take out his regiment' of Wiltshire Yeomanry to South Africa. Lord Methuen appointed him one of his A.D.C.'s and Sir John returned with an excellent character for sound military service, and with his D.S.O. At the "khaki" election Chipi'penham was: naturally proud to send ! her returned soldier hero once more as her member, but keen observers were pretty certain that a orisis in his political career was near at hand. Sir John was exceedingly restive and ill at ease during the passing of Mr. Balfour's Education Bill. He showed great and natural annoyance when the House of Lords threw out the Thames Embankment Trams Bill, which lie had helped to steer through the Commons, and, worse than all, he was dead against any interference with free trade. It was known, at any rate guessed, that for some time past -he had looked anxiously for an invitation from Swindon, that is the Crickdale, or northern division of the county. Swindon had sent out GOO men to the war, and maintained, by the private subscriptions of its citizens, the wives and families of those soldiers, and there Sir John would breathe n. thoroughly (progressive, imperialistic, and democratic, albeit conservative air. But from that railway centre no invitation came, and in 1005, Sir John, to the pain of many, but -to the surprise of few, crossed to the Liberal benches. He ■spoke very little and abstained from actively harassing his late chiefs, but announced that to vindicate himself lie would leave his conduct to be sanctioned or condemned by his constituents at the 1008 election. At Chippenham, after a long and very stormy meeting, the fighting section Of the Tory party insisted on Sir J&hn being unopposed, prophesying and truly, that Sir John would not trouble frheni long. But a sTeat many Conservatives of weight, light and leading insisted, when it. came to the polling, on ■preferring his. opinions, and Sir John was returned as a'Liberal by a smashing majority by the constituency

which had returned htm on tnree occasions as a Conservative by small, liaru-Iy-won majorities. AN ELECTION INCIDENT. Whether the game was worth the candle is rather more than doubtful. At Malmesburv, from whose famous hostelry of the King's Arms -Sir John had been wont to return thanks to a cheering Conservative crowd, the crowd would not allow him to reach the market cross. His motor-car was stopped, and in the melee that ensued some niissle, no doubt accidentally, struck her Ladyship. Sir John attempted to force his way through by himself, but under wise advice, desisted. The incident, however, is almost tli" only mistake that can be recor:'.-1 of a csreer uniformly fortin-rV. Sir John had scarcely realised under what self-re-straint his Conservative supporters had acted during the election. From Wiltshire, once more victorious, he returned to the House of Commons, but either there was no room for him there in the crowded Liberal -official ranks or else he did not desire office. He resigned from the Carlton without joining the Reform, and to-dav he figures as a member merely of the Turf and Marlborough Clubs. Further, in 1007 he declined to stand again for the London County Council, where he had been supported by the local Conservative Association, and by then it had become fairly obvious that he had and could have but little political sympathy with the socialistic tendencies of the present Liberal Government.

All through his extremely busy life Sir John had managed to travel all over the world, and for some time he had been marked down tor some ambassadorship or a colonial governorship, and now he is coming to New Zealand. His sincerity and his fixed habits of business promptitude will assist him when dealing with the business that will come before him, and his suavity, his genial bonhomie, are certain to endear him to all -classes of our community, from whom he is sure of a hearty welcome.