POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 36, 2 July 1914, Page 2

POLITICAL.

Lu,.i, JLNi\;.\..-,0:>,, i;i(..t.; /,-\ij ,ji-..\'-| aim US. (By One of the Quartette). The retirement from the Legislative Council yestciiiay of Messr, ucirkinsoii iiiiu j.ugg, Lv.'o uibor appointees to tile nominated Ciiiimbcr, r.L'u;iJls Due great in-ti-riMt tin ought ut A'ew Zealand when lue aliovo fcur received a "tan" in 18112. Xne Liberal party had tome back from the taction in ISOU-1 with a great unajorilv; bill in the nominated Chamber

-.l' r.itnuc Buckley, leader 01 ilie Council, under the Premiership of John Usance, coi.j.'i oniv re'y on ai.a.-.elf a.iil ■ids hut (it was -itated'so at the time) tu speak and siippui I the Libei.il mcJs..ivo Unit were pas-ed by the elected House of Ri'iirrM-ntalivo.

The con-senueifce was, Ballancc, who was a sagacious utiitesanan, determined ..ii 'calling' a inimbcj' of citizens to strengthen the Liberal position in the i.cgisbative Coned!. Twelve names were suomitted to the 'Governor, Lord Ons.ow, wilio put his ])en Through the nantes of three out of the four above mentioned. Ballancc fought tlie matter, .taking 1 1, to Downing street, and won, Lord Onslow heing informed by the British Government that he was bound to accept the advije of Ballancp. Then followed the appointment 'of the twelve (afterwards tlicy were frequently designated "the twelve Apoatlcß") and

iiii-aideil besides the above—Messrs Montgomery, W. C. Walker, E, Kichard- ■ in, VV. McCullough, H. Fenwitik, Thos. Kelly, J. Macgrcgor, and J. Kerr.

it wouM be taking up too much >of ymr space to give chapter and viarae of the fight in the Legislative Council for over a dozen year.-,' to got through such measures as 014 Age Pensions, Land for Settlement, Workers' Compensation for Accidents, Advance!-; to Settlors, and Workers, etc., etc, for all these benelicient Acts were .strongly and 'bitterly opposed by a large number of the 'old members of the Council, and their criti i-isins were difficult, for they were expciieiiiced politicians and commercial men.

My object is to write about tlhc four labor members, -Messrs Bolt, Jenkinson, Kigg and Jennings. T'he first-named was a warehouseman, employed in Dunedin, and was a Sheflander. He wa« -an able man, albeit at linieis inclined l to lie too extreme, lie had ability as a writer. .several small pamphlets Waring, his eig nature, and as a speaker lie was very effective and incisive. I remember Mm hitting very hard our only general (Uhiuuure) or. one occasion, and what was rarely done, the debate was resumed in Hie lobby, with the result that some words took place 'between Bolt and Whitmorc, the latter 'telling Bolt that be compared his address bo bottled--11 p stout (Boflt was a great believer in Sir Robert). William Bolt was' a sincere ami earnest man, and the ne km of his death a few years ago was received with genuine regret -by all who knew him.

The second Labor appointee, Edlwa.nl Jenkinson, was born in Dimcdin, and iiiii a boiler-maker. It is stated that file telegram calling him to tile Council was handed to him when he was inside :> boili'i- doing some- wkwlc at Adaington i!ai!u.iy Works, (.'h-riKtcihiirch. Jenkin-

son, did a great fire in the Octagon, Dun edin, performed a very courageous act.

-laving two lives. He was not a firstclass speaker, but, like ail Dunedin boys, was well educated and well informed. He was more vigorous in bis style than any of ihr other Labor appointees, but 'he bad good anil sound knowledge of labor question?, and wa|j not extreme.

John Kigg was bom at Wellington, and was a printer at the. Government l'i'iirting office at the time of liiw appointment. There was some doubt about the legality of his anil Jenkinlon's appointments at the time, both being in Government employ; but us Iv.'ir llardie would shock the conventiailitiei of tie House of Commons by a gaueherie in his dress, so wouEd John Rigg -Jiiock the mental capacity of the "old codgers" in tho Council by some striking -assertion, like the following:

"lie believed in the working man gelling us much, as he could for bis labor, but he should do as little its possible for it.'' This, of course, is an absurd exaggerated style of speech, which >omoho\v detracted from Ms i\<e fnliic-'S. Rigg's capacity is uiulu'iilbtcd, anil bis knowledge of la>bo.r matters, less the exaggerated style, was veri high indeed, in addition to which he has a fluency and style wWoJi was useful in the Council.

Win. T. Jennings, the fourth Labor appointee to the Council, was horn at Aiii'UXiml. ,ml was manager of the news printing department of the Auckland Star and N\-\v Zealand. Farmer. He came into notice owing lo work itane on behalf of the women and girls employed in Hie clothing industry' in Auckland and other parts of New Zealand. The Sweating Commission set up by 'Sir Harry Atkinson, revealed a shocking state of affairs in respect to payment of work, hours of employment, vie. The Rev. Stewart Waddcll 'and Mis; MorriM>n. both of Duncdin. and Mr .lenningv. took j, strong part in drawing attention to the evils that bad grown up. The Press throughout New Zealand joined in tlie. movement, and wnrinlv supported the agitation, with the result that one of the best factory acts in < the world luis been placed oil itilic Statute Booked (tie Dominion. Mr Jennings nwigmed bis seat in the Legislative Council! in Ir»or>, and contested the figment scat. being successful, and also in two oilier contests for the Taumanmni seat. The four nominees of 1802 arc now out of political action, but there is still work to be done. They did good ;,eryiee for their fellow ibcings when their 'hands were at the plough, and were earnest and capable members of the Legislature of New Zealand.

duhn Ballancc's experiment of tailing nun from their work benches and niacin'" them amongst ifihc then privileged "lifers" in the Council caused considerable excitement and comment. Lord Onslow never got over fchj matter, and resigned his Governorship saon after.