EXIT THE OLD POLITICIAN.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1922, Page 4

EXIT THE OLD POLITICIAN.

A striking feature of the elections is the defeat of the older type of Parliamentarian. In Taranaki, Mr. W. T. Jennings, the victor of many a campaign, has gone; in Napier, Mr. Vigor Brown, a prominent feature of the political landscape for many years, has disappeared; so has Mr. R. W. Smith, the old Libera’ protagonist of the Waimarino. Then there is Sir Frederick Lang, the Speaker of the House, a fine, courtly old gentleman, whose loss will be deplored alike by political friend and foe. In the North, Mr. Vernon Reed, who ten years ago changed over from the Liberal to the Reform side of the House, has had to make way for the energetic “King of the North,” Mr. Allan Bell. The Hon. ■D. H. Guthrie, another veteran, has just scraped home after a gruelling contest with a young New Zealander. In the South, Mr, A. S. Malcolm, chairman of committees, who in the ordinary course of things would have succeeded to the Speakership, has been beaten by Mr. Edie; whilst the Hon. E. P. Lee, Minister for Justice, is behind by one vote. There is a lesson in this rejection of ths old campaigners, and it is that the people of New Zealand desire younger and more vigorous men as their representatives in Parliament. Mr. Massey has made the same mistake as his predecessors, Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. Seddon, in putting forward and keeping in the front rank men who have seen their best days and are unable by their years to do full justice to the needs of the country. Labor, on the other hand, makes no such mistake, as in "nearly every instance its representatives, members of the old House and of the new, are men at the height of their manhood. There is no question that the public generally perfer the full-blooded, vigorous candidate to the older type. Of course, it. is exceedingly difficult for a leader to turn down a strong and faithful supporter because of his years. The fact remains, however, that if he does not, the public will show no such consideration, but will select those who have their years of usefulness before and not behind them.