HAS NEW ZEALAND EYER HAD A STATESMAN?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17672, 20 October 1925, Page 1

HAS NEW ZEALAND EYER HAD A STATESMAN?

To the Editor. Sir.—h. istchurch will shortly be welcoming New Zealand’s most famous son in the person of Sir Ernest Rutherford, and when that distinguished scientist arrives it is to be hoped that the. citizens will accord him a most hearty reception. Thinking of Sir Ernest leads one to recall the-names of other famous New Zealanders, and it is indeed pleasing to find so many noted in many, different walks of life. But of one class we seem n. have produced none—statesmen. Where can we point to a New Zealand born statesman ? Many people recently 1 bought that we had one in the Dominion. We had been hearing so much of the statesmanlike qualities of our new Prime Minister that most of us looked carefully nt his tographs to distinguish the halo ti- irely must have surrounded his head. Then that picture became the subject of political advertisements and immediately all thoughts of ever finding the halo vanished. I now read in a contemporary that the one failing of the Prime Minister is his honesty, but that he is fast learning the tricks of the trade (extract from speech by R. A. Wright. Wellington). We have surely had sufficient proof for ourselves of the Prime Minister's knowledge of political conjuring during the last few weeks, and when that leader allows his photograph to be circulated throughout tlie Dominion in ■ the form of a political advertisement, and allows himself i«j lie taught the “tricks of the trade,” what hope has New Zealand of producing a real statesman. Tlie more grateful we should then lie to men like Sir Ernest Rutherford. who gave up their lives to the cause of science and do not descend to the level of political trivialities. It is sufficient almost to make one lose one’s faith in democracy and in human DISAPPOINTED.