LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS

THE NEW APPOINTMENTS. THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 6. The following appointments to the Legislative Council have been announced:— Mr EWEN WILLIAM ALLISON, Auckland. Mr DAVID THOMAS FLEMING, Balclutha. Mr ALFRED L. D. FRASER, Hastings. Mr GEORGE JAMES GARLAND, Auckland. Mr WILLIAM JOHN GEDDIS, Wellington. Mr JAMES BURMAN GOW, Opotiki. Mr JOSEPH GRIMMOND, Ross. Mr ARCHD. F. HAWKE, Invercargill. Mr CHARLES HAYWARD IZARD, Wellington. The Hon. GEORGE JONES, Oamaru. The Hon. CHARLES LOUISSON, Christchurch. Mr HENRY LESLIE MICHEL, Hokitika. Mr JOHN TOPI PATUKI, Ruapuke Island. Sir JOHN ROBERT SINCLAIR, Dunedin Mr WILLIAM STEWART, Kawakawa. Mr' GEORGE MALCOLM THOMSON, Dunedin. Mr WILLIAM HENRY TRIGGS, Christchurch. Mr T. E. HEUHEN, Tukingo, Kakahi. The Hon. HENRY FRANCIS WIGRAM, Christchurch. THE HON. A. F. HAWKE. The Hon. Archibald Fotheringham Hawke is one of Southland’s most prominent and most widely known business men. He was born in 1863 at Stirling, Port Augusta, South Australia, where his father owned a station. Ten years later the family came over to New Zealand and settled in Invercargill, and as a youth Mr Hawke received his schooling at the Grammar School under Mr McLeod and at Henry’s private school. On, leaving school he entered the employment of Messrs Calder, Blacklock and Co., who were then carrying on business as merchants in Esk street in the premises now occupied by Messrs Nichol Bros. When Calder and Blacklock sold out to the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., Mr Hawke joined the firm of Martin and Maitland, stock and station agents. He was with them for a year, when Martin and Maitland sold out to the National Mortgage and Agency Co., Ltd., who opened business in Invercargill in May, 1878. Mr Hawke went over to the new firm and the connection has not yet been broken, so that he has served for 40 years with the one company. As a young man Mr Hawke went to the Christchurch office of the N.M. and A. Co., Ltd., as accountant, and after two years was transferred to the Dunedin office, where he was salesman for four and a-half years. In 1890 he came down to Invercargill to take over the management of the local branch, and has held that position for 28 years. In that time the business of the company in this district has expanded enormously, and largely owing to the policy followed by Mr Hawke the company has contributed very largely to the progress of land settlement in Southland. Outside of business Mr Hawke early identified himself with pastime and recreation. He played football with the Invercargill Club, cricket with the 1.C.C., shot with the Rifle Club (winning the championship one year), and rowed successfully with the Invercargill Rowing Club. In addition to engaging actively in these sports he took a prominent part in their administration. He was Vice-President and President of the Rifle Club, and for many years devoted a great part of his leisure to the affairs of the Southland Rugby Union. With the late Mr J. E. Watson and Mr R. Galbraith lie carried through' arrangements in connection with the Rugby Union’s old ground in East Invercargill and also the present Rugby Park. His work attracted attention, and he was elected the second President of the N.Z. Rugby Union. Mr Hawke also served for a term as President of the Southland Cricket Association, President of the Invercargill Rowing Club and President of the Invercargill Football Club, of which he is still a Vice-President. When the Invercargill Cycling Club’s affairs were at a verylow ebb Mr Hawke threw himself into the work of resuscitating interest in the sport. Associated w'th him was the late Mr C. Norther,■.. . ; thanks to their efforts the Club v . j .i; :n a position of great strength and the ;-;>ort of cycling was revived. Many will still remember the racing meetings held on the old Union ground, at which amateur sport was extraordinarily' keen and the public attendance quite remarkable. Living in Gladstone, Mr Hawke early associated him-' self with the Waihopai School Committee and the Gladstone Borough Council. Of the latter body' he was a member for some 14 years, serving as Mayor for nearly the whole lime. It was as a member of the Gladstone Borough Council that he threw himself heartily into the movement for Borough amalgamation which resulted in Greater Invercargill. When success had been achieved Mr Hawke went into the Town Council, and sal at the table until the state of his health compelled him to restrict his public activities. Mr Hawke was for a time a' member of the High Schools Board and also joined the Bluff Harbour Board, to which he still belongs, and of which he was chairman for three years. He was a member of the oid Hospital Trust and chairman for upwards of ten years, subsequently joining the Charitable Aid Board, on which he served seven years, all the time as chairman. For some 20 years Mr Hawke has been a member of the Committee of the Southland A. and P. Association and served a term as President. He has been an active supporter of every movement designed to promote the Association's welfare. He also sat in the Chamber of Commerce, and occupied the Presidential chair for a term. He lent all the assistance he could to the Southland League until it was firmly established. In business affairs, Mr Hawke was identified with the inauguration of the Starr-Bowkett Building Societies in Invercargill and later with the Permanent Investment Society,

anti he has had a large share in putting on a firm basis one of Southland’s largest enterprises, the milk condensing works of Messrs Murrays, Ltd. From this brief sketch it will he seen that Mr Hawke has led a very full and active life, giving freely of his energy and ability to the public. He has been a valuable public servant, and a generous supporter of both public and private charities. It may be mentioned that his two sons are both in the N.Z.EJ*’.— Lieut. Archie Hawke with the Field Artillery, and Sc-rgt. Robert Hawke with the Infantry. Both are in the firing line. THE HON. JOHN TOPI PATUKI. The elevation of Mr John Topi Patuki to the Legislative Council will mean the representation of the Southern Maoris in the. Upper Chamber, as up- to the present no successor to the late Hon. Tarame Parata has been appointed to the Council. Mr Patuki’s appointment is undoubted!}' one of those surprises which occasionally crop up in politics, and his appointment to the vacant seat in the Chamber which was so illustriously filled by Mr Parat a was not even dreamt of in his home town. Hori or Hoani (John) Topi Patuki is the second son of the late great Chief of the Ngatahu and Ngatimamoe tribes. King Topi Patuki of Rnapuke. The latter had great influence with the South Island Maoris and it was through him that the sale of Stewart Island was effected, on advantageous terms to the Maoris, and that the sole rights of the Mutton-bird Islands were conserved in that agreement for the Maori race. King Topi was a man of honour whose word was his bond and he made many strong and lasting friendships with members of the white race. His influence was very great- amongst, the various tribes and it was solely due to this that the then Mr Tamme Parata gained his seat in the House as M.H.R.. for the Southern Maoris; later on he was elevated to tiie Upper House and he became Hon. rß >nua6 Parata, M.L.C., and retained his

seat until his death. On the death of Mr Charles Parata, M.P., who had succeeded hi« father as representative in Parliament of the Southern Maoris, steps were taken at Bluff to secure a local candidate for the vacant seat. Mr John Topi Patuki was chosen, principally through the influence of Mr Thos. Gilroy, for many years a member of the Bluff Harbour Board. It was held that Mr Patuki was a very suitable candidate in view r of his high race, and the influence of the family throughout the electorate would command him strong support. He had a liberal education and for some years attended Te Aute Maori College in the North Island, and afterwards had two years’ commercial training with Messrs McPherson and Co., of Invercargill. At a later date he made two tripe to the Old Land and thus saw a great deal of the world. His candidature in the interests of the National Government was strongly supported not only in Southland but right 'throughout the South Island, and his chances of winning the seat were considered particularly bright. As is now ancient history, however, Mr Patuki withdrew' from the contest on the eve of the election in favour of the nominee of the National Government, Mr H. Parata, who was later defeated by Mr W. Uru. Sir James Carroll, on behalf of Sir Joseph Ward, who had the right of nomination of the Government candidate, appealed to Messrs Patuki and Uru to withdraw from the contest and not conflict the issue'by opposing the Government candidate. To this Mr Patuki agreed as he was a strong advocate for granting the Government every assistance to promote the successful issue of the war. He then toured the electorate with Sir James and no doubt it was the latter who advocated Mr Patuki’s claims to fill the vacant seat in the Council formerly occupied by Hon. Tamme Parata. Since displaying an interest in politics Mr Patuki has advanced a number of valuable proposals for the welfare of the Natives and at the present time he has a scheme which if adopted should materially decrease the existing friction regarding muttonbirding rights. It was through his efforts that the offer of the Government steamer Hinemoa was made to transport the natives to the Islands. Mr Patuki is a man of independent means and has a large and successful sheep station at Ruapuke. He is a single man, and has made various attempts to get to the front by enlistment, but an injury incurred in his footballing days prevented his acceptance in the Pioneers. In addition to being a member of the Te Ante College Rugby team, Mr Patuki, or, as he was generally known to his associates of those days, “Jack Topi,” was a valued member of the old Invercargill Pirates, and he is now honorary coach and a vice-presi-dent of the Bluff Football Club.