THE NEW PREMIER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 249, 20 October 1922, Page 3

THE NEW PREMIER.

MR. BONAK LAW. A LOXEIA' MAX. Mr. Bonar Ijaw, who has accepted the King's request to form a Cabinet, retired from active politics last year owins to a breakdown in health, but during the last month or two he has shown sign; of restoration to Itia former vigour, and has taken some part in the recent manoeuvres following the outward and visible signs of the Coalition's decay He was born in Canada seventy years ago, but returned to Scotland ac £ youth. After leaving school, he entered the steel business, and became a partner in the firm of Wm. Jacks anc Co., making a substantial fortune, Eub sequently increased by a large legacy He retired after fourteen years in business, and then devoted himself t< politics. He wae a tariff reformer anc a keen Ulsterman, expressing unflinching opposition to Mr. Asquith's Irisr policy. Mr. Bonar Law takes a gloomy view of life. He always seei trouble ahead and magnifies it. Indeed so exaggerated is the gloom that it has become almost a habit and a pose. ll* knows, too, that it is a joke with his friends, and with his queer Scotcl humour, he turns it to account for theii amusement. But the gloom is not always assumed. He is by nature easily depressed and inclined to be pessimistic It is, in fact, extremely difficult tc make him see the bright side of things With such a sombre outlook on life Mr. Bonar Law must needs be poeeesse: of great courage to enable him to face the difficulties and discouragements ol a political career. But courage he has anil it is all the greater because he always fights without hope. Kverj battle for him is a losing one at tlu start —a Thermopylae—but he fightnone the less bravely for that. This combined with sagacity and ability, and a wide experience of political affairs carries him through. The secret ie thai Mr. Bonar Law is a very lonely man. He loet hie wife, who was very dear to him; he lost two cherished sons during the war, and this latter loss lias left him almost "broken hearted. He is not a man who can eeek diversion from por row in excitement or worldly pleasures or light relaxation of any kind. He ha? few hobbies or amusements. Bridge and chess he plays perfectly; tennis he 6tili plays, and finds pleasure in it. But he cannot tolerate "society/ , and loathes entertaining , and entertainments. To his services to the country durinj the war history will, no doubt, glvi their true value. The letter whi-jh, ii conjunction with Lord Lansdowne lie wrote without consultation with hii colleagues on August 2, 1914, to Mr A&quith will always remain a landmarl in British history. On flic formatioi of the first Coalition, although he hac not before occupied one of the higl offices of State, he rose to the full height of his responsibility. On the fall of the first Coalition ho had the courage to refuse the highest office in the State because he thought that the present Prime Minister pos sessed in a higher decree than he thai peculiar magnetic quality which is cesen tial to a democratic leader in a time oi national crisis. On the formation of the second Coalition the burden which to: placed on his shoulders was almost superhuman, and for the two last anc most critical years of the war he bore it uncomplainingly and untiringly. Hifirst duty on becoming Chancellor of tin Exeheouer was the raising of the Vie tori- Loan of over £1,000.000.000. Tl was (luring this time that he suffered the loss in action of his eldest son whose younper brother had fallen at ('.■37a 12 months before. After the Armi-ve came fie Peace Conference in Pnri-. on which he served as one of the British plenipotentinri-c----while at home he led the House througl , two of the most strenuous sessions ii thp history of Parliament, resigning tlu leadership of the House to his colleague Mr. Austen Chamborlain.