JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 6

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN.

' MODERN BIRMINGHAM'S MAKER i ? Birmingham lias now completed its arrange- " ments for the celebration of the centenary of * the birth of Joseph Chamberlain, the great statesman whose work for municipal government 111 Birmingham, only a little less wellknown than liis colonial reputation, earned for him the title, of "Maker of Modern J Birmingham.'' On July 8 the Lord Mayor of 3 Birmingham will first lay a laurel wreath 3 on the Chamberlain Memorial, which occupies t a conspicuous position facing the Town Hall ' and Council House, and which was provided ' by public subscription. In the afternoon a 1 special meeting of the City Council will be s held in the Town Hall, where, in 1903, Joseph ' Chamberlain made the first speech in his cami paign advocating preferential tariffs for the r Dominions. Members of the Chamberlain ■ family will be invited, including Joseph Cliami berlain's two sons, the Right Hon. Neville s Chamberlain, the present Chancellor of the , Exchequer, and Sir Austin Chamberlain, K.G., f!a past Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, > and a distinguished gathering will hear an i oration to the memory of Birmingham's great i citizen, with particular reference to his munii cipal life and influence. The evening will be ■ devoted to a civic: reception at the Council i House. A special exhibition is to be held in [ the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery of . mementoes from the permanent Chamberlain Museum at Highbury, Joseph Chamberlain's' residence in Birmingham, and, in addition, will be shown a number of personal relies specially i loaned for the exhibition, including a collection . of caskets given to the great statesman from time to time, a portrait painted by J. S. Sargeant, and a bedside clock presented by Queen Victoria, together with a number of • his school books and prizes. Joseph Chamberlain was a native of : London, but he went to the Midlands town at the age of eighteen to look after his father's interests in the screw-making business of Nettlefold, his brother-in-law. Within a short time young Chamberlain was in charge of the commercial side of the business. Joseph Chamberlain did not evince any active concern in politics until lie was nearly thirty, although he had shown a keen interest in the affairs of a local debating society. Later, however, he took a keen interest in the cause of popular education, and in November, ISO!), gained election to the Town Council of Birmingham. In 187.Chamberlain was elected Mayor of Birmingham, and was twice re-elected to that position. .During his term of oflice a complete revolution in municipal affairs in Birmingham took place, which raised the town from a position of mediocrity to one of great prominence in the world of municipal government. To-day the municipal administration of Birmingham is regarded as a model; the tradition of public-service, begun by Joseph Chamberlain, has been continued through succeeding generations, and has at no time been stronger than it is to-day. The gas undertaking, purchased at Chamberlain's instigation. has developed into the largest undertaking of its kind iu the world; the municipalisation of service undertakings has been extended by the acquisition of the electricity supply and transport undertakings; the work of slum clearance and improvement of overcrowded housing conI ditions lias been continued by the ercction of J over 42,000 municipal houses in post-war years.