MINISTERS AND MEMBERS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21940, 14 November 1936, Page 13

MINISTERS AND MEMBERS

WSV , ♦ ■- MOMENTARY SKETCHES 'it’’.n - £ |pjewed by W. DOWNIE STEWART! The public is always interested in (fcjttacter sketches of men in public jHte,' It likes to know details of their jjstbry. their personal characterises. their hobbies and methods of work. Moreover, such studies are of value if they assist future historians to interpret correctly the political atmosphere of a period; and even slight details may be useful as a guide to how certain things came to happen.

In New Zealand, although there «re a few publications giving personal sketches of public men*, most Of these were issued many years ago. The only serious work on a scale of historical value is Gisborne’s “Rulers md Statesmen of New Zealand.” Gisborne was an experienced politician and a scholar. He set down the virtues and failings of his colleagues and contemporaries with great skill and reasonable impartiality. The same may be said of the brilliant sketches by W. P. Reeves, who, although he was a strong party man, seems to havedealt fairly by his opponents when he came to write his books. This little book by Mr Clyde Carr is on a much less ambitious scale, and the author does not claim to have attempted anything more than brief impressions or what he calls •cartoons in words of prominent politicians.” But these politicians can hardly all be designated as prominent, for he appears to have included half the members of the present House—including himself.

The reader is apt to take up the hook with a bad grace because of its grotesque title, which was presumably coined by the author. The word “politicalities” is not only a neologism, but it is unnecessary and ambiguous in meaning. Indeed the title is symptomatic of some of the defects of the book, which mainly arise from the fact that the author is apt to strain after smart phrases and epigrams that do not “come off.” This is to be regretted, because he shows in many cases a marked gift for vivid portraiture and in one passage admits that his dominant ambition is to be a man of letters. Leaving Out the Warts

It should be granted at the outset that the task was peculiarly difficult. A writer who is himself a member of Parliament can hardly describe his fellow-members judicially unless he is indifferent, to what offence he may cause. His. temptation is to ignore their defects, to exaggerate their good qualities, '■ and to “leave out the warts.’* Mr Clyde Carr never does more than hint at shortcomings. But there is t this to be said, that he is almost.as ; eulogistic about his opponents as his friends, as, for ' example, in his sketches of Mr Forbes and Mr Coates. His portrait of Mr Parry is one»of the neatest and mbst’vivid and enables the reader to realise very well what manner of man we have as Minister for Internal Affairs. But one or two instances will suffice to show where the author paints only'the high lights: In his edlogy of the Prime Minister he says aptly enough that his speech is “slow, measured, with effective pauses, as I though soliciting the acquiescence of his opponents.” But to' complete the picture should he not add that after a time this style of speech tends to become monotonous, drawly, and tiresome? Again, his description of Mr Nash’s speeches as being “persuasive rather than provocative” does less than justice in one way and more than justice in another way. Would it not be more accurate to say that Mr Nash is .a very forceful, logical, and lucid speaker; but that he is often too didactic and dogmatic to suit the temper of the House, which dislikes being lectured or patronised? Self-Portrait One rather admires the author’s freedom from false modesty in including a character sketch of himself. ’ He allots more space to this sketch than he does to some of the leading men in the Cabinet; but perhaps he knows more about himself. It must have required great selfconfidence for Clyde Carr to say of Clyde Carr: “His reputation as an announcer still stands supreme and his popularity with the children was * a thing to marvel at.... In Parliament he is regarded as a most effec- , v. tive debater .... In his constituency he is respected for his devotion to the people .... His sympathies are broad and .deep”; and so on. One. might reasonably point out that, while he comments on the facial distortions of other speakers, he fails, to realise that he himself displays awkward facial and bodily mannerisms, that his sudden < explosive shouts have no real basis m what he is saying, and that his phrases are often too flashy and smack of the midnight oil. He does not say this, because it is not obvious to him; in fact, few speakers can .describe objectively the impression they create in the minds of their listeners. Nevertheless, Mr Clyde Carr has produced an interesting little dock. Except when he is unduly straining after showy effects, his style is terse, vivid, and effective. To appreciate how successful he has been, let anyone try to write a character sketch of some person he knows well, aim he will see how difficult is the task. In some minor details, such as his references to the Waihi strike, to Mr Atmore’s alleged retirement from the Ministry, and to other matters, ms statements are open to challenge. But if he continues to note down ms observations with a view to producing some fuller studies when he is no longer restrained by daily contact with his heroes or victims, ne should be able to realise, his dominant ambition, which w to write something of permanent value, - There is a great hack of *■. memoirs in New Zealand, and hisLiij * tory can never be written up i|r from Hansard and Blue Books. _Th* |i|' immense output of memoirs in Engmii land throws a flood of light on what ill ■ goes on 1 behind the scene m • world Mj politics. Therefore itistobe hoped |||,-that Mr Clyde Carr's diary will K record not merely his casual hnpressions of his feUow-membOfs* bt^ B .®; m* down all of interest that happens m II caucus, in the lobbies, and m m Bellamy’s, so that some future hisu| torian -may possibly be able to comH| pare him to the author of Greville s Bill Memoirs or Pepys’ Diary.