NEW MEMBERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 72, 18 December 1919, Page 11

NEW MEMBERS

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

LIEUT.-COL. G. MITCHELL, D.5.0., WELLINGTON SOUTH. Lieutenant-Colonel G. Mitchell D.5.0., Independent candidate for Wellington South, was born at Balclutlu, Otago.and was one of a family of fourteen children. He started work at eleven years of age, being the driver of a baker's cart Ultimately ho became a commercial traveller and later on took over the management of a wholesalo 'business in lnverenrgill, occupying that position for three years prior to joining tho Jot Zealand Expeditionary Forces. For 22 years he has ten connected with the A'dliintcer and 'Territorial forces. He saw considerable service in the South Alncaii AVar, and was mentioned in dispatches tor Ins work in the final operations of that war. On tho outbreak of the Great A\.ir, LiouU'iiant-Colonel Mitchell left, m the Main. Body with the rank of Major. Ho commanded-the 4th North Otago Company on the Suez Canal and at the landiii'/ on Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. When in"charge of Pope's Hill, on May 2, he was wounded and evacuated to Alexandria and on recovering he returned to his un't, serving round Quinns and Courtney's Posts until taking part in Hip big August advance. Badly wounded at Chunuk Bair, he was removed to Malta aud England, and eventually was declared unlit for further service. Although lame as a result of h;s wounds, "Hoppy Mitchell," as he was aneetionatelv termed by tho troops went back to i>vpt. where he commanded-urst tlio Auckland-Wellington Keservo Battalion, and, later, all reserve battalions. Later, he proceeded to Etaples, Franco reorganised the New Zealand Base Depot, and while there was. the outstanding figure in quelling the serious riots which broke out amoi.-t the PO.OOO British and colonial troop* in the depot. Subscquentlv after the dispersal of the -Ith Brigade, lie took over command of the EntrenchBattalion. He was selected to cotnmand the New Zealand Tank Corps, but nw:ng to (he German collapse the formation was not proceeded with. After accompanying the New Zealand Division into Germany, Colonel Mitchell teliiriu-d to New Zealand last May. For valiantly on Gallipoli he was awarded a Serbian decoration, and for his services ;n France he received the D.5.0.. and was again mentioned in dispatches.

MR. W. D. POWDIIHLL (PATEA). Mr. \V. 13. Powdrell was born at Wairoa HawUe's Bay, in 1872, and has resided for the whole of his life between Paten. .Viaimia, and Hnwern. where he lias fnirlv largo farming interests. Ho has been chairman and managing director of the Kaupokonui Hairy Company for ten vears. aim' previously was for 6even years a director. Othqr positions which'he holds are as follow. Director of fho North Island Dairy Association, chairman and manager of the Pa lea Farmers' Co-operative Freezing Company for the last eight years, director of the New Zealand Rennet Company, director of the Egmont Box Company for the past ten vears. director of the Taranaki farmers' Mutual Insurance Company, director of the Taranaki F;:noors' Co-opera-tivo Organisation Austioneering Companv, chairman (several times), of Ills New Zealand Cheese Producers Selling Committee in connection with the Imperial purchase scheme, president of tho Prohibition League in a district coverimr four electorates. In adaition, Mr. Powdrell was chesse representative appointed to assist the Board of Trade in makin" the butler-fat levy worknblo and eriuitable while the levy was in force. Ho wiw one of the. Government appointees on'the Efficiency Hoard lo advise and heln soldiers, and is one of the local and valuers for the purchase of soldiers land in tho Hawera oistrict^ MR. V. F. HOCKLY, RO'i'OuMJA. Mr I''. V- .Huckly (Uoronin) was born at Orreli, W. Liverpool, iu ISO'S. Ho

came to Now Zealand in 188-1 and engaged in work on Hid land, fit winch ho has remained over since. .110 has had I'aims at Mnkini, in Hie Forty Milo Bush and near Hninter.villo, and is at present farming at Varawera, near To AwaJUiit.u. Mr. Hockly was ono of llio earliest momijeis of (ho farmers' Union. He represented his branch severaHimesat tho Wellington Provincial Conference nnd.tho Wellington Province twice at the- Dominion Conference. 110 was also on, tins Advisory Committee-for tivo years besides belli? tin- first chairman of a sub-provincial a strict in New Zealand. He was also president of the first Reform Conference held in Wellington shortly after Jr. Mnssev became Prime Minister. Air. Hoekl'v was a member, and for a time president, of tho Second Auckland District Military Service Board. MR. B. KELLETtTdUNEDIN NORTH. Mr E. Eollctt, who enters Parliament for t'ho first time as member for DIIIIO- - North, was bom in the electorate which he is to represent, and has resided a* 'Rnvcnsbou-rnc for 43 years- He served on the local School Committee tor live or six years, and was a member of th,« West Harbour Council for three years. Ho joined the Amalgamated Society oi Carpenters and -Joiners a number of years ago and filled the position oi president, afterwards ■ becoming organising secretary-a post which ho occupied for five' years. For two years ho Kit as a member of tho City Council in Dunedin, and ho also sewed the ratepayers or four vears «ra member ot .ho Dunedin Drainage nnd Sewerage Board As a member of tho Otapo and South and Military .Service Board he served irom the date of tho constitution of the boaid until the signing of (he anmsl.ee} 010 recently ho has served as a member of the Dunedin District Repatriation Board. Tn addition, ho has taken, an-, active part fldtthT ig-ttffl-SA and of the United Ancient Order of Druid*. He is a life member of the Ravenslxmrno Boating Club. At. present, ho is ongagexl in business as a builder and contractor. MR- V. H. POTTER. R-OSKILL. Mr. -Vivian H. Potter. (Ho AW. who has lived in and about-Auckland lor the 1 p"st 35 years, is a veteran oi two wars.

He served in South Africa for two years and i(« an officer in tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force for about, three yenre. He returned to the Dom.lllloll about the middle of th:s year, then holding tho rank of lieutenant. Mr. Potter was a resident of Waihi for u considerable time, during that period acting as a member of the Borough Council, chairman of tho School Committee, and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Technical School. Ho also hold a seat on the chief .exeoutive of the Warm Minora' Union. During the Waihi strike of 1912 he became prominent owing to his outspoken opposition to the strike and to the Federation of -Labour. After the strike he travelled the North Island lecturing in favour of arbitration and conciliation in labour disputes. He is a brother of Colonel H. E. Potter, formerly commanding officer at. Trentham Military Camp, and now O'llicer Commanding the Auckland Military District. ME. D. G. SULLIVAN (AVON). Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) is a native of Canterbury, having been born at Christchurch 37 years ago. . He was apprenticed to the furniture trade, and served his lime as a fiviicli polisher. On the- 'completion of his indentures ho travelled extensively in Australia, Great Britain, and Europe, working at. his trade. On his return to New Zealand he threw himself whole-heartedly into the Labour movement', He soon attained prominence, was elected president of his union, and represented it on tho Canterbury Trades and Labour Council Ho filled many positions in the Labour world serving three years as vicc-presi dent of the Canterbury Trade." and Labour Council, -president of (flat body, president of tho United Furniture Trades Federation, president of the New Zealand Political Labour League and president of tho Uniled Federation of Labour. He has been three times elected as a member of the Christchurch City Counciltwice for the Linwocd AVard, and ence for tho city as a whole. In 11)11 Mr. Sullivan unsuccessfully contested the Jficcarlon seat against Mr. George Witty, and' in 1911 he was again unsuccessful when he attempted to oust the Hon. G. AV. Jl'issell from Avon. Of recent years Air. Sullivan has followed the profession of journalism. He has written several pamphlets, on industrial subjecU, one entitled "Post-war Keconstruclion, having attracted attention as a plea tor the development of the secondary industries of tho Dominion.

MJZE. J. HOWARD UIIIETSTCHU.RCII SOUTHI.

Mr E.-.1. Howard l.Christchuixh South) is one of tin; widest known of the Clirs.stchurcli Labour group, havinjr bi?fii prominently connected with local Labour organisations for I ho. nasi- nineteen yea re. \ Bristolian l>v birth, li" is lifty-oro-years of ago. lie first settled in Christchurch about 1887. In I8a!l he went to .Australia, where he served a- smelling foreman for (lie Australian JMal 10111pnny, and inter for the South Australian and Western .Australian Uovcriiments. in the same cti|;<\cily. Ha returned to New Zealand in 1!H)0. and became attached to the Labour moveineiil. He ha* held nearly every oliice in the gift of Labour from secretary of the fniilical Labour l,pa"oe to president of the United Federation of Labour. He lias taken a prominent part in educational mailers as a member ami chairman of a school committee, and was the first secretary of the Workers Educational Association, lie has served on many local bodies, including the City Council, Harbour Board, Domain Board, and Repatriation Board.

MR. JOHN BITCHKN'BII, WAI.TAKI. Mr. Jiilin Hitcliener was bom in the Emzlish .Midland counties in 18(11. He lost his mother in early childhood, and in 187"i his father came out to New Zealand, and I hey settled in Waimate. As a bov Mr Bilchenor received his schoolins at tho Waimate Public School, and nlicrwaras worked iu sawmills near Waimate and for four .""ears at various Southland sawmills. Since that lime, with the exception of a few mouths spent iu Australia, he continuously livwl

near Waimalo- Ho was employed on various stations before lie took up ;i form of his own of sonro 510 acres nl Jlook. Tho first position Mr. Bitclicner held on a local body \ as that ol thnirinan of tho Hook School Committee, and bo can claim now lo be a member ol as inaiiv local bodies us any other man in South Canteibury Fur eleven years lie has been a member of the Waimale Conutv Council, and he has also occupied a scat, on Ihe Timaru High School Hoard /for niirt of Iho lime as chairman), on the Timani Harbour Hoard, and on Ihe Waimale Hish School Board, he is now oresir.ent of Ihe South Canterbury Farmers' Union and of the Waimale branch of tho union, u member ol Hie Advisory Board of the Winners' I men in YVelliimton. chairman of directors „f Ihe. Wnimate Co-operative Hour Milling Company, and a director of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association.

MR. .T. U. HAMILTON. AYVWRTIA. Mr. J. R. Hamilton, who defeated Sir Joseph Vt'nrd, ha.s twice previously contested tho Awarua .seat in the lieform interests. At Hie general election 111 1911 he nolled vcrv well, and was beaten bv a little over tftfl voles, hi 1!) M lie, nolled 18'J8 votes, Sir .loseph Ward a majority on that occasion being 1!7;>. .dr. Hamilton, who belongs to a very wellknown family in Hie northern part 0 the Awarua District, is a farmer, and resides near YVinton. .He has taken 1111 active part in local government nllairs and for seicnil years he ha* represented his ridiliff on Ihe Southland County Council, of which he was chairman lor a nen'od

Mlt:'W. S. GLENN, RANGITITCTvL Mr. W. S. Glenn, Reform member for Bniigil-lkei, is a settler in that pari of the district near Marlon. He is oest known to tho public of Now Zealand as a forward of the famous "All Black football team which toured Great Britain and Ireland in 1906-7, and he was accounted one of the best players of tho Fide. In this war ho served with tlio Itoval Meld Artillery as an officer, through most of the hard lighting ol tho war. He left this country very early to join up ill Knglaiu.l, and was at onco given a commission in the Artuien branch of tho British Army. Ho served, with distinction, gaining the decoration of the Military Cross, and at the end of tho war lie had msen to the rank ot nmior, having entered'his regiment as a second lieutenant, fresh from the. Training Corps. He has.not, previously taken much part in .public life. MR A. D.'M'LEOP, WAIRARAPA. Mr. A'. D/M.'Lcoft', Reform member for Wairarapa. is . one .of the best known 'and onelot,tho most popular men 111 tho Wairarapa. Indeed, "A.D.,' as ho is alwavs called bv his friends, has been tho most activo man in everything pertaining to local government and farmers' affairs in tho whole district. Ho has been for twenty-four years a member of the Featherslon County Council, for the Dast sixteen years chairman of tho council. Ho "first took tho. position ot I chairman when he was little over thirty years of ase, a very early ago for any I man to achieve such a position, and it is conceded bv all that he was a most dilicent and capable chairman, of a most progressive county. He has also served for a number of years on the Hospital Hoard of his district. lie was born 111 the Wairarapa, tho son of a back-blocks settler., ana' as thero were no schools within reach of his home in those days, he was educated at home, along with Ins brothers, bv a tutor. . He came through most, of the. hardships that were the common lot of baclc-blocks settlers in Ihoso eavlv dim. and he lias won through i'o his successful position by his own efforts and ability.MR, W. D. LYSNAK, G.ISBORNE. Mr W. D. Lysnar, Independent Reform member for Gi'sbonie,.is one of the bestknown moil in that d strict Ho lias at different times been associated witli tlie civic government of the town, and has held the position of Mayor. It was in his term as Mayor that the project 0 an electric, tram scjrvice was carried. throiHi. He has been a director ot tho Gisborne Farmers' Freezing Company, and some years ago he had much 0 do with tho establishment of the Bristol and Dominions Producers' Association. \\ hen tha light was going on over tho I.quor referendum in April, Mr Lysnar took the platform against prohibition, but be. achieved only moderate success as an aSvocato of the cause that' he. espoused.

MR. A.'M'NICOL, PAHIATTJA. Mr \ M'Nicol, the Beforrn member for Pahiatim, is a young New Zcalaiuier, who was induced to come forward to carry tho buiner of the Keform Party in his district at a time when it appeared that it was not going to be possible to find «■ smtablo candidate to succeed Mr. Harold Smith, who was retiringfrom politics. Mr. M'N.col bad not a flumfiht of entering politics, hut h" was persuaded to do so. and lio hiW fought a good fiffht. He has bud no acquaintance with public l'.fe previously except in following his profession ns a journalist Ho has been .tor several years editor of the Dannevirke Zoning News.'' , MR W. PABBY. AUCKLAND CENTRAL. Mr W Parrv is the Labour member for Auckland Central. Ho was secretary of tho Wailu Miners [.<iuoii.nl: the time of the ffiwt strike in the mines on that field, but ho did not return to tho town after tho strike for some time, and ha never returned at all to Ins old position. MB M. J. SAVAGE. AUCKLAND W'KST. Mr M. J. Savage, Labour member for Auckland West', lias for many years been associated with the Socialist movement in' Auckland. Ho ivas at one time accounted too extreme to lie io lowed b) ordinary unionists in the north, but he lias urobably tempered his own opinions in the light of more experience, and also the unionist movement has "advanced n (Treat deal in later years. In Ins own subjects, and from his own viewpoint always Mr. Savage is a well-informed man, with more than avenge ability. MK. B. MAS'IiKsTsTBATFOBD. Mr B. Masters, Liberal member for Stratford, is a merchant in. the town, and a successful man of business, the most important position he lias held has been that of chairman of the Education Board, and he has in recent years rendered good service in that capacity. MB. 0. HAWKDN. EGMONT. Mr 0. Hawkeu is a farmer and busiiie>s man in Hawera.and until he came out (o win the Egmont seat tor Beforrn. or rather to retain it for Beforrn on the retirement of Mr. C. A, Wilkinson, lie had not taken much part m public liic. In this fight he has proved himself an able campaigner, with a thorough grasp of public'questions. iH« greatest obstacle in the contest was the fact that ne did not reside in the district, but n few miles over the boundary-ill Hawera. and this non-residence point was used against his candidature a good deal. MR. P. N. BABTBAM, GBKY LYNN. Mr. F. N. Bartram, Labour member for Grev Lynn, has only a local fame as 'a champion of Labour. As the reliirns show he was assisted in the contest by the extent to which the vole upposod to Labour was split. SEATIMEI) The Government gains S seals; Official Labour, 2 rents; Independent Labour, 1 scat; and Independent, 1 seat.