PUBLIC LIFE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 288, 5 September 1928, Page 6

PUBLIC LIFE

MR. FORSYTH REMINISCENT t At a meeting of members • of the Houghton Valley Progressive Association held at Mr. J. Sinclair’s residence, Houghton Valley, last night, Mr. T. Forsyth, M.P., gave a short address on “Reminiscences of Public Life.” Mr. Forsyth said that it was over twenty-five years since he took up school committee work —the startingoff point in the lives of most public men. He attended a meeting of the Clyde Quay School Committee, and the next year he was elected a member of it. He had been there practically ever since, with the exception of a three months’ break. Twelve years ago he was elected to the Education Board. At his first meeting there he asked many questions. In those days the officials ran the meeting. When one asked the, chairman a question he usually had to ask the secretary for the information. At the next meeting he was given cheques to sign, and there were so many of them to be signed that he had no time to ask any questions. Two years later, he was appointed to the position of chairman of the board.

Mr. Forsyth next spoke of his six years’ connection with the City Council, and said that he fpund the work most congenial. He felt very proud of his connection with the work of improving the Hutt Road, an effort which, he considered, showed what could be done as the result of conceneffort. Three years ago, said Mr. Forsyth, he entered the political arena. He found' Parliament very interesting and most instructive. He said that if anyone thought that he knew something about any subject, he had only to stand up in the House and say a few words, when he was suddenly made to realise how little he did know about the subject in question. Other members picked holes in statements and rent . them to shreds until the speaker wondered if he really did know exactly what he was talking about. For all that, added Mr. Forsyth, there was really a great deal of good feeling in the House, especially as nearly everyone took his knocks in a sporting manner.