A NONOGENARIAN MEMBER

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 121, 23 May 1914, Page 10

A NONOGENARIAN MEMBER

'At the age of 93 Mr. Samuel Young, the Nationalist M.P. for East Cavan, was among those who voted in. the division on the Home Rule Bill. The oldest member of the present House of Commons, Mr. Young's devotion to the cause of Home Rule is particularly noteworthy. It was in 1892 that, in order to assist Mr. Gladstone in his efforts in that direction, he sought election as a Nationalist and was returned. He is a Protestant and lives in Belfast. When elected to Parliament he was over 70 years of age. He is a merchant. "Mr. Gladstone had a majority of only 40," he recalled in an interview, "and I took part in every division of the session. My constituents are very good to me," he said ; "they tell me not to go to London unless 1 feel well enough to do so. But," he added with vigour and clenching his fist, "I want to see the work for which I entered Parliament, and which will be for the lasting benefit of Ireland, completed. That's why I am here. I am not so strong as I might be.." Mr. Young delivered a speech in Parliament last year, but it is three years since he addressed his constituents at East Cavan. The oldest M.P., by the way, was Mr. C. P. Villiers, who died at the age of 96 in 1898.