A GALLERY

Evening Star, Issue 20253, 14 August 1929, Page 3

A GALLERY

[Written by Alan Dale for the ‘ Evening Star.’] 6—THE HOH. W. A. VEITCH Visitors to the House of Representatives are almost invariably surprised at sight of Mr Veiteh. Just what is that alchemy of mind which presents the Minister of Labour as an immense man and a powerful speaker it is difficult to say. All public men, of course, owe much to the newspapers, but in Mr Veitch’s case they have worked no harder than in most.' His utterances, characterised by strong cdmmon sense, are easier to deal with than tho web of words with which such a man as the Hon. A. D. M‘Leod used to confuse his meaning, or the parenthetical manner of Mr M. J. Savage, the, Labour Party’s deputy-leader, or even the virile manner of address of Mr Coates, which leayes one sighing that such abundance of physical energy should be directed at tho expression of so little thought. But—and here is tho secret —Mr Veiteh is dull. Facts are his hobby, but he does not infuse them with" life, relieve them with wit;’he tells them over like beads upon a string. When he rises to speak with the slignt stoop that he gained from years of labour it is with the self-possession of an old campaigner and tho square, broad shoulders, that symbolise his directness of purpose. He knows exactly where he stands; he will prepare his array of arguments with patience, and range them neatly in position; but when the time comes it is not very exciting listening. Tho gibes, the in sinuations, and somewhat outdated economic opinions expressed by Mr David Jones, member for Mid-Canterbury, for instance, may not be as near the truth as Mr Vei'tch’s perambulations, bus they make a much better show. Besides this apparent frankness of speech there goes an unusual subtlety of mind. It is not the wayward reasoning of Mr Wilford or the seemingly smooth orbit of Mr M'Combs; it is a thing of travail and protracted hardship. Mr Veiteh, for all that one thinks that one has marked him down safely, is always likely to spring a surprise. He has certain well-defined tracks of thought, such as that the maintenance of the railways has not been what it should have been, or that bankers are to bo distrusted and banks multiplied (an apparent contradiction, which points the subtlety referred to above). But he also has queer corners of his mind round which he may at anytime decide to disappear and leave his friends lamenting. It is not that these byways of thought take Mr Veiteh into discreditable paths. It is that his mysterious disappearance from the broad way of argument, and then sudden reappearance amidst his fellows, have the disturbing effect of a stage demon projected through a trap door. They “cannot understand him,” and in politics to fail to understand is often to distrust.

Along with these traits goes another surprising feature —Mr Veiteh’s ingenuousness. In one sense ho is no politician, for he will tell you what ho thinks within a minute of hearing your case. He has been in the House for seventeen years, and has still the habit of torming”quick decisions. This caused him a little embarrassment when ho became a Cabinet Minister, for what appears reasonable and right is not always what is practicable when the needs of the country as a whole are considered. But Mr Veitch can survive such misfortunes. Ho can, in lact, survive anything; ho is one of the most durable of parliamentarians. And he has at bottom an abiding desire to do the right thing.

7.—THE HOH. SIR Ai’IRAHA N6ATA

Years ago, before he had been knignted, bir Apirana Ngata shared a name. With the late Hon. 11. F. Bollard, then Minister of Internal Affairs, and Mr J. S._ Dickson, the Senior Government Whip ? ho formed what was known as the Silent Trinity. Sir Apirana will rarely speak. Last year, the ‘ Hansard ’ on the table reveals, he was heard in the House eight times. The year before that he made less than twenty speeches, most of them very short. Most of thoso utterances have been directed at the righting of some practice which Sir Apirana had found to be objectionable. Most of them naturally, concerned themselves with the Maori race. it is one of the curiosities of Parliament that the finest speaker in the Lower Chamber is the man who is most rarely heard. Even in a talkative session such as tho present he has not been drawn more often than ho could help. For Sir Apirana in action is delightful listening. He has a full, rich voice, free gesture, feeling and facial play, and ,he has, all those gifts of oratory which marked the Maori race, II is enunciation and articulation are enough to move an elocutionist to enthusiasm; they are, too, evidence of what can be done with language in tho mouth of a fine speaker. Sjr Apirana’s words sing. His phrases, balanced and often beautiful, dtten move with mounting rhythm; and, uttered with such apparent carelessness, with no aim at studied effect, they soar to the remotest parts of that not always admirable chamber.

As an artist in words, a great speaker, Sir Apirana has other virtues. When he takes his stand in the House members listen not alone because they are compelled by the liquid charm of Ids tongue, but because they know that he will nave something to say. He never commits himself to words until he knows that there is something which can be altered, halted, or advanced by his action. Ho is living evidence of the unwisdom of Mr R. A. Wright’s declaration that speeches do not influence votes No member at all openminded has ever listened to tlm new Minister of Native Affairs without learning something which must have affectqd his judgment of the question at issue. Sir Apirana thus shows himself a practical politician. He is not willing to waste his time baying at political opponents; ho wants all the concessions that they will give him for what he conceives to bo the right thing. And because of his restraint and charm of manner he usually receives these concessions. Recognising him as a distinguished member of tho Native section of the community. Iho Reform Government conferred his knighthood, and it was deserved, for Sir Apirana has been the one Maori memberwho has never lost sight of the fact that ho is elected by the Maoris, and must watch their interests.

He is, of course, a highly cultured and intelligent man.t He has done much work in collection and translation of Maori poetry, and there is some discussion of his receiving a doctorate from the University, of New Zealand, He has, too, the aim of starting an ethnological journal in New Zealand, which seems about to be realised. But beyond these things he has sympathy and a civilised attitude of mind. He is, in fact, the ideal Native politician. j (To be ; Continued.}, i