The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1911. The Personal Side.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1672, 16 December 1911, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1911. The Personal Side.

9pace yesterday did not permit of our dealing with the personal side of the general elections, completed on Thursday by the holding oi : the thirty .second ballots. The personal sid« of the political fight just concluded is very interesting, not only regarding the men who have come in, but with regard to the men also who have gone out. Sir Joseph AVard lias not only "to boar the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" in the defeat inflicted upon him and his party which sends them into the shades of Opposition; but, as a leader, he has to mourn the. loss of individuals wko were faithfully connected with his I party for many years. Of such are the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Sir John Findlay, Messrs W. 11. Field, R. B. Uoss, J. T.-Hogan, W. T. Jennings, C. H. L'oole, and J. F. Arnold. Mr Masscy, also, whilst having all the honours of a glorious victory full upon him, must regret the personal defeats inflicted upon his party which is now minus that veteran and very capable senior whip, Mr C. A. C. Hardy, also Messrs R. A. "Wright and J. Duncan. in addition to these, there are amongst the men who have gone Tinder Messrs Hogg and Fowlds, both of whom got into the inner shrine of Liberalism, came out of their own accord and are now num-_ bered amongst the "has bcens," Hans Breittmau "gave a baity," :ufd Mr Fowlds was mentally organising another. To both the familiar question might bo put to-day: Where is that party now? Tho New Evangel, Jjko the old Liberal Psu'ty, is for the moment down and out. The one may aievev be heard of again, tiit other may have a Kathleen Mavourneen sentence imposed upon it. The composition of the new House is most decidedly a great improvement upon that Parliament which ran its course last month—a Parliament which was considered by sane and experienced critics to have been tho worst in JN'cw Zealand's history, so far as the caliViro of its men, taken by and large.-| Mas concerned. .Should tho development of our politics go in the direction of the formation of a young New Zealand Party, tho nucleus of it is in the new Parliament. There is a. very large sprinking of tyros, and they arc on the young side. .Notable amongst these is Mr Bell, a. grandson of Sir Francis Dillon Bell, and son of Mr H. D. Bell, at one time a member for "Wellington City himself. Tho Opposition Party lias also secured Mr Bradney, who lias ■ "been a very prominent and aggres- • tsivo member of the Auckland Jlar--1 hour Board. Dr. Newman, who lias '. been out of politics for many years, also comes back to his old party, tin's time for a "Wellington seat. Mr , Stathani, who defeated that veteran - Labourite, Mr J. s'. Arnold, is a J young lawyer of promise, -a native j- of Dunedin, and one of wliom something is expected. By tho way, the . legal fraternity is stronger than ever j in tho new House. There is the I uniquo record in tho new Parliament, 0 ! also, of a father and son sitting on > the floor of tho House, theso being ' the Bollards,' pens i-L ii'ls, Irom the 1 iar north, and both arc .supporters . of Mr Massey. Mr Sykes, who < has mgmmgmm

supporter of the Reform Party. It remains to be seen, however, what Mr Dickson, who , defeated Mr Fowlds, . will do for his party; and Mr Atvnoro is also an uncertain quantity — but at the least he may be expected to sit as tight for his party as did his predecesosr in fcho Nelson seat for his (the" Ward) party. On tho Government side Mr McCallum, who has been Crown Prosecutor in Blenheim for many years, and was looked upon as the natural successor of the Hon. C. H. Mills for the Wairau seat, wins that vafco again from Mr Duncan. This, with Mr Dickie, who defeated the Opposition whip for the Selwyn seat, is CtuToiiiy new blood introduced on the Government side of the House. So ttiift the odds are all in favour of tho Opposition in presenting tne best and newest Tight in our public life in the Parliament that should become known in our history as the Reform Parliament.