LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 July 1940, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

FOUR APPOINTMENTS

MR. J. RYALL INCLUDED [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, July 15. Four appointments to the Legislative Council for a term of seven years were announced to-night by the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser). He said that the Governor-General had been pleased to appoint the following to the Council::—

Mr. Josiah Alfred Hanan (Dunedin) Mr. William Grounds (Broadwood). Mr. William James Rogers (Wanganui). Mr. John Ryall (Barrytown). Mr. Hanan recently retired, after fourteen years, as a member of the Legislative Council. Mr. Grounds is a North Auckland farmer, and a former Chairman of the Dairy Board. Mr. Rogers is the Mayor of Wanganui. OUTLINE OF CAREERS. Mr Ryall is 65 years of age. He was born in Barrytown, his parents, Mr and Mrs Denis Ryall, being pioneers of the district. He has taken an active interest in the affairs of the district, and a major interest in mining projects, and before the securing of the dredging rights of the large area known as Barrytown Flat he was one af the principal movers' in having Government measures enforced requiring the subsoil ,of farming lands to be replaced immediately after dredging. As a member of the Grey County Council he has represented the Cobden riding since 1904, being elected unopposed over an unbroken period. He has been chairman of the council on several occasions. He has also been a member of the Greymouth Harbour Board continuously since 1916, first as Government representative and now as county representative. He was chairman of the Board three years ago when the Board first became an elective body. He has been a member of the Westland Land Board since 1926 and was recently re-elected for another term. He was a member of the Grey Education Board from 1906 until it was abolished. He is a prominent member of the Barrytown branch of the New Zealand Labour Party.

Mr Ryall, who lives with his family at Barrytown, is a storekeeper and farmer. He is a director of the Ngahere Gold Dredging, Ltd. In the early days of the development of the West Coast and particularly the Barrytown and Punakaiki district, Mr Ryall ran a coaching service and saw the successive stages of packhorse, dray, coach, and motor-bus in transport for the district. As county representative of the area Mr Ryall took a big part in prevailing upon the Government to have the part of the coastal road near Barrytown which was being eroded by the sea constructed closer to the ranges. Mr Ryall is also a Justice of the Peace. Mr. Rogers is a former secretary of the Wanganui Waterside Workers’ Union, and inaugurated the Labour Representative Committee in Wainganui in 1924. He was first elected Mayor in 1927 and is also a member of the Hospital Board. He unsuccessfully contested the Wanganui seat as a Labour candidate in 1928 and 1931.

Mr. Grounds, who was born in Birmingham and educated at Birmingham University, arrived in New Zealand at the age of 26. He engaged in sheepfarming and dairying in the Hokianga district, and was the first chairman of the Hokianga Dairy Company 1 : He has been a member of the Hokianga County Council and of the Hospital Board, and was first elected to the Dairy Board in 1923. In the 1935 General Election, Mr. Grounds contested the Kaipara seat as an Independent, and was defeated by the sitting member, Rt. Hon. J., G. Coates, by about 200 votes. Mr Hanan retired with the Hon. C. J. Carrington from the Legislative Council about a month ago. He has already sat in the Council for 14 years. Twelve members of the Council are due to retire next year, Sir James Allen on June 1, and 11 others on June 22. The strength of the Council at present is 33, although this will be reduced to 32 by the impending departure for overseas of LieutenantColonel F. Waite, who has been appointed overseas gift commissioner with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.