The Hawera Star. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1928. THE RETIRING PRIME MINISTER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 December 1928, Page 6

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1928. THE RETIRING PRIME MINISTER.

Delivered every evening T>y f> o’clock in t-iawera Manat.. Normanby Okamwa. Eltham, Manerat.oki. Kaponga, Alton, finrleyville Patea. Waverlev. Mo_oia Whakamara, Ohanzai, Meramer*. Fraae» Boaii. and Ararata.

Though .the interest of those in attendance at the. House of Parliament on. the occasion of the division on the no-confi-dence motion was at high tension, there was nothing sensational in the (preceding debate, nor was there anything unexpected in the Tosul.t of the voting. The representatives of all parties were I eonunendably brief in their speeches I and for the most part there: was an absence of rancour in the utterances «f the '.speakers. I.n the main the speakers rose to: heights greater than (many outside Parliament wore, prepared to anticipate prior to the delivery of the speeches, and in consequence the unana otf the politician, must, have risen in the eyes of those who l have (affected to hold themselves superior to: :our much-abused legislators. The outstanding example of “bigness’’ in this respect, was provided by the retiring Prime Minister, Mr Coates. On all sides of the House ] it was acknowiedged that in no momentj of his public life has 1 he appeared to j better advantage than lie did in defeat, j Those very words' were used ;by the Leader of the Labour Party in paying a tribute to 1 his personal qualities, and it will be admitted everywhere that in J making that statement Mr Holland, made a generous acknowledgement in: well-chosen words. Many people who eschew sentimentality must have been struck with, the unanimity with which

Mt Coates was complimented upon, his' attitude and must have felt that any mam who receives such acknowledgments from friend and opponent alike, ■no matter in what sphere Ms activities ■have ib'con calst, has indeed extracted from life some 'of the things most worth while. There ate some who know Mr Coates less well, and others who know him better, than we do/ ourselves who were surprised that lie (should emerge from the political upheaval as the most outstanding personality connected therewith, but for our part, though we do not wish to po.se as (seers and prophets after the event, we uniusit say that Mr Coates relinquished his office with all the good grace we expected of him. Since we first came intopersonal contact with him, at the time he assumed the portfolio of railways in the Massey Government, he has impressed us by his sincerity. It was 'obvious to 1 those who came in close touch with the man in 'connection with his political duties that he placed the welfare Of the country before all considerations of personal popularity or party advantage. The significance of some of the biggest things he did was lost in the heat of partisan controversy, but there were many times, particularly during the session preceding the election, when ho proved toi those who watched his progress disinterestedly, that here was a man who was courageous enough to say “no” ■when that word would have been difficult of utterance for many another similarly placed. 'Whataver fortune the future holds for the parties in the House, it is certain that Parliament will be the richer by the presence of Mr Coates.