THE NEW PREMIER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 7 April 1908, Page 5

THE NEW PREMIER.

[The Rt. Hon. H. H. Asquith was born m 1852.' . He had a brilliant career as a scholar and lawyer.. Entering.., the House of Commons in 1886 aannember for Fife, he made his mark in Bule debates, rising rapidly to the nawt rank m the House. He *W <??e ofthe nwst effective spewkera on -the Liberal .aide during 1903 on the education, question and the War ConunoasionV tepdrt; ,andi during the 'next three years in, oppositaan "to Mr Chamberlain's fiscal jk^ Hey On the Liberals being ;, returned to power m 1905, be joined the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and during the illness of the " Premier has led tbe Government.]

Writing six weeks ago, Mr H. W. Lucy took a grave view, of the Prune Minister's illness, and briefly discussed the question of ..his successor, It is no secret among his friends that, behind what may be a passing indisposition, there is/ a more serious constitutional weakness which precludes , subtained effort, whether physical or intellectual. Meanwhile Mr Asquith acts as deputy leader of the House, a circumstance significant as foreshadowing a future settlement. The Treasury Bench is just now exceptionally rich in the matter of candidates for the leadership of the party. Mr Haldane is said to consider himselfv not out of the running. Sir Edward Grey, when his turn comes, will command universal acceptance. Mr. Harcourt and Mr Winston Churchill have, it? is be hoped, many years before them in which to qualify for the Premiership. But Mr Asquith's services to the party,, the position' he has won for himself by sheer ability, point him out aB the.suc-. cessor to Sir Henry Campbell-Banner-man when he feels called upon to lay down the reins of omce. That the time may be far distant is the earnest desire of all sections of the Liberal party— of, I .think it may be added, the whole of. Commons, where his person|rjsopularity has been deepened byxf§mpatby with him in his tempojary