The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1910. THE MAN OF THE HOUR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15494, 21 December 1910, Page 8

The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1910. THE MAN OF THE HOUR.

Tire storm of political controversy that lias raged at Homo tor more than a year has allowed the contending parties scant leisure for the exchange of courtesies and the frank expression of mutual respect. Public men and partisan newspapers have hurled invective at one another until the simple elector might well linvo imagined that the majority of the party leaders really were men of very questionable character. At the present moment probably there is a. lull, following upon the definite and. presumably final decision of the electors in favour of the Liberal programme of constitutional reform, but it is pleasant to notice that several weeks

ago tho London “ Times,” true to its traditions in spite of its uncompromising hostility to proposals that seom to it to bo “ socialistic,” paid a very graceful and generous tribute to Mr Asquith at tho time when the failure of the Veto Conference had just become apparent. The Prime Minister, it said, had not been horn in the purple. He had not had tho advantage of extensive and powerful family connections such as had helped many of his predecessors over the initial stages of a political career. He had boon dependent upon his own exertions and his own character, and ho had fought his way to tho highest position that a subject could attain “ by sheer force of intellect, integrity of purpose and capacity for work.” Mr Asquith, added the “Times,” had the comprehensive mental equipment that could bo gained only by consistent, unflagging labour, and it could bo said of him that ho did many things well, “ bringing to any new pieco of work a certain adequacy and sureness of treatment that come only from a systematic application of intelligent and sound knowledge to a wide range of practical problems.” Higher praiso could Hardly have been offered tho Prime Minister by his most ardent supporter, but there can be no doubt at all that ho has well earned tho good opinion of both friond and foo in the political field. No mere chain of fortuitous happenings has made him tho man of the hour for tho whole world to-day. He has climbed to his present eminence over obstacles that often must have appeared insuperable. Tho most severe task of his wholo career will have to ho undertaken during tho next few months, when ho proceeds to uso the opportunity the constituencies have given him, and loyal British people of all shades of political opinion will watch his progress with something of prido and sympathy in their hearts, even though the influence of party creeds and shibboleths may bring words of oriticism tn their lips.