POLITICAL LIFE.

Mataura Ensign, 15 December 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL LIFE.

SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS

BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES

We publish below frief biographical sketches of some of the men ejected to the House of Representatives yesterday who were not members in tho last Parliament' (with the exception of Mr Fisher). Some of them, it will be seen, are ;:ew to Parliamentary life. WELLINGTON S ÜBURBS.

Mr H. D. Bell, Opposition member for Wellington Suburbs, is a solicitor and son or Mr H. D. Bell, K.C.

Mr Bell, jun., was educated in New Zealand and at the universities in England, where lie took his degrees. He returned to New Zealand a few years ago and at once entered the firm of Bel!, Gully, Bell, and Myers. WELLINGTON CENTRAL. Mr F. M. B. Fisher lias represented! Wellington Central electorate for the last seven years. He was elected first as an Independent on tho death of his father, Mr Goorge Fisher. In 1908 he again stood as an Independent, but during the last Parliament threw in his lot with the Opposition. Mr Fisher has been a prominent volunteer, and is one of New Zealand's leading tennis player;;. He has served on the Wellington City Council and other bodies. WELLINGTON EAST.

Dr Newman (Opposition) was born in India in 1849, and arrived in New Zealand in 1833. He was educated privately in New Zealand and at Bath, England. On taking his degree he was house surgeon at Guy's Hospital. In 1870 he returned to New Zealand, and entered mercantile life. He has been Mayor of Wellington, a member of the Board of Governors of Wellington College, and president of the old Wellington A. and P. Association. He- represented Thorndon in Parliament from 1881 to 1890, Hutt 1890-9.'3, and Suburbs from 189.'! to 1890. Dr Newman has also been prominently connected with many branches of sport during the whole of his career. WELLINGTON SOUTH.

Mr Alfred H. Hi ml marsh is a solicitor and a member of the Municipal Association of New Zealand. He is also a member of tlie Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. In 1900 lie was elected to tho Wellington City Council in the interest of Labor, for which party he stood for Parliament. PAHIATUA.

Mr J. H. Escott, farmer. Woodville, is one of tlie East Coast's young settlers. 'For years ho ha.s been a prominent figure in the New Zealand Farmers' Union, and lias rarely missed ono of its conferences. Ho stands in the Opposition interest, and is very popular with the fanners in his district. OTAKI.

Mr J. Robertson (Labor) is secretary of the Taranaki Butter-makers' Employees' Union. Till recently lu« was secretary of the Pahnerston branch of the Drivers' Union. He arrived in Ne-.v Zealand from Scotland a few years ago, where he was prominently connect* d with the Labor movement. NELSON.

Mr H. Atmore' (Independent) wars born at Nelson in 1870, and is the son of an old colonist who arrived bv tlie

;;;iii> Civs well. He was at. the No son Public School, and after :i residence of eight years in Welling::m ho returned to Nelson and set up m busiius., on his own account. In the past ]i3 had been associated with various athletic bodies, and lias represented th? province in interprovineial football, lie was elected a member I the Nc'sm Licensing Committee in l'.o;i, and is a member of the Education Hoard. He unsuccessfully contested the Nel-on seat at the elections in HX);2, IJ.'Cm. ItMl-H — at the iast election lie was o:siy l-i.it. ii by the small majority of 11 vote.- - .. WAITAIvI.

Mr F. H. Smith (Opposition), of "Waratah," Alburv, is the fonrtli son of the late A. B. Smith, of Mona Vale. All-niy. He was born in Ne.v Zealand, and is 4H years of ago, married, but with no family. All his life has been spent on the land, and at the present time he has a fine sheep property, on .which, ho resides, at Alburv. He is a well-known breeder of merinos, and was one of the judges in this class at the last Christclnireh Show. For a good many years past he has taken a keen interest in public affairs, serving on the Timaru High School Hoard of (!</- ernors, and on the Timaru Harbor Hoard. Ho also took an interest in volunteering, when the mounted Rifhs were in existence, and used' to ride many miles to attend parades as an officer of the troop in his district. He opposed Mr Hall-Jones for the Timaru seat when first he stood for Parliamentary honors, and though be was not widelv known then, he was only beaten by 5(i2 votes. At last election he ojv posed Sir William Steward for the Waitaki seat-, and was le.-s than .'MX) vot-is behind that veteran. He has Wen a consistent supporter of the Opposition. Like hi* father, Mr F. H. Smith is a man whose word is his bond. geni'il in dis|x>sition, one who would scorn to do a mean action, and he is respected and liked even by his political opponents. HAWKE'S HAY. Mr Hugh McLean Campbell, the Heform member for Hawke's Hay, i* thirty-six years of age, and was bum at, Poukawa, Hawke's Hay, his father'being Mr Hugh Cainplvell, a sheep-farm-er who came from Australia in the early j ibivs and took up the I'oukawa run. Mr Campbell went to the Haveloek North cchool as a boy, and afterwards] to tho Heretaunga Private School at j Hastings. On leaving school he went j home and worked on his father's fann. j where he has been ever since. He has never occupied any public position, but-j lia.s always taken an intelligent interest, in tho politics of the Dominion. | WANUANUI. | Mr W. A. Veitch (Labor), up to a j few weeks ago. was emp'oyed in thej New Zeal-nd Railways as an engine-1 'Vsv-er. and resided at (toss Creek. He| is president of the Amalgamated Soci- i ■°* v of Railway Servants, and a member of tho Railway Superannuation Hoard. | WAIRAU. A 'r H. AlcCnlluni ((Invernment) was horn in Marlborough in IK(W, his par ui. belonging to an early band of pi-

oncers who came out from Scotia the early fifties. After being cducatfeJ( for the law, he wiu at the age of 21 admitted a barrister and solicitor of tho Supreme Court. In addition to interesting himself in farms in the Wairau ana Waikato, he has up to Ute present timo practised Irs profession in Blenheim. During the last 20 years M r Me'Calluin has occupied many public positions. Ho has been chairman of the Marlborough Education Board for five years, ono of the founders of the Marlborough Hi};h School, a member of the Victoria University Council, and in president of the M arllxirough Land and Railway League. For over eleven years ho has 1.-wn a member of the Blenheim Borough Council, and during the last two years occupied the MayoraJ chair. Ho is connected witli almost every s]>orting and' athletic body ill the district. The financing and sue."(»tfiil carrying out of the Marlltorough Industrial Exhibition of I*JOl were largely due to his efforts.

WA ITEM ATA. , Mr Alex. Harris (Opposition) was bom in London in 1878, and received his education there. He arrived in New Zealand 10 years ago, with hi* father, Mr C. J. Harris, who is vlill resident in Auckland. Mr Harrui ban for st)me years followed the occupation of commercial traveller for Messrs H. A. Abbott and' Co., Limited. He has taken a prominent interest in Friendly Society work, having reached the highest position possible in New Zealand in tho Ancient Order of Forester*, vie., Past District Chief Hanger. He has also been a mwnlxr of Lodge United Service, No. 10, Freemasons. He has always been an enthusiastic worker in the No-License movement. He has resided in Devonport and Takajftina for the last nine years. PAItNELL. Mr J. S. Dickson (Independent), has lived in Auckland for the past 26 year*. He entered the drapery trade in bin young days, and for 11 lyeais he was in the employment of Messrs Smith and Caughey. Ho acted as manager for Mr Geo. Fowlds for a similar period, and during the past four years he haa been in business on his own account. He. ii:us taken a prominent part in friendly society work, and he has beeu an active member of tlie Dm id/' Order for the past 20 years. He was District President of that Order from I90(i to 1907. He was a member of the Reniuera Road Board for eight years, and for threa years was chairman of that body. Whilst occupying this position he was largely instrumental in securing the insert-ion in the Auckland Drainage Act of provisions conserving the interests of the suburban bodies. He is at present a member of the Auckland City Council, Auckland Drainage Board and tbt* Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Mr Dickson was a Ktauneh advocate of the cause of Captain Knyvett, and was chairman of the "Defence Committee" formed in connection with the agitation which secured a woond and satisfactory trial for that officer. Mr Dickson takes a great interest in various forms of sjwirt, and is at present president of the Auckland Rugby League (Northern Union), and vice- \ president of the Auckland Lacrosse Association. Mr Dickson stood iu> v an Independent Liberal, but he has phnlged himself to vote against tlie Ward Government on a no-confidence motion. RAGLAN. Mr R. F. Bollard (Opposition) is * son of Mr John Bollard, who has represented Eden in Parliament for so many years past. He was born at West Tamaki 47 years ago, and was brought up at Avondule, where his parents took up their residence when he was only a fortnight old. He sjient the earlier years of his life on his father's farm. He qualified for public life first att clerk lor eight. or nine years to the Avondalc Koad Board and as secretary to the Avon-dale J*:hool Committee for

's.'vera 1 years. He afterwards assisted i tu* father in his business as a land j agent and valuer. In 11)00 Mr Bollard j went into .business on his own account i as a sawmillcr at Tuapiri, in partnership with his brother-in-law (Mr Bailey). He retired from the suwmilling business about two years ago, and nettled down to farming at Taniahere, in (the Waikato. Mr Bollard was a memI her of the Waikato County Council, Waikato Hospital Hoard, the Waikato I and Waikato Central A. and I*. Associations, the Waikato Racing and Hunt I Clubs, and other bodies. He is a meinibcr of the Anglican communion, and i has held various church oftioes at Avon- ! dale, Taupiri, and Tamahere. He haa 1 also Ikhmi a member of ths* Auckland ! Diocesan Synod. I GREY LYNN. J Mr John Payne, who is a native of Lancashire, is the son of a barrister. He was intended for the law, but commercial life appealed more strongly to him, and he entered on his career at the age of 1) years. After filling various positions in business offices in the Old Country Mr Payne came to New Zealand. He worked on a farm las a cadet and he was also on the goldi fields for a time. He then resumed 'commercial work, and was successfully jemraged in accountancy work in the cfii'-cs of several Auckland firms. Oti lthe opening of the Auckland Technical j C illcge he conducted the evening com- [ mcrcial classes for three years, and la j !!H)G he took over the day as well a* the evening classes. H" resigned bis position at the <-ol!cge» in July last in Order to devote his time to private Iraainew He st'n>d for Grey Lynn as a Labor candidate. K A IP All A. Mr J. Cordon Coates was Wn at Matakohe, and after being educated at the local State school entered into prstornl work on his father's farm, which he now controls He and bis brother originated the An-kland Farmers' Union (Ltd.), and tak-» an active interest in its manai:'Mn»nt. Ho is captain of the Otnnntcn Mounted Mounted Rifles, and pri?id°nt of tho North Kaipara Agricultural Association. He lias filled tlie position of chairman on tho school committee, is a member of Ota ma ten County Council, chairman of the North Knipnra (Vioperative Stores, and a prominent member of the Otamntea Racing Club. With county matters he is closely identified, and has on more than one occasion proceeded to Wellington in order to lay the needs of his district before Ministers. Ho is a noted breeder of Shropshire sheep and Hereford cattle, and i* a leading Kaipara pastoral ist. .