MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11544, 1 December 1900, Page 5 (Supplement)

MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

; . THE MAN OF THE HOUR. Miss N. M. Mauris' "Life of Mr. Chamberlain," which was published by Messrs. Hutchinson and Co. a few days ago, is a painstaking compilation. We append some extracts — A PEACE SOCIETY. Miss Pace, whose school at Camberwell Mr. Chamberlain attended as a child, says, in the course of some reminiscences of his school days: — The boys wanted to get up a Peace Society. I was very much against it, as I felt sure it would stir up quarrels amongst them; and they were, of course, forbidden to fight. However, like men, I knew they would get tired of it if they had their own way. One afternoon I heard there had been trouble while I had been out, and I sent for the boys to interrogate the offenders. It was just as I had expected. They had been fighting as to who should be the president of the Veace Society, and, of course, Joseph Chamberlain was among them. He didn't like being behind anybody, and when he did fight he was in earnest about it. "As a child" (continues Miss Pace), "Joseph Chamberlain didn't take things easily; he went deeply into them, and was very serious for a boy. He didn't care much for games; he was not so much solitary as solid, industrious, and intelligent, but rather too anxious about his lessons, conscientious and very solemn as a rule. PERSONAL APPEARANCE IN 1874. Mr. Chamberlain at this time was extraordinarily .youthful in appearance, with a slim, upright figure, fresh complexion, and clean-shaved face. He was noted for the extreme care and neatness of his dress; even at a ward meeting he has been described as appearing "in a black velvet coat, jaunty eyeglass in eye, red necktie drawn through a ring, very smart indeed." Mr. Jesse Collings tells a story illustrating the difficulty strangers had in believing Mr. Chamberlain was of mature years. They were abroad together, and, not finding at Malaga the boat they wanted to take them on to Gibraltar, they went on board a small steamer and tried to arrange with the captain to take them over. He refused, having, as he declared, no accommodation for passengers. Under pressure, however, he consented to give up his cabin to Mr. Collings, saying, " You can take my berth; tho youngster must knock it out on the sofa." THE BRUMMAGEM LION. When the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Birmingham in 1874, during Mr. Chamberlain's mayoralty, Punch issued a cartoon representing the Princess cutting the claws of the Republican lion (Mr. Chamberlain), with the following lines : — "our BRUMMAGEM LION. " " Like a gentleman he comported himself in the glare of the Princely sun Has just said what he ought to have said, and done what he ought to have done, Has put his red cap in his pocket, and sat on his Fortnightly article. And of Red Republican claws and teeth dislayed not so much as a particle." THE OFFENDING HAT. In July, 1876, Mr. Chamberlain took his seat in the House. Mr. Chamberlain, new to the etiquette of the House, was unaware that he might not wear his hat until he was actually sworn in. and after prayers were over he promptly put it on. Consternation reigned; surely Mr. Bright would explain matters to his young colleague. But Mr. Bright either did not see what had happened or took no notice. Would someone write the offender a line? No one did. Whispers ran up and down the benches: Would he incur the wrath of Mr. Speaker? Presently one of the doorkeepers came in with a message for the new member, and when, with perfect deliberation, a few moments later the hat was removed, the House breathed again. FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE HOUSE. The " first appearance" of the Radical member for Birmingham had been looked for with interest, not nnmingled with trepidation, by some members of the House. They had been prepared to see a man with the roughness of a miner and the dress of a Hyde Park agitator. Sir Walter Barttelot had evidently evolved some fancy picture, says Mr. H. W. Lucy, " for his surprise at seeing the junior member tor Birmingham in a coat and even a waistcoat, and in hearing him speak very good English in a quiet and undemonstrative manner, was undisguised. . . Moreover, the Radical wore, not spectacles (with tin or brass rims, as Felix Holt would undoubtedly have done, if his sight had been impaired), but an eyeglass. BIRMINGHAM IN 1892. A letter written by Dr. R. W. Dale during the elections of 1892 shows what a change had been wrought by the Home Rule controversy in the social life of Birmingham. "Birmingham," said Dr. Dale, "is still a remarkable place, and I share your delight at the victory of last week (Unionist victory), but it seems to me that the interesting people are gone. . . There was Dawson. . . Vince, John Henry Chamberlain in his fresh and brilliant promise. Dawson, Vince. and John Henry Chamberlain are dead; Harris remains, and is as kindly and epigrammatic as ever; but in the breakup of the Liberal party he remained with Gladstone and I seldom see him. Joseph Chamberlain is. of course, still immensely interesting ; but I am not sure that he is as interesting as he was 20 years ago, and he is necessarily much away from Birmingham." MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S POWER. " One of the most wonderful exhibitions of power I ever saw," said a Birmingham man, "I saw when Mr. Chamberlain was speaking at Stourbridge. There was a rowdy element in the meeting, and it was intended that there should be a disturbance. For the'first 40 minutes he was constantly interrupted. Then he turned his attention to those men ; he simply talked to them for 20 minutes. For the last 40 minutes there was absolute silence, and at the end the meeting cheered him like mad. I never saw anything like it. It was power pure and simplesheer power."