"WILLIAM OF WESTMINSTER"

NZ Truth, Issue 1127, 7 July 1927, Page 6

"WILLIAM OF WESTMINSTER"

SINCE he folded up his carpenter's Irule for the last time professionally, life has held some tense and, stirring moments for Sir William HallJones, ex-Prime Minister and High Commissioner^ whoso spare figure and silvery hair are so familiar a 6ight m Molesworth Street, Wellington, and m the precincts of the House. .• ■ What a sterling record of public service stands to hie credit si noe--as an unknown quantity — he unfurled the Liberal banner m Timaru m 18901 He was Minister of Public Works during a period of tremen.doue activity In that department. , And it. will be remembered that he was temporarily at the helm during the late Richard Seddon's health-recruiting absence m Australia, which oulminated m his trafeic death, while at the same time Sir Joseph Ward, the lineal successor to the Premiership, was m England. ... „ So it was that Sir William was called upon to form a ministry pending Sir Joseph's return from London, when . he reverted to the Ministry of Public Works. " ' . ■'.. . , ■ Later he left the turmoil of active politics for the more sequestered seclusion of the High Commissioner's of.'ice. While Sir William is hardly a bon vivantor a scintillating after-dinner speaker, he prooeeded to show that there were other duties pertaining to his high office besides adorning banquet-boards! . •: ; " t \_' „ •■ '• . He accomplished much gobd, unostentatious workefor^ his country, ana m his own quiet way strove valiantly to keep the Dominion prominently "on the map." .■-'■■. . • Right through, his career he has been more of a doer of things, than a talker. Never a fighting politician, he accepted Liberalism probably because it was irresistibly propounded by a stalwart like Seddon, who dwarfed the Opposition into insignificance.' ' V _ But when Reform's turn came Hall-Jones did not take up the role of a Liberal "die-hard." Rather did he adopt an attitude of benevolent neutrality, with mental reservations that the good works of Liberalism must be continued by Reform. . '! ,' : . , „ . And. so it comes to pass that m the eventide of , a life of jjohtical activity Sir William is virtually acclaimed by all parties to be well fitted to function^ as a member of the revising chamber. ;