OUR NEW GOVERNOR.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12768, 14 April 1910, Page 3

OUR NEW GOVERNOR.

(Special to "The Colonist.")

Christchurch, April 13. Writing to the "Press," one who knows him thus describes our new Governor: As soon as he came of age the younger Poynder assumed the name of his uncle, and became Sir John Poynder 3)ickson-Poynder. Be took the oath of a Justice of the Peace in respect to his Wiltshire estates, Harthan and Hilmorton, some ten miles away, in the Marlborough Down County. He let it be known that he accepted the ordinary Conservative tenets of the English country gentleman, intended to settle down to a country life, and would be an aspirant for Parliamentary honours. From the very first he displayed the • practical side of his maternal ancestors who had all been successful, indeed, noted sailors" and . soldiers. It was discovered that Harthan cantained quarries of beautiful box stone that has made Bath one of the most beautiful of cities, and the J'oung baronet threw all his energies into developing an industry that employs hundreds of men at Corshanv'and Box. In 1892 he was asked to contest the North Western Division of Wiltshire, which had arisen on the ashes of the extinguished borough of Chippenham, for so many years so worthily 'represented by Sir John's immediate jneighbour, the venerable Sir Gabriel Golduey. The Liberals at that time were' determined to wrest the old aristocratic county of Wiltshire from the political grasp of the great Tory families and those best qualified to judge were of the opinion that the we'll set up young bachelor squire of Harthan, with his handsome face, attractive manner, and pleasant cheery ways, was the only man likely to save the seat. Their prognostications were verified. Walter Long was beaten at Devizes by J. M. Fuller, who is now a Liberal Minister, but Sir John safely defeated, though by a very narrow margin, "Charlie" Hobhouse, also now a Liberal Minister, and won golden opinions on all sides. He took a great part in the 1895 general election when Wiltshire ejected every Liberal member. This time a Liberal tenant farmer was put up against him, but the results proved that the quarrymen of Corsham, the bacon curers and packers of Calne, the railway workers of Chippenham, and the agricultural labourers of the villages ha J not tired of Sir John, who invariably paid good wages, was always well up to the front across a stiff country when out with "the dukes," attended regularly the Sherston and Oaksey hunt and races, and drove his beautifully appointed four-in-hand to Salisbury and "the Bibury" racecourse About this time Sir John began to address himself with his usual energy to the affairs of one of the most successful and best managed friendly societies that exist any- , where, viz., the Wiltshire Working Men's Conservative Benefit Societjr, and in the year following the general election Corsham gave an enthusiastic I welcome to the beautiful Miss Dundas, who had consented to become Lady Dickson-Poyndef.. In 1898 came the real turning point in his career, when London elected him to its County Council. Here he found his party in a great minority, and there, can be no doubt that rubbing shoulder to shoulder with Progressives like John Burns Captain Hemphfll, and Lord Monkswell, not only enlarged Sir John's political horizon but profoundly modified his views. ; All too soon was he called away from. this useful -social work ty; take out his~ regiment of Wiltshire Yeomanry to South Africo. Lord Methuen appointed him one of his A.D.C.'s and Sir John returned with an excellent character, for sound military service and with his D.S.O. At the "Khafi" election Chippenham was naturally proud to send her returned soldier hero once more as her member but keen observers were pretty certain that, a crisis in his political career was near at hand. Sir John wes exceedingly restless arid ill at ease during the passing of Mr Balfour's Education, Bill. He showed great and natural annoyance when the House of Lords threw out the Thames Embankment Trams Bill, which he had helped to steer through the House of Commons, and worse than all, he was dead against any interference with free trade. It was known, at any rate, or guessed, that for some time past he had looked anxiously for an invitation from Swindon, that is the Crickdale or Northern Division of the county. Swindon that had sent out 600 men to the war, and maintained by the private subscriptions of its citizens the wives and families of .those soldiers ; Swindon that has since sent to Parliament a fellow companion at the war of Sir. John's, namely. Colonel Calle;^ of Burderop Park. At Swindon Sir John would breathe a thoroughly progressive imperialistic and democratic, albeit Conservative, air;; but from that railway centre no invitation- came. In 1905 Sir John, to the pain of many, but to the surprise of few, crossed to the Liberal benches in the House of Commons.