MELLOWED MEMORIES

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1930, Page 13

MELLOWED MEMORIES

PARLIAMENTARY VETERAN. With the death of Sir Robert Stout the distinction of having had earlier connection than any other living man with Parliament in New Zealand rests upon Mr. C. A. de Latour, of .Gisborne. Despite his 85 years, Mr. de Latour is still remarkably active and takes a keen interest in. current affairs. He entered the House as far back as 1876, and had retired, from active political life two years before the late Sir Joseph Ward was first elected. Sir Julius Vogel was Prime Minister when Mr. De Lautour entered the House, and lie has since seen the rise and fall of 22 Ministeries and the advent of 15 out.of the country’s 22 Prime Ministers. Before entering Parliament he was a member of the Otago Provincial Council, while his association with New Zealand dates back io 1863, when he arrived, at Auckland. Mr. de Latour’s friendship with the late Sir Robert Stout went back to the provincial government days, when Sir Robert Stout, with Mr. do Lautour, Sir John Roberts and Sir James Mills formed the “Young Men’s Group” of the Otago Provincial Council, of which they were members at the time of the abolition of the provincial government. Discussing his early acquaintance with Sir Robert Stout, Mr. De Latour mentioned that he first met Sir Robert on the Marewhenua goldfields. Mr. Stout, as he then was, had ridden in overnight on horseback to participate in a mining ease of great importance to the goldmining community. Mr. De Latour was then engaged in journalism, and he had also ridden from Hogben to “cover” the hearing for the “Mount Ida Chronicle.” The meeting took place in 1873, and in 1874 they renewed their acquaintance as members of the Provincial Council, serving in that capacity until the abolition of the ’ouncil. This introduction to Parliamentary life was followed by Sir Robert Stout’s return to the Colonial Government in the by-election for the Caversham seat in 1815, Mr. De Latour ' being returned in 1876 fer Mount Ida.