A DOMINANT PERSONALITY

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13929, 12 June 1909, Page 6

A DOMINANT PERSONALITY

Ihe preliminary tit-bits heaving thus been disposed of, the piece do i<Mstance of the evening was brought on. Mr. M'Nab proved to be a decididn interesting personality, apart from his splendid address. His career has beeii a somewhat curious one. Sheep-farmer, rifleman, volunteer lawyer educationist, historian, member of Parliament, Minister ot the Crown— he has shown himself a decidedly versatile man. His personality is striking, but perplexing. On a stocky, strong figure i 8i 8 set an intellectual head— .i head that, too, shows strong force of character. A rather massive forehead with its unmistakable signs of a strong brain, surmounts a pair of clear keen eyes, yet the brows aro those of a dreamer. Chin, jaw, and mouth are firm— the jaw- of a resolute man who is sure to attain his goal. Face and figure present a splendid specimen of a colonial Scot. And Mr. M'Nabs speech is in accordance with his personality. Clear, strong, fearless, and n ™ I brings a 1 the weight of argument into his utterance in pellucid En-'lisl. Ihere is htt c brilliance in it. There „ no volcanic fire of oratory, only the steady but low flame that underlies true logic. Some f.re there certainly is-the fire of the earnest believer. He does not attempt mere rhetore He simply marshals facts and logical inferences in clear-cut sentences tint carry great weight. In short, he is a splendid debater, but not an or^or Ho possesses another duality indispensable U, <rreat men-the quality ,f 1,,, mour. It is not only the pawky humour of the S7ot. Quick wit i^ nor J n Inor is that humour that enables a man to smile at Darn« *w* ° lackin ,F' His address last night clearly sho wed that ol t£ £fj£ T * rP ''i lffs ' it recognised this by ite unstinted applause and &^TttentlT' if £& '