The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1923. UPPER HOUSE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 1 June 1923, Page 6

The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1923. UPPER HOUSE.

' Timaru congratulates the Honourable Janies Uraigie, M.L.U., on bis appointment to the Upper House. The Herald congratulates him, irrespective of bis politics, because of bis integrity; bis sterling worth; bis bigb ideals, and las impeccable career in tbe more dangerous sphere of politics which has tbe House ox Itepresentativos as its seat. Of the appointments made by tbe Government, which wo publish today, none will tneet with more general approval than that of Hr Oraigie. Tlie veteran will return to battle gallant as of yore; and tbe battle will not be as terrible, as tbe many wars of tbe Lower House. We will go further. We support the present Government, believing tliat its aims and ideals are in tbe best interest of the community; but we cannot claim to have supported it in tbe past relative to all its Upper House appointments, which are made, often, irrespective of any merit, so that politicians whose day is over may revisit the scene of their former triumphs. A sentimentally chosen Upper House seems to have been tbe view of the Prime Minister on the subject. But the appointment of Mr Oraigie, and of the gentlemen whose names we publish to-day reflects more credit on the Government than did many previous appointments, of which some have been hardly right. Dr. A. Iv. Newman and his politician namesake have done yeoman service, and they will do good work in tlie Council. Mr Mander is an old man, but he is an earnest old man; the Native appointee, as far as can be _ judged, will be popular with his own people, and an active Legislative Councillor. We contend with pardonable pride, because Timaru knows Mr Oraigie’s capabilities, and because Mr Oraigie forsook the heather for Timaru, that he is! tbe pick of the appointees. Comparisons are odious, but. Mr Oraigie, who although a veteran is probably the infant of the new Councillors, is the most virile, and one of the most capable. His retirement from active politics before the last election did not mean that the popular j Liberal intended to close bis eyes j to the fact that there was still in j existence a place named Welling- ! ton. In his new sphere he may ; he expected to be a tower of , strength in the Legislative Coun- i oil’s activities. _ 1 And above all, be carries with him the sincere congratulations of all South Canterbury.