LONG SERVICE IN HOUSE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23321, 3 October 1945, Page 4

LONG SERVICE IN HOUSE

Mr Fraser Enters 28th Year When Parliament resumes to-day the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, will have entered his twentyeighth successive year as a member of the House of Representatives. He succeeded Sir Apirana Ngata after the elections in 1943 as the “father of the House,” having the longest period of continuous service. He is 61 years of age. The longest period of total service in the House of Representatives is held by Mr Atmore, member for Nelson, whose first term was from 1911 to 1914. He was again elected in 1919, giving him 28 years of service, of which 25 have been continuous. Two present Ministers, the Hon. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) and the Hon. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) have also had 25 years’ continuous service. Next in length of service are Mr R. McKeen (Wellington South', 22 years' continuous service, and the Hon. Adam Hamilton (Wallace), 22 years’ total service of which 19 have been continuous. Mr F. Langstone (Waimarino) has had 19 years’ total service, of which 16 have been continuous. The Hon. J. O’Brien (Westland), Minister of Transport, 19 years' continuous service, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason (Auckland Suburbs), Minister of Education, 18 years' continuous service, the Hon. R. Semple (Wellington East). Minister of Mines, 16 years’ total service, of which 16 have been continuous, and the Hon. P. C. Webb (Buller). Minister of Mines, 16 years’ total service of which 11 have been continuous. Messrs Bodkin (Central Otago), Broadfoot (Waitomo), Carr (Timaru), Chapman (Wellington North) and Polson (Stratford) have had 16 years’ continuous service, and the Hon' W. Nash (Hutti. Minister of Finance, 15 years’ continuous service. In the group with 13 years’ continuous service are the Speaker, the Hon. F. W. Schramm, the two Government Whips, Messrs A. S. Richards (Roskill) and D. W. Coleman (Gisborne) and the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. Mr J. N. Massey (Franklin) has had 13 years’ total service, of which six have been continuous The representative of the Maori race on the Executive Council, the Hon E. T. Tirikatene (Southern Maori) has had 12 years' continuous service. Next comes Mr A. J. Murdoch (Marsden) with 11 years’ total service.