OUR NEW MEMBERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6044, 28 September 1887, Page 4

OUR NEW MEMBERS.

Mr W. B. Perceval. Mr Wbbtbt B. Perceval, the new memlaet for Chriatchurch South, is as nearly a3 possible a native of New Zealand, having beenborninTasmaniawhilehisparentswere on their w»y to the Colony. Hewaseducated ai the late Mr Merton's Bchool, Bangiora, . and afterwards at Christ* 8 College. There lie gained a Somes Scholarship, one of the coveted prizes at the well-known Chrißtchurch school, for which it is indebted to the generosity of a lady, Mrs Maria Somes, leaving Christ's College, of which for a short time he had been captain, Mr Perceval went home to England in 1873, going to Btonyhurst, where he entered what is known as the " Philosophy Class/ matriculating subsequently at London Univereity, though he did not go through the usual course for a degree. Having determined to enter the legal profession, and "eaten his dinners" in the Middle Temple, the new M.H.E. was admitted barrister-at-law in 1877. Very shortly afterwards he returned to the Colony. Having passed in New Zealand law, in due course, he entered into partnership with Mr T. I. Joynt— »a partnership which lasted some five or six years, and was dissolved when Mr Perceval was compelled to take a trip to England owing to serious illness. Happily he recovered, and soon after his return made his first entry into public life, as a thorough supporter of the Midland Eaflway Scheme, then in the infancy of its agitation, period. He was thus brought into somewhat, prominent notice, and when the Canterbury Electors 1 Association began to look about for a suitable candidate to put into the field for the city constituency, their choice fell, almost naturally on Mr Perceval. His election may be taken as a test both of his personal popularity and of the Society's good organisation, for he was returned by a large majority though two other candidates were standing for the seat in the Government interest, and an Opposition member to boot. Mr Perceval is just three-and-■"iihirty years of age. Mr W. P. Reeves. Mr W. P. Beeves — who will represent Sb in place of Mr F. J. Garrick — is the eldest son of the Hon W. Beeves, M.L.C., three years Mr Perceval's junior, and, like him, an old pupil of Christ's College. His school career was unusually brilliant. If the winning of several Government Scholarships, a New Zealand "University and a Somes Scholarship, numerous Form prizes, besides extra prizes for essays and work of a literary character, could assure anyone a position in the House, jfchat' o£-thejn.ew_i*meinber for St

Albans shonH certainly be secure in advance. In 1874 Mr Beeves went Home, intending to matriculate at Oxford, and to Btndy for the law in London, , after taking his , degree. 111-health, however, put an end to both these Bchemes, and after a few months spent in England he returned to New Zealand. A year or two later he entered the office of Messrs Harper and Co., passed the necessary legal examinations, and was admitted to the bar here. Law, however, had fewer charms for him than journalism, and the former profession was speedily relinquished j for the latter. As a member of the literary I Btaff of the papers owned by the Lyttelton | Tirn.es Company, and more especially of late ; as the editor of the Canterbury Times, Mr j Beeves has now for some years been a ! prominent journalist. The first step in i his political careor was taken in a semii publio manner as one of the "Government" j in a now defunct Parliamentary Association . The next wa3 the Presidency of the Canterbury Electors' Association, of which he was one of the originators. This position he resigned when the reqnisition to stand for 1 St Albans showed the wish of' many of the electors for a change in their representative. The final (at present) wa3 the winning of the same St Albans seat, after one of the most fiercely fought campaigns of this general election. Mr Beeves has represented the Province before in other ways, having twice played agair.sb Otago in football teams as halfback, and also against hostile English, Australian, and interprovincial cricket teama. In these and in numberless local matches he has gradually gained the reputation of being one of the beat batsmen in New Zealand. Though known amongst old schoolfellows and others as a ready and fluent after-dinner speaker, it was not until fairly launched on the St Albans contest that he began to develop the very considerable powers as a speaker which he now possesses, and which are likely to distinguish him even in a House by no means devoid of members Btrong in debate. Needless to say a thorough supporter of the Government.

Mr A. E. G. Rhodes. Like the two members just alluded to, Mr A. E. G. Khodzs, the chosen of the Gladstone electors, was also educated at Christ's College, where he waß captain of the school and holder of the Somes' Scholarship. A wealthy son of a family known throughout these islands for the rich possession of this world's goods, Mr Bbode3 has for many years been quietly preparing to take that share in the government of the country to which his position and leisure undoubtedly entitle him. Not that he is an idle man— anything bat that. A graduate of Jesus College, Cambridge, where he matriculated in 1877, and took his degree B.A. and LL.B. — a second class in the Law Tripos — three years later on, he has bad some experience in a London lawyer's office, and is besides doing a good business in Christchurch as barrister and solicitor, and is President, "Vice-President, Committee-man, and Vestryman for Societies, Club 3, and Associations of all sorts and kinds. His experience of public business is as yet limited, we fancy, to that gained on the Christchurch Drainage Board, of which body he has been a member for the past three or four years. Eeputed financial capacity, industry, intelligence, and forca of will, however, are good capital for the future, and these qualities are, it is said, anything- but lacking in the new member for Gladstone. He is not likely at present to add— fortunately, the cynical will say — to the oratorical forces of the House ; but the thoughtful will call to mind Sheridan's vigorous ejaculation whilst still a budding orator, and tremble for the future. Mr Rhodes is about thirty years of age. His election manifesto declared him to be the keen opponent of the Government "a3 at present constituted."

Mr John Joyce. Th& experiences of life seen by Mr John Joyce, who reigns in Lyttelton vice Mr Allwright, deposed by the will . of the sovereign people, have been of the roost varied kinds. Born at St Ives, Cornwall, in IS3U, he is of Irish extraction, but evidently has the roving, seafaring, progressive west - country blood running through his vein 3. It is the sort of blood that breeds Colonists naturally. No wonder then that the Cornish fisher- boy, whose first experience, at thirteen years of age, wa3 a trip all round the British Isles in a tiny fishing-smack, should have gradually found better occupations in life than coiling in the foot-ropes of a big net. Coming to Melbourne, in '24, his first employment was on board the water-police boat, of which his father had command. Smugglingscd sailor rowdyism were in full swing in this- digging days, and young Joyce can tell of some curious experiences during the three years that passed till an acute attack of retrenchment — a disease which has afflicted the Bister Colony, too, at times — swept police boate and police away. Service in the Emigration Department., and the command of a small " Looker " of Go tons, in which captain, stevedore, agent, and crew all answered to the name of Joyce, filled in a Bpaco in the new member's life till shortly before his arrival in 2>Tew Zealand. Commissioner ßrannigan when the " rushes " to the Otago diggings came about, organised a water-police force at Port Chalmers, and there Mr Joyce did service till 1863 as officer in charge. Some years after he became Clerk to the local Bench- The transition to law wa3 the simple outcome of a rational desire to " better himself." ' In 186S Mr Joyce was articled to Mr Hodgkinaon — widely known ao an amateur painter in water colours— and was admitted to the bar in 1873, practising in Dunedin and the port town. In 1879 he removed to Christchurch, settled at Sydenharn, was twice Mayor of the " Model Borough," and Chairman of the School Committee there. Mr Joyce is a shining light among the Volunteers, his old aasciations with disciplined men leading him to raise the Sydenbaoi Sine Corps in 18S3, the majority of which came to him in '85. Like nearly all the new Canterbury members he is a Vogelite of the Vogelites.

Mr Loughrey. Mr Loughbey, of Linwood, according to his own. account, is like the proverbial happy nation — he has no history. However, like those of other men, the story o£ his life can be told. Mr Loughrey is another Irishman born in the Colonies, for he is a native of Melbourne, where he was ■educated, and of which wonderful city's University he is a graduate — B. A., and LL.B. This law dagree he took, aa many School Inspectors appear to do in Victoria, I viz., as being likely to lead to superior | appointments. He arrived in New Zealand I about 10 years ago, and was at once made j head-master of the Bast Christchurch I Sohool-w-one of the most important in the | North Canterbury Educational district. ! Hardly was he settled there when the Vici toriaa authorities paid him the compliment ' of sending him a cable message requesting his acceptance of the Inspectorship of Schools again. Two years travelling and toiling in the great Australian Colony did not render him faithless to New Zealand, ■where he saw an opening for himself aB a , lawyer. The Univereity LL.B. degree } now stood him in good stead. He returned, ; passed as a New Zealand barrister, and ■ joined Mr M'Connel, and afterwards Mr ; J. Holmes, the late member for Christ- ■ church South, whose partner he still re- ['■ mains. " Some have greatness thrusj; | : upon them," cays the poet, and, in , ; his way. Mr Loughrey is one of , ! these. Politics in Victoria he had , carefully eschewed, but "the Linwood folks came bothering," as Mr Loughrpy puta it, and his political career began, j Like Mr Perceval's, his public appearance j has been rather sudden. Before this, his ■ chief performance of a public character i had been the raising of the Chrißtchurch Irish Bines, a corps which owes its existence to his energy and the war scare of i 1886. Mr Loughrey iB still Captain of his 1 • " Irish boys/ and in Victoria was known as an all-round athlete, who could hold his own with the best. A staunch Stout- Vogolite.