THE NEW MEMBERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4814, 30 November 1893, Page 1

THE NEW MEMBERS.

i ■■■» ! The following are particulars of some of ! the members of the new House of Reprej sefitativas who have not previously served | in Parliament : — • ' Mb George John Smith. Mr G. J. Smith, one of the new members for. Christchurch, was born at Ne*vj castle-on-Tyne in 1861, and waa educated at the Wesleyan school of that city. His dibut in life wac made in a solicitor's office, his first engagement being with. Messrs Hamel and Maples, Government solicitors, with whom he stayed for five years. In 1880 he came to New Zealand, and accepted an appointment in the office of Messrs Garrick, Cowlishaw and Fisher, solicitors, of Chriatchurch. He remained in this situation for eleven years. Since then Mr Smith has been engaged in commercial spheres, being with Messrs 3owron Bros., wool merchants, tanners, &c, of Christchurch. His activity in public affairs has chiefly been in the direction of Temperance, but his name has frequently been coupled with matters of interest to the various localities in which he has resided. For. the past I five years Mr Smith has served as a Conn--1 cillor in the Sydenham Borough Council, where he has proved himself indefatigable in every matter under that body's jurisdiction, and has worked zealously on the Finance and other Committees. Twice he has been returned at the head of the poll, after hotly contested elections. He fought a great battle in the Temperance interest when he was elected a member of the " biassed " Licensing Committee of Sydenham. Party feeling ran very high, and his struggle brought him still more prominently before the public. His name, which had always been asspciated with Temperperance, began to be coupled with the Prohibitionists, until at last he. was acknowledged as one of the leaders. Mr Smith's public utterances have mainly been confined to rnattsra relative to the direct vote, on which subject he has spoken much and forcibly. He has always been a Bteady advocate of aught increasing ,the welfare of the Borough in which he lives, and his labours in the interests of the ratepayers [ have ever been appreciated. Mr Smith takes a keen interest" in volunteer matters, Laving served a considerable time in several corps. Mb Collins. Mr William Wbitehouse Collins, the other new member for Christchurcb, was born at Harborne, Staffordshire, on Sept. 4, 1854, He is the grandson of John Collins, who as a Chartist leader suffered twelve months' imprisonment in Warwick gaol in 1839. His father, Joseph Collins, was a Birmingham manufacturer. Mr Collins received his education in a private school at Harborne, and afterwards studied in the Midland Institute and at Mason's Science College, Birmingham. Mr Collins at one time had serious intentions of enteiing the ministry, and in preparation for that work drifted into a line of thought which eventually landed him on the freethought platform. He was for come years employed in his father's business, and on his retirement about 1876, became one of the firm of Collins Brothers. During Charles Bradlaugh's Parliamentary struggle, Mr Collins threw himself heartily into the contest for constitutional lights, speaking in ell the principal centres in England until the demands on his time compelled him to decide between business pursuits and the platform. From this time forward Mr Collins had the personal friendship of Charles Bradlaugh. In 1884 Mr Collins, after passing the necessary examination in science and philosophy, was granted a diploma as special lecturer to the National Secular Society. Mr Collins time was now largely divided between political and freethought work. He was a member of the Birmingham Junior Reform Club, and was in immediate contact with some who have made their names famous lin English politics. During the agitation for the extension of tbe franchise to agricultural labourers Mr Collins was a moat active worker. In 1885 he received and accepted an invitation from the Sydney Liberal Association to become its permanent lecturer, and in January, 1886, delivered his first lecture in Sydney. Since then he has lectured in nearly every part of Australasia. Mr Collins has been twice married, his present wife being the daughter of the late Ebenezer Skinner, who was for twelve years President of the Sydney Liberal Association, While in Sydney Mr Collins started a newspaper, Freedom, advocating political, social and religious liberty and himself edited it. In January, 1890, Mr Collins came to New Zealand and lectured in every part, even- ; tually settling down in Chrißi.ohur.3b, where he has remained almost continually since, being President and lecturer for the Canterbury Freethought Association. In politics Mr Collins is an ardent Liberal. Iv philosophy he is a great admirer and devoted student of Herbert Spancer. He has in science and art received South Kensington distinctions, and was for a time science lecturer to tho Technical Board of New South Wales. Mb G. W. Bussell. Mr George Warrea Russell, the member for Biccarton, has risen from the ranks. Born in 1854, ia London, he arrived in New I Zealand 'when eleven years of age, and shortly afterwards was apprenticed to the printing trade in the Evening Post office, Wellington, where he served his time as a compositor. At the age of twenty he studied for the Wesleyan ministry, but retired, without being ordained, after two years.' service. He then returned to journalism, and became successively proprietor and editor of the Manawatu Herald, ilanawatu Daily Times and Wailcato Ncivs. In IbS9 he removed to Chriatchurch, and establiahed the printing and publishing business of Kiissell and Willis. He has always maintained his connection with journalism, and been an occasional contributor to several important papers. Mr 'Bnesell is an ardent supporter of Liberal principles, a ready debater, and a hard worker, and will attach himself to the labour Bection of the Libeial Party. In 1881 Mr Euasell stood for Foxton, being third in a poll of six, those , below him on that occasion including Sir W. Buller and Dr Newman. In 18817 he contested Waikato with the Hon J. B. Whyte, but waa defeated. Mb D. Bttddo. Mr David Buddo, the n6w member f6r Kaiapoi, waa born in Edinburgh in the fifties, and is the son of an Indian Army surgeon. He passed his childhood in Kincardineshire, Scotland, and was educated at a public school and privately until of an age to enter a large engineering firm in Perth, which employed over a thousand hands. He served his time with tho firm, and remained for a year in their employment after the term of hio apprenticeship had expired, and then decided to try his fortunes in thia Colony. He wa3 twenty-one years of age when he arrived in New Zealand, the land boom being then at its height. After working a year or two at his profession, he determined to .turn his attention to farming and took up land in'tlie Elleamere district. Here he remained until about two years ago, o when he removed to his present farm ah Fernaide, which he acquired from Mr T. S. Mannering. Mr Buddo haß had considerable experience of public bviaJEess in connectiou with local governing bodies, and he takes a keen inteie3t in all 'matters appertaining to agriculture. Ho is a staunch Liberal, and a strong advocate for progressive legislation. He ia ready of speech, and altogether he is sure to do credit to the constituency.