LABOUR MEMBERS AS MINISTERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5570, 20 May 1896, Page 2

LABOUR MEMBERS AS MINISTERS.

The action of Mr Seddon in inviting a Labour member — the Hon "W. Hall-Jones — to join the Ministry, was anticipated, nearly two years ago by Mr Eeid, Premier of New South Wales. The Hon Joseph Cook — described as "one of the ablest and most modest among the public men of the colonies " — is Postmaster-General in the Reid Ministry at present.' According to Cosmos, Mr Cook was born some thirty-five years ago in the village of Silverdalo, Staffordshire. He was the eldest son, and at the age of nine ho had to begin to work in. the coal-pit to help to fill the mouths of himself and younger brothers and sisters. "At half-past four in the morning," ho says, "my poor old mother had to wake mo up to send me to my dismal task, and for a greater part, of the year I never saw daylight, excepting on Saturday afternoons and Sunday, which became a blessed day to me." Happily, the New Education Act, passed in 1872, prohibited the labour of children in mines until the age of thirteen, and when it passed,. Mr Cook was only eleven years of age, and had to be taken from work until he had attained the statutory limit. When ho was twelvo his father was killed in tho mine, and until Mr Cook left for Australia, on his marriage., nearly twelve' years ago, he was tho main support of the family. On arriving in Australia, ho procured employment as a skilled miner at Lithgow, and never left tho place until he was returned member for the constituency about five years ago. It was on August 14, 1691, that Mr Cook took his seat in the Legislative Assembly, only about six years after his arrival in the colony. Mr Reid's choice has proved a happy one, and if Mr Hall-Jones fulfils the expectations of his friends in his Ministerial capacity, New Zealand will supply another proof of tho fact that tho so-called "governing classes "liavc not a monopoly of brains or administrative ability.