The Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1903. TWO APPOINTMENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7807, 11 September 1903, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1903. TWO APPOINTMENTS.

Tb© Opposition has embarked on a new system. It has discarded its old policy of doing without a leader and ihas appointed a chief in the person of Mr Massey, tho mean'ber for Franklin. The difficulty arising: otit of the fact thait Sir William Russell had ■hitherto acted 1 nominally as leader ever since the Opposition decided to do without an official heftdj. Amd therefore could hardly be passed over without laying his colleagues open to a charge of ingratitude, was apparently solved by the ready tact of Sir William himself j who, proposed Mr Massey. The latter ie, no doubt z tho best selection' which the Opposition c-ou'ldi have made. Without being either a brilliant orator or a cunning tactician, he possesses many of the qualities found; in successful parliamentary leaders. He is earnest and hsurd-working, and: as far as Conservative; politicians go nowadays is a strong man. He is" fortyteven years of age, an Irishman by birth, but a New Zeaiander by residence, thirtytwo years of his life having been spent in< this co!onj-. By profession he is a farmer. He entered the House- of Representatives in 1894, and has held a. seat there ever since. /That the Opposition's ■decision to appoint a leader has the approval of the Conservatives in tins country is probable ; that it has given satisfaction to. the. Government and its supporters is mor-a than probable. The system pursued by the Opposition, in the past, of carrying on its functions without a leader, may have had. certain, advantages, apparent only to 'the Conservaitives, but it was not conducive to- thfe smooth working of the political machine. While the motive power of the. machine is party gaverminent it is futile to attempt to do without one of the most .important levers. Another appointment which was an- ' nounced yesterday was that of Mr F. R. Chapman aa successor to Mr Justice Ccnolly. The new Judge, who was born , in Wellington, is at present a. resident of Dunedin, where he has been in practice for many years, aaid has actepdi as the Cbrp,e«slt;iori's sol'fcitor. Mr Chapman has on two previous occasions been offered a seafc on the Bench. The^fiiwt was after the death of Mr Justice Johnston, iwlien -Mr Justice Deaniston was appointed', and; the 1 second was when Mr Martin was raised' to the judiciary. He declined! both offers, only, however, to accept a third; Ib is sa;id that the new' Judge will supersede Mr Justice Cooper as president of the Arbitra-. tion Court, and we can think of nobody ■who is better calculated! than 'he to make a success in this pe-. culiarly difficult position. As president of 1 tlie Otago and Southland ConcHi'ation Bawd, he won a high -reputation-, '-tooth for himself and the Boai'd, as an adjudicator 1 of industrial disputes, a reputation- which wais testified to by employees and employers alike. In Ms purely logal capacity his ability is. widely recogaiiaed by both the "profession", and the public; in fact, among a3l shades of opinion the Government's latest appointment to the Bencfo will be -hailed 1 with the greatest satisfaction. ,