PARLIAMENTARY SILHOUETTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 31, 30 July 1892, Page 761

PARLIAMENTARY SILHOUETTES.

(BY

BIRD’S-EYE.)

IT is afternoon of July 12th. To-day, for the first time, the chosen of the Legislative Council dons his ofticial robes and takes his seat in the Speaker s chair. For a few minutes, therefore, I leave the representative chamber to see how he deports himself. Of a manly Saxon type is the Hon. Mr Miller, blue eyed, and fresh coloured ; square shouldered and erect, his robes become him well, and he performs the duties of his new position with easy dignity, as one accustomed to official routine. Mr Miller’s features are good, and his expression

thoughtful, kindly, and honest; an uptight man, one feels at once, one who could never stoop to ‘ ways that are dark ’ nor ’ tricks that are vain.’ His voice, bearing, and general appearance give the impression of middle life, his fastwhitening hair alone showing the touch of time’s ruthless finger. Actually he is sixty-two years of age, for he was born in the year 1830, at Froyle Park, the family seat, his father being the Rev. Sir Thomas Miller, Bart., of Alton, Hants.

Like many young men reared amidst rural scenes and sports, Mr Miller early developed a love of adventure ami enterprise, and his eyes turned longingly to far-off lands, to the view of which, in the days of his boyhood and youth, distance truly ‘ lent enchantment.’ Finally, when he was about thirty years of age, he decided to come out to New Zealand, and set sail in the P. and O. s.s. Salsette in the year 1860. Taking up his residence in the Oamaru district, he has resided in that locality pretty well ever since, chiefly engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, but taking, at the same time, a lively interest in educational

matters, and also in local and general politics. He had been but a very short time in the colony when he became a member of the Otago Provincial Council, ami in the years 64 ami 65 held a seat in its Executive. He was called to the Legislative Council in the year 1865, and is therefore one of its oldest members. In the year 1879 Mr Miller held for a short time a seat in the box Vogel Ministry. His warm interest in things educational led to his election in 1878, to the Chairmanship of the Waitaki High School Board, a position which he retained for thirteen years. He was also Chairman of the Oamaru Harbour Board during a period of eight years, and is at the present time Chairman of the Westport Coal Co. Mr Miller married in the colony, and has five sons and three daughters. Mis Miller was born in England, and came out to New Zealand when quite a child. She is the daughter of the late Mr John Orbell, of Waikouaiti. She is fair of face, with clear hazel eyes, and her manners are sweet and winning ; she delights in the society of congenial friends to whom it is her constant endeavour to afford pleasure. Always ready to take hei fair share in undertakings having for their aim the intellectual or social well-being of others, she yet avoids thrusting herself into prominence, content to illustrate the poetical aphorism, • They also serve who only stand and wait.’ Matters political Mrs Miller is satisfied to leave to the manage men of theopposie sex ; and, with regard to the question which agitates the minds of so many women of to-day, the wide world over, she takes rather a depiecating attitude ; rightly conceiving that a woman’s first duty is to her family, she fears, like so many of her contemporaries, that the proper guidance of the household may be interfered with by woman’s political enfranchisement.