MR. HENNIKER HEATON TO RETIRE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 17, 27 April 1910, Page 48

MR. HENNIKER HEATON TO RETIRE.

The ann . m - aient of Mr. IL nnikcr II atou’s I- h-n to i . • fi" n TarhaS- ntarv life at the next dissolution—h’s notion is that the pre-tin, Gov.-nimen; u. n-*t survive beyond dune or July—has treat: I a good deal < f surprise a i..-!ig .ill - • his intim.ro friend-. r l i ■ • have known for some time at Mr. H-.' on’ health has for a long i ti. ' past left much to b* desired, and v. .<• quite pr* pared to hoar prior to th 1 eb-otioii chat he did nd propose to - i- b . Jon far Canterbury. \- a in* mber of Parliament Mr. Heaton I i- figure-1 L< for.- the public a- a man of .« single purpo-. . Sin he lit-t entered 1 ■ House of < oiuuion* in 1885 he has c.-s-it. I all l.i- fiierga s to -<• tung improvements in ‘he Nat’ona! and the Imperial postal sor\ i os and few men have b- • n mure -a- • --fu| h. n he in the pur•Hiit of a sm-do pi-rpo-e. In the House Mr. Heat- u\ \-» e ajs 1 n-- Ido-n rai>ed on any t"pie p>-ial ar -rapine inattvi'i, and at one tir e »u> < >nsvant Lammeiing at lhe-e subjects caused hn : to be subjected to a good d»-.d of not tov good natural lunter in tho Tress. Many jxople, indeed, riftuvd tu take him sere

ously, and others more or less openly suggested that he was inspired in his campaign more by the hope of winning recognition from the Fount of Birthday Honours than by desire to secure postal reforms. In those days it was the fashion to gibe at "Our 'Knniker” over his persistent advocacy of his scheme for making the Post Office a cheaper and more efficient servant of the public. To-day we know better, and recognise fully that to Mr. Heaton we primarily owe many of the most useful improvements in the postal and telegraph services of the Empire. The member for Canterbury can certainly look with pride and pleasure upon the results of his quarter of a century's unremitting advocacy of cheap postal facilities. Apart from his work as a postal reformer, Mr. Heaton has done mu It good work in Parliament. Be has been one of the most constant attendants in the Bouse of Commons, and spent much time on a large num'bcT of those informal committees which are from time to time form 1 to promote movements of a non-pa rty < lia rat ter. Mr. Beaton certainly deserves well of his country, and if at the close of his political life his public services receive some token of Rival recognition, no one

will grudge him the reward. It is wellknown that Mr. Beaton has declined lion ii- on nii'.e than one Occasion.