The New Councillors.

White Ribbon, Volume 12, Issue 141, 13 February 1907, Page 7

The New Councillors.

• # Sir Joseph Ward has always favoured the bi-cameral system of government, and the legislative ('nimch lias been granted a new lease of life in the appointment of fourteen new members. Of these three are farmers, three are lawyers two are labour leaders, one is a doctor, one a journalist, one a manufacturer, one a merchant. The list is completed by .Mr Wi Pere, formerly member for the Eastern Maori 1 >istrict, and by Mr Hamilton Gilmer, a Wellington brewer and hotelkeej>er. We have heard of most of the others in some public capacity, but we do not remember hearing anything of Mr Gilmer before. Doubtless a conscientious effort has been made to represent all classes, and in the nature of things, tin* class which M r Gilmer stands for now demands a negative rather than a positive* order of qualifications. On the whole, tin* appointments seem calculated to make for good solid government, if they do not in a body inspire any great enthusiasm. Giants, unlike the j>oor, are not always with ns. Put such men as MrJ.T Paul, Mr(\ M. Luke, Mr John Parr and Mr G. J. Smith mav he

ex|)eeted to sup|M)rt righteous and progressive legislation and we trust that the future record of their compeers who are less known to us may prove to us that they, too, are worthy of the honour that lias been conferred on them.

J.M