TEN MINUTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 139, 15 June 1938, Page 9

TEN MINUTES.

CHANGED HIS LIFE, t a SIR GEORGE RICHARDSON. ] ■ t ACTION BT MB. SEDDON. \ _____ i I How the late Sir George Richardson, 8 «t« Master-Gunner, retained in New 1 Zealand and immediately appointed ' captain was told in interesting fashion ( bv a correspondent of the "Nelson ] Mail" in 1926. 1 "It was when Major-General Babing- ' ton was G.O.C. in New Zealand," said ] the correspondent, "that Maeter-Gunner 1 Richardson's term of service—he was on loan, as an instructor, to New Zea- j land —was drawing to a close, and, in , accordance with the regulations and; customs of the British service, he would ' bo- required to rejoin lua unit, which was the Royal Garrison Artillery, with ! which he would eerve the last two years 1 of his term in'the Army before retiring on pension. But that procedure would have meant th& severance of hie connection with New Zealand, his return to England and, at the end of ( two years, his retirement on a pension of about 30/ a week!. Naturally he did not want to go, so he asked the G.O.C. that he might finish his service in New Zealand. The G.O.C. would make no application to the War Office, andi Richardson was under orders to proceed| to England. FriTlntervene. "At t'»i- i- t iJi-iiardson's friends anion? I ' l ' !Vi "s of the artillery in Wellinst ml a; patently Mr W. H. FioM. >' " ■ t. riniiied to intervene and d<>!i';t> ' " -:t they could, both with represent: - 1' >ms to the G.O.C.'and to the Defence .Minister, Kieliard .Seddon, but without effect. The G.O.C. saw no reason j why the regulations and time honoured customs of the British service should be eeUasido for Master Gunner Richard■on, 1

and Richard Seddon, who did not know Richardson personally, was evidently c influenced by the attitude of the I general - I ' Then it was that Richardson wrote 1 to an officer of H Battery, Nelson, to 5 say good-bye, and telling him how ( sorry he was to go, in circumstances i which severed his connection with New 1 Zealand and must lead to the termination of his military life in two years' ( time. That officer had a brainwave. < He sat down and wrote out twelve ] reasons why the master gunner should < be retained in this country and be given < a commission in the New Zealand Army. ] He embodied his arguments in a letter < addressed to Mr. Seddon. j "At a private meeting with the officer s ] O.C. and the O.C. Wakatu Mounted Rifles it was decided that the Hon. < Francis Trask, who was a former Mayor j of Nelson and a lifelong friend of ] Richard Seddon, be asked to sign the . letter. Mr. Trask did that, but he did ; better than that. He took the letter J , to Wellington and went with it to the Prime Minister personally. 'I want to see vou, Dick,' he said. * Well, you see i me, Frank.' ' Yes, but I want to see [yon in your office; there's something I J want you to look into. Make an appointment.' . , , 1 "So a time was mentioned, and whpn i he kept the appointment Mr. Trask pro- ? duced the letter. r "Seddon read it. 'You never wrote ! this, Frank.' 'Never mind if I wrote it lor 'not,' said Mr. Trask, 'that's my ■ signature.' 'Who is this man Richardi son?' asked Mr. Seddon. 'I don't know 1 him.' 'Then you ought to know him. Sei.d for him".' Mr. Seddon rang his bell, and told the messenger to fetch 1 Master-Gunner Richardson. He was out '. in the forts, and there was some delay. "But Mr. Seddon, who was now in--3 terested in the case, reread Mr. Trask's j letter, and saw that it mentioned cerj tain papers sent in by two previous jO.O.C.'s, recommending Richardson for a New Zealand commission. 'But, Frank, I've never seen those papers.' 'Then, s you'd better see them now,' said Mr. ~ Trask. A clerk was ordered to bring • the papers. He wouldn't find them, j Another official was applied to. He h couldn't find them. The Departmental e opinion was that the papers were lost, t "Very good,' said Mr. Seddon, 'I give you „ [three-quarters of an hour more in which dlto find them, and if they are not found! e them 1 will sack the lot of you.' The t,'papers -were found.

"When Richardson arrived Mr. Seddon had made up his mind. A few brief questions asked by the great Prime Minister; a few brief, direct answers by the Master-Gunner, and Richard Seddon said: 'I will apply to the Wa>' Office, and let you know the answer tomorrow.' Richardson saluted, turned on his heel, and left the room. The interview had lasted scarcely ten minutes, and in those ten minutes the whole course of his life had been altered, and his brilliant future made possible. Mr. Seddon wrote his cable to the War i Office:—'l should take it as a personal' kindness if you would permit Master-j Gunner G. S. Richardson io remain here| and terminate his service in New Zea-i land.' "An answer was received next day:— 'Certainly with pleasure.' And that was how Richardson remained in New Zealand. At the second interview, when Mr. Seddon notified Richardson of his retention in this country, he informed him that he would immediately be pro moted to the rank of captain in the New Zealand Army."