SOCIAL GATHERING AT GREYMOUTH.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10954, 2 May 1901, Page 5

SOCIAL GATHERING AT GREYMOUTH.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") GREYMOUTH, May 1. The Mayor, heads of the public bodios, members and leading citizens, met Mr Seddon at tlie Courthouse to-day, when the Mayor, on be__lf of the residents, gave him the hearty congratulations of the ' people on his eighth anniversary as Premier, and expressed the hope that he would i long remain in good -health and occupy | the position of Premier. ! Mr Seddon, in reply, said the. ceremony j that day was a3 unexpected as it was j pleasurable. He h-ad for eight years occupied the highest position it was in the power of the people of New Zealand to | bestow, and it was particularly gratifying ito meet with stitch congratulations and expressions of confidence, from his old 'West Coast friends, among whom there existed a bond of brotherhood. He had just received a telegram from his daughter at Wellington stating that three letters had arrived from his son, now in South Africa, and his friends would be pleased to leara /that he was in tlie best of health, and was going to be promoted. This nnvs to j him was most pleasing on such a day. The ' day was a bright and beautiful one, after ' the West Coast weather they had had, I and it corresponded with his own feelings. j His daughter was now out of danger, and Ihe had round him the friends of hi. early j I Wast Coast days, congratulatm. him anil j appreciating his past actions. "This was , a reward for his toils and "troubles, ami nil else, so far as this colony was ton- j earned, looked promising. He was pro- ■ paring to make the country acquainted with its financial position, "aiid this, he might say, far exceeded his most sanguine expectations. Progress, prosperity, ancl advancement could be recorded. He* was in the position of a chairman of a company 1 wtho was about to present a real good balance-sheet, and tlie thought that, tho future looked, even brighter than the past, cheered and compensated him for all the worry appertaining to tho office. Many people s-hid _c was a lucky man—doubtless there were circumstances in tihe lite of every man that tended to aid liim— and he had his aids in this respect. But if he had, he had also his troubles, his dark clouds, and worries, fiis Ministry had had to face more serious questions than ihad fallen to lot of _ny other Government in this colony. They hud been called at a moment's notice" to face a crisis that would have plunged the country in confusion and disaster. "He referred to the Bank of New Zealand legislation, and, | looking back after all the danger had disappeared, lie felt that t_e Government had done its duty'to the country, and now there was no longer any doubt in regard to the institution again regaining a sound position. There was one matter of great regret, and that was, that, with the exception of Messrs Ward and Carroll, all who were associated with his Cabinet at the first had, through ill-health or death, ceased to be wihh him. Tlie last to leave was Air Cadma.n, who found the work too much, and whose health broke down, under the strain. His trusty lieutenant, the Hon. John M'Kenzio, whose services to the country all admitted, was perforce compelled to resign.„ He was, however, pleased to know that he was now recovering, and it was fervently to be hoped that he would be sufficiently restored to'health to long enjoy life. It was the tail of office -work that had caused !his breakdown, and |it should never be forgotten that it was working for the people of New Zealand that caused such collapse. Personally, he was blessed with a constitution possessed by few men. He could not pretend to be as strong as in former years, and tho strain of office must have' its effect upon the most robust. At tha same time, he felt hearty" and -had plenty of -work left in him yet, and so loiigYos ho ,enjoyed the confidence of the. people of New Zealand, and his health kept up, so long ■would he continue-to direct the affairs of the colony. It was* with pardonable prido that ho IM-tel that l.io condition of the people, the evidence of prosperity, and general industrial advancement during the past years, had bsen gocd. The prospect for the future was .better. It was "the same ecuntry, possessing the Fame natural advantages, and peopled with the same people as when they took office, and yet none would gainsay the fact of the great social and material advancement and prosperity. He thanked those present for / their kindly feelings, a.nd trusted it would be recorded of him that 'he had endeavoured to do his duty to the people and country. Those present then adjourned and partook of a luncheon. In responding to his health, he took the opportunity of saying that, the rumours about him accepting a Governorship or going Home to contest a scat in the House of Comimons were idle talk. He intended remaining with the people of New Zealand. Touching upon tho dredging industry, he said his Government fuil'ly recognised its importance, and was determined to foster ar.d encourage it. The coal industry the Government intended dealing lirnily with. It •had not in the past been well developed or attended to. The demand was largo and increasing. .IYet in tihe Grey district the industry 'had lagged behind lamentably, and this must, a*wd would be. altered. The retail price was far too liigh, and it was not in tihe interests of the colony that this should continue. He would speak more definitely upon such matters later on. The reception was of a most 'hearty and cordial nature. The Premier has received congratulation, from persons representing all shades of -political opinions.