The Press. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1902. THE PRESENTATION TO MR. SEDDON.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11244, 9 April 1902, Page 6

The Press. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1902. THE PRESENTATION TO MR. SEDDON.

The magnificent gathering in the Canterbury Hall East night—probably the largest public meeting ever seen in any building in New Zealand—was a striking.proof of the one-ness of the people of this colony in regard to the war. From floor to ceiling, as it seemed, the hall was packed witih men and woman of all shades of political opinion. For onoe they .had agreed to sink I all their differences, in order to express ! their apnrovaf. of the Premier's prompt; and vigorous action in sending the Contingents to the help of the Motherland. The .presentation itself was mads by a veteran ex-Premier of the colony, one of the most strenuous opponents of the domes.tic policy of Mr. Seddon and his Government. "You, sir," said Sir John Hall, last night, to his old antagonist, Mr. Seddon, "have heard my voice before, and not " always in the strain in which I am going "to speak ta-night. I am afraid you " may ( recollect occasions upon which I " have endeavoured to show that your " policy was wrong, your legislation worse, " and your administration worst of all. "But those were occasions of what I may ",oall domestic differences. . . . Upon "the question which has us toge"tber here to-night, there is practically "no difference of opinion at all." These few sentences give the key of the whoCe proceedings, in which there was not one jarring note. The unanimity and cordiality of the meeting were reflected in the address, to which no fewer than 20,000 signatures were attached, representing people in all parts of New Zealand, holding the most diverse views on all ordinary questions oiE domestic government. For the time being all differences have been swept away in the great flood of patriotism

which welled up in the hearts of the people on the outbreak of the war. It was a great, and inspiring occasion, and it was no , wonder that .the speakers were moved by it to a higher strain of eloquence than we are accustomed to hear at gatherings, of a. : Jnore" ordinary type. We have got into the habit of taking New Zealand patriotism in -general, and , .the action of Mr Seddon in particular,' as if both were very much a matter of course, and only what was to be expected. On looking, back; however, we see that evente might easily have taken a different shape. No doubt the pioneers of New Zealand came out her©, as Sir John Hall suggested, filled with the spirit erf patriotism, and •wifflt love and reverence for the Mother land. We can easily imagine Sir John Hall, himself an Englishman to the backbone, steeped in the history and associations of the Motherland, holding it to be the duty of New Zealand to send her sons to the last man to help if a cri&s had arisen during his term of office. Mr. Seddon is a man of a different type. He described himself, last night entering into pcCitics as " a young man from the Wild West, crude "and as rugged as the mountains of "his district." It was by no means a foregone conclusion that such a maan, dfogged and resolute to boot, would develop into an Imperialist of the Imperialists, a Prime Minister who would take the lead in the most striking demonstration of colonial patriotism in the history of the British Empire. Norwas.it by. any means so certain that the younger generation of New Zealanders, especially those who wanted new lamps for old in the matter of Government, would be equally ardent in devotion to the* '*■ Motherland. That events have turned out so well as they have done is, we believe, a matter for thankfulness and pride. It has been said by visitors from Home that so far from lagging behind, our loyalty, if anything, exceed* that of the Motherland , . Here at any rate public opinion ima never wavered in regard to the war, and .Khe spirit of patriotism has never flagged. No pro-Boer section has ever raised its head in our midst. In all .that Mr Seddon has done, as he frankly recognised last night, he has had the support of almost the entire press of the colony, he has had the support of all parties in Parliament, and he has been backed up throughout by the opinion of the people. He now goes Home not as the leader of a party, but as the representative of the- whole colony, to be present at .the Coronation of the King. It is a great responsibility which is placed upon ibis shoulders—that of fittingly representing the people of New Zealand on an occasion of such great significance. We have no doubt he will do his utmost to acquit himself worthily of so great a trust. We believe he will best meet ihe wishes of the people, not by laying stress on what New Zealand has done already, but in seeking in what other direction she may co-operate in promoting the interests of the Empire. We, too, like Sir John Hall, have crossed lances many times with Mr Seddon in the past, and have little doubt that we shall find it set down in tha course of duty, to criticise and admonish hiss in the future. In his Imperial policy, however, we hare been with him heart and soul from the very first. We Honour him for what he has done in tJbis respect, and we sincerely wish him a pleasant journey to the Old Land and a