ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11333, 24 July 1902, Page 5

ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND.

MRS SEDDON'S HEALTH. m trsxat otra own oohbesposdekt.) LONDON, June 21. Mr and Mrs Seddon and their two daughters arrived at Southampton last Saturday, early in the morning. Lord Onslow, on behalf cf the Colonial Office, went dsown to Southampton to meet the New Zealand Premier, and duly boarded the Saxon on her arrival from tlie Cap** as also did the Mayor of Southampton. Mr E. M. Kennaway (representing th* Agent-General of New Zealand), and Mr John Holmes were also among those who travelled down to meet your Premier. So Mr Seddon received a prompt and hearty welcome on reaching the Mother Country. Unfortunately, the cordiality did not extend to tho weather, whidh was wet, cold, zloomy and cheerless in the extreme. and Mrs Seddon and their party came up to London by the London and Southwestern Boat Special, and on reaching the Waterloo terminus were met by several New Zealanders, headed by the Agent-General, all of whom were most cordial in their greetings. The party drove at one* ;o t-h-3 Hctd Cecil, where a suite of rooms Lad been secured. Naturally, after travelling 3000 miles m a w«ek "in South Africa, they were fatigued, but the rest of the voyage to Southampton appears to have dons them a lot of good. Mr Seddon is in fairly good health, though he is suffering a little from an attack of influenza, which he contracted at the Cape, and also from a fall w-bici he had on the Drayton Grange, after securing .tha rescued sailors of 4he Dutch ship sunk in the Indian ocean. Mrs Sedclcn's health, however, has net' besn so good. She also had an attack of influenza, and on arrival here was so faiindispoecd tHuit the invitation .to speed last Sunday with Lord and Lady Onslow had to be "passed over. The Misses Seddon are well, as also are Mr T. Hamer and Mr F. B. Thomson, Mr Seddon's secretaries, though they are rather hard worked just now. On Saturday, after arriving at the Hotel Cecil, Mr Seddon was extensively interviewed. He also received a deputation from the Lancashire Society, who presented Mrs Seddon with a bouquet of Lancaster roses—the historic -flower. Sunday was spent chiefly by Mr Seddon in receiving callers, among those whom he sawbeing Mr J. Cathcart Wason, M.P.. and Mr Seymour Thome George, of Auckland. Monday morning, with -tihe exception of about one hour and a half in the city on colonial business, Mr Seddon spent at- th-* hotel, afterwards being the guest of Lord Onslow, and later attending the reception of Mr and Mrs Reeves. On Tuesday Mr Seddon went to the Royal Review at Aldershot, and attended the New Zealand dinner in the evening. On Wednesday he visited the Colonial Contingents at the Atexamdra Palace, Mr' Hamer being with him. Later, at the invitation of Mr Chamberlain, he visited the Colonial Office, wihere he was met by Lord! Onslow. He then attended the Leather Sellers' dinner, and was unable to keep engagements at the Royal Society and Royal Geographical Society. On Thursday afternoon Mr and Mrs Seddon, and their family, were at Lord Salisbury's reception at Hatfield, and yesterday Mr Seddon dined with Mr and Mrs Chamberlain, afterward going on to a baK given by the Benchers of the Inner Temple, to join Mrs Seddon and his daughters ; the latter were present earlier in the evening at the Colonial Institute Conversazione. THE PREMIER'S PROGRAMME-To-day Mr and Mrs Seddon, together with ofca-er Colonial Premiers and their '-friends, will be entertained by Lord and Lady Harrowby, at Sandon HalL Tuesday is set apart for a visit to Stoke and the Potteries, and in the evening Mr Chamberlain will give a dinner and evening party at Princes Gardens. On June 25th the Premiers will be- entertained at dinner by tihe Prince of Wales at York House.' On the 26th, 27th, and 28th, the days will be devoted respectively to the Coronation, the Procession through Lon den, and the Naval Review. On the oOth the Premiers wilL attend tfhe State performance at the Opera, or a representation of "David Garrick" at Wyndhain's Theatre. On July Ist they will be present at the Windsor Garden Party, and in tbe evening will attend a banquet at tihe Inner Temple Hall, followed by receptions by the Marquess of Landsdowne, at Lamdsd-owna House, and by Lord! Strathoona at the Royal Institute of Painters in Waiter-colours. On July 2nd the British Empire League will give a water party on .the Upper Thames, with luncheon and tea at Taplow Court, the residence of Mr W- N. Grenfell, M.P., and in the evening a visit will be paid to her Majesty's Theatre, the performance of the "Merry Wives of Windsor" being followed by a reception, on the stage, by iMr and Mrs Beerbohm Tree. On July 3rd, the Premiers will atter.d the luncheon to be given to the King and Queen at the Guildhall, and in the evening they will attend the Lyceum, vhere a reception will be given by Sir Henry Irving. On July 4th, there will be a fete at tihe Botanical Gardens, with a luncheon by the Hon. Mrs William West, at which several Royal per- ■ so-nages will bs present, and in the evening Mr Gilbert Parker, M.P., will give a private dinner party at Carlton House Terrace- Mr Wilfrid Blunt and Lady Anne Blunt will give a luncheon and <ien party on the stili July in connection with the sale of Arab horses at Drabbet Park. The Colonial Premiers will be present. On the 7th will attend the annual meeting of the British Empire League, over which the Duke of Devonshire wul preside, and in the evening they will be entertained at- a banquet by the Constitutional Club. On the 9tih July they will go to Ramelagh, where they will be entertained at luncheon by the club, followed by an exhibition of polo by the Colonial forces, and in the evening they witl be entertained at dinner by the Fishmongers' Company, at Fishmongers' Hall. The Premiers will go to Henley on the 10th July, where they will be entertained at luncheon, at Fawley Court, by Mr Mackenzie, ' and in the evening Mr R. A. Ytsrburgih, M.P. (President of the Navy League), will give a dinner party to meet representatives interested in defence questions, followed by an entertainment by the British Empire League and the Victoria j League to the officers of the forces representing British dominions beyond the seas. On the 11th there will be an Empire Coronation banquet at the Guildhall, which will be presided over by Mr Chamberlain. On the 14th. the Premiers will be entertained by the National Liberal Club, and a concert will be given by Mr R. A. Yerburgh, M.P.. at KeiKdnsrton Gore. Mr Seddon tells mc that it is his intention, before leaving England, to visit Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. He also intends to visit some of the large manufacturing towns. He has definitffy fixed to go to St. Helen's, his birthplace, this dax we?!:, ptayinu there over the Monday for the presentation of the freedom of the bormts-h On the day after Mr Sed don's arrival the sentinels on guard at the Cecil Hotel were chosen from the New Zealand Contingent. Tlb-s -nrovidfd the b->*rs of th? follow-in.* story told by the "Manchester Guardian." "What are you men doing here?" asked a resident at the hotel of one of the troopers. "Well, it's this -way." answered the man; "our old man Dick Seddon is stopping inside, and as he sometimes gets too communicative fo please Mr Chamberlain, the War Office has sent ns. in the interests of Imperial peace, to head off reporters. Are you in the newspaper line, sir?" THE PURSE OF SOVEREIGNS. With reference to the distinct statement csbled from Wellington to "The Times" of j London, that a nurse of 5500 sovereigns j had been presented to Mr Seddon in re- I cognition of his public services in connec- | tion with the war. tbe following disclaimer j has been issued: —'*Mr Seddon requests j Renter's Agency to state that before his j departure from New Zealand a report, j which he finds bas also gained currency on I this -side, was circulated to the effect that j he had been presented with a sum of money in recosrnition of his services to the Empire. This report is unfounded. The preset tation which actually took place was that of an illuminated address, signed by

some 20,000 New Zealandere. As a matter of fact; there tras a movement in the colony for presenting the Premier Villi a sum of money, btfb at his request it was not proceeded with. , ? This story has gone the round of the British papeye, and, as I remarked in a former letter, had the effect of creating some revulsion of feeing toward Mr Seddon. It would be interesting to £how how this report—now alleged to be absolutely unfounded—came to be cabled to "The limes" so authoritatively, and *-us obtained an extent of credence and circulation ■which otherwise it might not have secured.