AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12517, 12 June 1906, Page 8

AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE.

SIGNS OF FAILING HEALTH.

(srixi.v-i n> '"i-iiE rniiss.") WELLINGTON, June 11. - Tho tragic death of Mr Seddon tit s-.-a "Iter his triumpliiil tour thrcugii Australi:i, ou the tv-M of eutjuuuL>tie preiKir.-itiiiiis to cob biate his approudiing birthday here, and ju.->t sus In win preparing to meet a new PailLanieiit, and ul'te" that to attend a bccoiul Imperial Conference in London, hies caused a profound sensation. Tho news was >o startling in its sudilonness that psoplo could,. scarcely 1x.1i0.-o it. In tho Government Buildings it caused tho utmost const'ii-n:ition. 'Captain Seddon was in tho Labour Office when the first cablegram was received. He was summoned to the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones's office, and there mado aware of wliat had happened. Mr Tom Seddon, who is in Mos-ars Findlay, Dalziel and Company's oifice, heard tho news from a hkud. Tho other two .' jnftinbers of the family—Miss Seddon and Miss Rubi Seddon—were in duo course infonuetl, and all reached home about the same time. The Hon. T Ke-iuiedy Mao Donald and his wile, who are eld standing frietids, went up to the Minute rial residence, and Bi,hop Wallis arrived shortly afterwards. All tho members of tiie family are extremely popu.ar in We-lliuf-ton, alike with political Iriond and foe, and the deepest sympathy is I felt for them in their end bereavement Mrs Frank Dyer, Miss May Seddon, and Master Stuart Seddon were with their father and mother in Australia. lho other members of the family are Mrs Bean (Christchurch), and Mrs (Di.) ■ Morice (Gaeymouth). Mr Seddon leaves v two sisters and a brother in New Zea-land-Mis Cunliffe, of Greymouth, and Mrs McKay, of Westport. and Mr Ldv>a«l Seddon, of Cambridge, Waikato. The members of his family have re- ' ! ceived many telegrams of sympathy, and the Cabinet has also receiveu similar tetegrams from all parts of New Zea- ■- Uit those who had watched the physical cliange in Mr Seddon during recent years, the manner of his death was not - unexpected. To those who were bel>' hind the scenes in politics hero, it was V known that lately ho was not in the - best of health. A mutual triend, who ■■ went on a fishing excursion witih him . down the harbour several weeks ago, '' noticed symptoms of hia old trouble. and told mc that in his opinion I would not iseo Mr Seddon in Parliament next Bossion. Sad to relate, his prophecy has been only too truly fulfilled. Even * before he lelt for iSus-a-alia his family, • Avho were always devoted to him, wore anxious about hi 3 health, and most care--1 f«l arrangements were made in regard to ibis cabin, so that he should not bo irritated in any way by the noiso of ''-'■' the-engines. He was also specially -. exairruied by Dr. Collins just previous •;• to his''departure for Australia 1 . The '■%. doctor thought him fit enough to go, ' * and no doubt he \vas, if he had only & taken things quietly, and treated his *'.'*visit'"to ( the nature of a holiday, but it was not in Mr Beddon's nature, to . dO thkt. '■•': . i Hhe first serious breakdown in his ': health was sufficiently alarming, but ;••■; the-cruise among the South Sea Islands °ik seemed to set him up a good deal. I;.; Stilli It was not quite tho same Mr iatl Seddon who oame back to us from that a w Jf^ As he used to walk slowly :-;| do#n Molesworth street to tho House, |f wearing soft cloth boots, one could not kty help noticing tho loss of vitality. He, .:#; hoAvever, gave up smoking and ;■; 'alcohol,'•„ and as soon as he . I was able, began to tako more exerIcise, with the result that that wonderful .''Constitution of his seemed to bring -back the body to normal condition. .; lln the session of 1903. however, those: 3 . of us who had watched him for years! I.'from the Press gallery, noticed the: ■ j, burly figure growing heavier, and alter \ .'■■• moments of excitement a flush on the .: face, followed by an-unnatural pallor, j .■;■'-, used to make us dread a tragedy in ; -tho Chamber. In those days, when he was in company, or in the precinots of Parliament Buildings, ho was wont '■; to assume his nsual' buoyancy of spirits, ■J but to the keen observer it was evident that the buoyancy was largely assumed. ~'.. I remember one evening a prominent ■V* member of tho Opi>osition up ' oft him as ho wended his Avay slowly •'& rO - m ' *-ho House towards the Ministerial "Well, Seddon," ho taid, '&■;. 'jJOU look as if you had the weight of ::£■'•*» world on your shoulduhs." "Ah, ?° S 6B *" ho replied, somewhat sadly, ''the *h doctors toll mc I mutit go slow; they '*' say -my heart has a big contract to _'. pump the blood through this great body .* of mine."' In those days in the House", Mr Seddon often had aVeary look, untl we noted that he did not havo the sarao power «s formerly. Ho often fell asleep in his seat in the House, and when he woke up he was sometimes irritable, and did not always lead Avith tho great judgment that had clmrattcr--soa his leadership in previous years. Later on ho avos taken in kind by Dr. Valratine, and simple living and exercise and tt\v,h air began to work a great change in him. Many a man j ; of loss courage and will power, and with- [ >> out his remarkable physique, would no j ooubt havo given way and succumbed, .-. but not so Mr Se*ldon. His indomit- .;; able will power kept him going, and I nia temporary recovery was no doubt very largely .a triumph of mind over a serious bodily infirmity. The improve- '■'•• TO< s \ W t s lna "-d!ous. During the Past twelve _ionth>, though it tvas not general y known, Mr Seddon's health was such «s to cause, his intimate friends cormiderablo nneadnw.--, and some of his iL J i^ nu, - yin " s v " ere tok'eu partly rhr*» , * ,P ,ir I P os '-'*- For tho past three ycani_l]B heart Ims boon troubling 1« *! V ram TVaB *° affected that rH»T?«i d **' bear fln >* constant and irXlv L f'' \?* V '' itb tho P ,,blic een- } . tone. ° S,wlly «««ni«l a choerful f«»««ation with him just <«Z of P Jr ft for A on the i an<] "T'f in"- well s> n A\ - m that lle w;lt; n °t cok-la-t S eVld ° ntl - v '«*"•«* « chan..e awl ie>t, be as-sured mc in hi, blu'iF bearty manner, that h „•„. n • \l' He was looking fojL„ a al ' Au-tra!ia toSR, !l" tni - t0 lint OA-identlv thei U' P f A hc * W '" inn ' in Anvt Ali-. J etr-am of weeks o™rUxe?liu n,nCh f ° r hk al "