THE MISSING PURSE.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 121, 18 November 1902, Page 4

THE MISSING PURSE.

«£>- The missing purse, which the Premier repudiated in the Old Country when he found that English public opinion looked askance at him because of it, as the Papuwai sptjcli which he denied in Australia for the same reason, has not figured in t!;e platform speeches of Mr. Reddou since his return to the colony. The Right Hon. gentleman has indeed been so modestly silent in regard to boh subjects that many people have come to ihe conclusion that he repents the Papawai speech, and has really renounced the purse. The former may be true, and the latter may happen, at any rate

we have reason to believe that he will presently be afforded an opportunity of dispensing the purse in splendid benevolences like the Elingamite Fund and the Veterans' Home, or accepting it for his own use in opposition to his i enunciation of it, as contained in the famous Reuter telegram published throughout the press of the United Kingdom. For it would appear that the precious purs-e that represents the spontaneous gifts of thousands of admiring New Zealanders is still in the hands of the committee who so ably directed- the operations, and these gentlemen will, we believe, presently aMc the Premier to advise them of his wishes as to its disposition. They will, it may be presumed, ask Mr. Seddon if it is true that he caused Reuter to flout and deny their gift in the Old 'Country, for it is, of course, possible that some proBoer enemy may have done this thing, or it may have been contrived by some wicked machinations of the Tory opposition that has so constantly misrepresented the head of the Government. For our part, we hope it will be found that Mr. Seddon, true to his unselfish nature, actually did deny the purse, and with the intention from the beginning of asking the donors to be allowed to devote it to the public good. If this be in his mind, we feel sure the committee who hold the purse will do their part towards assisting his good intent. At last night's meeting to organise assistance to the sufferers by the Elingamite disaster, it was suggested that a National Shipwreck Fund should be instituted. We commend the idea to Mr. Seddon as offering a golden opportunity, which, if he seize, will do more to keep his name in grateful remembrance of tne people than the costliest memorials in bronze or marble. '