PRESENTATION TO CAPTAIN SEDDON.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 49, 28 February 1905, Page 5

PRESENTATION TO CAPTAIN SEDDON.

A SWORD OF HONOUR SUGGESTED THE MOVEMENT NON-POLITICAL. A meeting convened by Mossrs. A. G. Smith ond Stuart Robinson was held at the Chamber of Commorco last night to consider the question of presenting an address and souvenir to Captain Seddon. About thirty people wero present, including two ladies. Mr. W. A. Palmor was voted to tho chair. The Chairman, in opening tho proceedings, said thoy had no doubt followed ihr\ caao in the nowspapors. As a mattor of fact ho supposed that Taylor cared as much for Captain Seddon as ho did for him iMr. Palmer). As Britishera they liked fair piny, and ho thought they could all say this and feel this, that this case had not beon a caso of fair play at all. When a Britisher wanted to- fight, ho expected peoplo round about to give him olbow room, and they naturally did oxpoct fair play from all round about. All who followed the accounts of the proceedings must recognise thnt Captain Seddon was not the object of Taylor's hatrod ond so on. The worst feature about the case was this, that not only was he trying to get a slap at tho Premier, but was doing it at a time when the man could not defend nimself in any way whatever, and further the man was Incapicitatcd by illness, which made the thing doubly un-British, if he might uso tho term. It was proposed to mark thoir appreciation of the way in which Captain Seddon had conducted hie caw, and the

honourable way ho had como out of it. Mr. A. G. Smith proposed that " as a mark of appreciation and ostoem of the services rendered by him to tho Empire during tho late war in South Africa, it is horeby resolved to make a presentation to Captain R. J. Scddon. Tho motion was socoiulccl by Mr. Stuart Robinson. As one who know Captain Soddon, and served under him as Acting Rogimental Sorgcant-Majnr and in various capacities, ho said, ho had a good deal to do with him. It was only natural to speak of a man as one found him, and that was the roasou thoy saw his name figuring as ono of the convenors of the meeting. Ho had much pleasuro in seconding tho resolution, becauso ho bolioved Captain Seddon is n firstrato follow. (Hoar, hear.) Ho proved himself to bo such at tho front, and ho never knew a man approach Captain Soddon but got civility and was well treated. (Applause) Ho thought the occasion was a particularly suibable ono in viow of his rocont case. Porhaps tho loss thoy said about tho caso the better, but it was vory pleasant to find at least ono or two gontlomon present who did not hide their political viows beneath any very heavy bushol j thoy wore pretty outspoken (something liko himsolf), and thoy nut thoso views entirely on ono side. Ihoy woro thoro to deal with Captain Scddon — novor mind whom ho was tho son of or anything else. They woro thcro to organise somo little memonto or prosontation to Captain Soddon as an officer who sorved in South Africa, and who was a first-rate follow. Mr. 11. Lord (formerly of Bothuno's Mounted Infantry), said ho was present at a 'banquet held in Johannesburg about eight wooks ago, at which 7000 mon of iho various Irregular Corps who sorvod in the Boor War woro present. As he was leaving for Now Zealand ho was unanimously asked to mako it as widoly known as possiblo how they sympathised with Captain Seddon. (Applause) The Irregular Corps to which no belonged did not have the ploasuro of coming in contact with tho Now Zealanders, out thoso who did reamrked what a good follow Captain Seddon was, and tho corps which ho commanded. On bohalf of tho Irregular Corps in South Africa ho took tho opportunity of offering thorn his sympathy. Mrs. Tasker expressed regret at not seeing moro ladies presont. As tho mother of New Zcalanders sho thought they ought to stand by New Zealanders. (Applause.) Certainly this business had been a heavy blow for a young man, and if they could show their appreciation they should all combine to do so. In putting the resolution, the Chairman remarked that the movement was free from politics entirely. Thoy woro all admirers of fair play, and this was simply dono with tho object of ' fair play.. Tho resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. E. Arnold moved,— '"That with a view to giving effect to tho forogoing resolution committees be formed in the principal cities throughout tho colony and such other towns as hereafter may bo selected." He would like to see that proposition given offect to, not because Captain Seddon is tho son of the worthy Premier, whom they all highly respected — perhaps all of them did not, but many of them did, knowing how much had been done by him in this country. But he would leave that on one side. Tho Chairman: Do. Mr. Arnold went on to say that a» a father who had brought up a family in this colony ho folt like rejoicing when tho Now Zealanders went away to the war and fought their best for tho Mother Country, and then to have their names Blundered by those who were afraid probably to step outside the colony, he thought it was a most unjust thing. (Hear, hear.) Mr. F. Young seconded the motion. Mr. Arnold asked leave to amend his motion by adding "that such arrangements be left in tho hands of a central committee to bo formed in Wellington." Mr. W. Ross said he had had several letters from different parta of tho colony from men who h&d served with Captain Seddon as officers and from men who had served under him. They had written to him in a private capacity, saying they would gladly fatl in with anything that was done. If a testimonial won to bo got up, certain officers had asked him to use his own discretion and put their names down for what ho thought fit. They did not know whether a testimonial or an address was to be given, or whether a presentation was to be made in the shape of a sword of honour — (applause) — or a pttrso. Tho motion moved by Mr. Arnold, as amended, was carried. On the motion of Mr. Ross, seconded by Mr. Young, it was decided that on Executive Committoe be formed in Wellington. Air. H. Beauchamp was proposed by Mr. Young as Chairman. However, Mr. Beauchamp said he would be pleased to act, but ho thought it was pretty generally known that ho was a strong supporter of Mr. Seddon politically, and ho thought it was generally understood that tho movement should not be of a political nature. His sympathies were entirely with the movement, but he thought it was most desirablo that it should bo of a strictly non-party character. AH tho same, no would be glad to act on tho committee. Mr. Arnold then proposed Mr. W. A. Palmer as Chairman. Mr Palmer consented to tako tho position, remarking that he did not know Captain Seddon, nor was ho related to the family nor a politician of any sort. The following wero elected members of the committee : —Mrs. Tasker, Hon. T. K. Macdonald, Messrs. n. Beauchamp, W. Ross, A. G. Smith, If. Lord, E. J. Lc Grove, R. E. Bannister, E. Arnold, W. Foster, A. A. Corrigan, and J. B. Harcourt; Treasurer, Mr. W. H. Finch; Secretary, Mr. Stuart Robinson. On the motion of Mr. Beauchamp, seconded by Mr. Ross, it was resolved that it be left for the Executive Committee to decido the nature and date of the presentation to Captain Seddon, and such other dotalls as may Iks necessary to bring the movement to a successful termination. A GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER'S COMMENTS. [DT TEMtOHAI'II— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CIIRISTCHURCH, This Day. Tho Times, speaking of tho proposed Srosontation in Wellington to Captain eddon, says:— "Wo cannot believo tho Promier and his son wore awaro of the intention of their injudicious friends. Their proposal cannot bo dissociated from tho recent slander case, and it is entirely opposed to tho spirit of tho ttgreomont by which that case was honoiirably settled. No ono would havo over thought to make a presentation of this sort to Captain Scddon if ho had not been involved in tho litigation that has given rise to a great deal of porsonal and party foeling. The Chairman of tho mooting in Wellington appoars to havo been singularry indiscreet, but wo aro stiro that when Captain Soddon hoars of tho proposal ho Will insist upon its immediate abandonment. It would be positively indecent in face of his settlomont with Mr. Taylor to allow a little party of thoughtless friends to rovivo a single featuro of the controversy."