MR. SEDDON'S VIEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 137, 7 December 1905, Page 5

MR. SEDDON'S VIEWS.

HIGHLY DELIGHTED WITH THE RESULTS. A TRIBUTE OF CONFIDENCE. Shortly before 1 a.m. the Premier and Mrs. Seddon, escorted bjr an enthusiastic following, walked from the Post Office to the office of our morning contemporary, and a moment or so later appeared on the balcony. He was received with round after round of applause, and the singing of "He's a Jolly Good Fellow." The verdict of the people, he said, had been given— (applause)— and the verdict was in favour of progress and humnnity and the happiness and contentment of the people. (Cheers.) The people have endorsed the policy of the past; they have endorsed that policy which had been submitted to them by ihe Government during this contest — a- policy which was for the good and for the advancement of the people, and he was sure that it would keep New Zealand a foremoat part of the great British Empire. (Cheers.) "What'B become of Vile?" said a person in the crowd. "1) hope that man will withdraw those words," replied the Premier. "In outhour of victory think of those wno have suffered." (Hear, hear.) Mr. Seddon went on to say that the results had exceeded liis moat sanguine expectations. (Applause.) He had never felt the Slightest .uiixety as to the result ; he felt all along that if they did their duty well, if they served the people faithfully, they had nothing to fear. (Applause.) His confidence in the people, in their sense of what was just and right, had ever led him to feel that they would be true to themselves — (a voice : "Tripe !") — true to the best intercuts of the country, and determined, as fur as they could, to advauce humanity and endeavour to promote the happiness and contentment of the people of this fair land. (Applause.) The returns up to that time gave the Government 59 as against the" Opposition 13 — a very unlucky number. (Loud and continued cheering.) The greater majority brought with it greater responsibility. He never &hirked responsibility, ho knew what the people expected, and gi\en health and strength ho would do his best to carry out their wishes. (Applause.) Amougst Ihoss who had fallen thatf day theis were some very honourable opponents. It was the fate of wax, and whilst congratulating those vho hud succeeded, at the same time he should express hia good opinion of those who lmd been opposed to him, and whom he personally respected. (A voice : Sir Wm. Rtssell.) Yea, Sir William Russell was amongvl the number. '( Applause.) They .miut at all .ulmei keep la advance. The

altered conditions of the country denisnded that that should be done. He did not hesitate to say that reforms, development, and improvements could have been. iaade,,yet those had been retarded became thej-e were those in Parliament who blocked the way. (A voice : All gone now.) The obstacle to reform had by the will of the people been removed, and they had now a party returned with greater p'dwer than before, and that power and that great majority must be exercised . for the improvement of the position of, the people. (Hear, hear.) They must keep on the lines of the past ; there was no necessity for a great change. To those who toiled they must give justice. He was one of those who believed in a highly-paid wage-earning people. (Applause.) They had nothing to undo; they had a' great deal to perform. During the campaign he had placed before the people what he and his colleagues thought to be 'in the interests of the colony, and' he hoped by parrying out a. progressive -but at the same time moderate policy that they would do justice' to this great country. They must take warning by . the mistakes of the past, they must look well to the present, and see that the present needs were provided for. They must look also to,the future, and so arrange matters that those who came after them would say that they foresaw the 'inevitable, and would be able to enjoy equaJ opportunities. He could only hope and trust that he might prove •\vorthy of the great confidence that the people had' bestowed. On behalf of him<3elf and colleagues . hi heartily thanked the 'people- .of New Zealand. They had had a. hard strenuous fight, which had resulted in favour of the Government and the people, and in his opinion it was to the advantage of the country. (Applause. \\ He did not hesitate to say, and the result proved it, that the best friend Wellington ever had was the old man who now stood before them. (Loud cheers. ) Let them contrast the progress made by the Empire City during the time the Liberal Party had been in pow^r with, the, progress made during the previous tw.ejity-five years, and in justice they must come to the conclusion that the city 'had made rapid strides, and is now" the foremost of the centres of the colony. (Applause.) He did' nob "claim that the Government had done it, but he did say that the Government had given the opportunity; the legislation it had passed had .enabled a forward step to be taken. They could say what they liked, but- he did not think they could deny the fact that prosperity reigned, and, in his opinion, as the result of the' decision of the people given that day, piosperity would' continue. (Cheers.) The kindness they were how showing would nerve him to a further effort, and so long as he had- their confidence and good wishes that was all he desired. " (Applause.) "What about the land question?" was a question put from the crowd. "I am not going to fnter into that question to-night," replied the Premier,, "but the people have given their verdict, and that will be all right." He went on to express the hope that " ".some people" would read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the results, and would realise that those who did their duty by the people- had nothing, to fear— that the people were true- to themselves 1 , true to progress, and would ever support ' that : which was for the good of humanity. 1 (Applause.) They sneered about humanity, but ii'was a trait in the iuman • character iliat when a grave injustice was done, as had been done to him and bis, the people would not have it, and they had shown it throughout New Zealand to-day.- (Applause and cries of "Fisher.") Mr. Seddon concluded his speech ,by remarking that he should sleep the sleep^ of the just, and he stillclaimed that he wore the while flower of a blameless life. ' ' . The crowd cheered lustily, sang "For' He's a Jolly Good Fellow," "Auld Lang Syne," and "God Save the King." . CANDIDATES' ADDRESSES. . A number of the candidates delivered addresses from the. Evening Post balcony. . MR.- FISHER. Mr. Fisher was the first speaker. He was received i?ith long-continued cheers mingled with dissentient noises.. He made several" attempts to be heard before ho succeeded in gaining the ear of the people. He thanked those ladies and gentlemen of Wellington Central electorate who had placed him in the honourable position he occupied that night. This ,was hia second victory in Wellington, and he did not believe it would be the last. The electors had declared by their votes that they were going /to have in the House men of conviction and men of courage— and he believed ihe outcome of this would be that the i^ople would have a better administration in the future. (Cheers.) It had been a great fight in Wellington Central, but notwithstanding the great odds against his people they had secured a magnificent victory. He. thanked all those who had worked for him, but especially his secretary and committee. They had executed their task in «, very satisfactory manner—(continued cheers)— and he could only say that the decision of the eluctois in his case would be regarded by every member of Parliament as a justification of the speaker's action in having done what he believed to be a proper duly. (Cheering and hooting, followed by cheering and waving of hate for some minutes.) Sir. Fisher then called for three cheers for the defeated candidates. These were given ; also three for Mrs. Fisher and "three for Bill Thomson." In returning thanks for the compliment to Mrs. Fisher, Mr! " Fisher said he could not help expressing his regret at the defeat of Mr. . Duthie, whose loyalty to the speaker had) been so pronounced. MR. M'LAREN. The next speaker was Mr. M'Laren. He did not know if he was the only Labour candidate who had courage enough to face {he ' mob — (cbeerhj — but at any rate he had always had courage, whatever his failings might have bean. Let him say that he heartily thanked the friends who had given him their voluntary services on the occasion of this, election. Though beaten he was not at. all depressed, for he found that from 1902 to the present time he had increased his strength in this city threefold. 'That was something to be proud of rather -than to be depressed over. (Applause.) In the future he would haye -to come before the electors of Wellington again ; he would never be of en id or ashamed to face them in count ction with the principles he had been ndvancing in this content. The time h«td not come, for election to Parliament, of an independent Labour Party, but it would come — it must come. And if ever thtre caino depressed limes and financial Btiess to this colony, it would be to the men who had led this movement that the people would turn. MR. C. H. IZARD. Mr. C. H. Izard, who was greeted cordially, said it was unnecessary for him to say that he thanked them all most heartily for the honour drine him in returning him its representative for one of the wards, of thw city, and be would say that though he was but a figure-head of tho&e kind friends who had so earnestly and ably supported him, he felt pure that they wovtd al! feel gratified at his success. He w*u> but a- marionette in .the fight, and it .upon the couruge and per-

sistence of his friends whether or not ho was returned. So far as he himself was concerned, he felt that his winning the seat was a victory for young New Zealanders, and he recognised that there were thousands of other young New Zealanders able to take his seat if he was not able to finish the task. Hi* saw that a young New Zealander had been returned for another city ward, and he heartily congratulated him— leaving the political aspect on one sidn for the minute. In concluding, Me, Izard said:— "Gentlemen, 1 thank you,. Ladies, I say share that amongst you (throws a, kiss). I ask you now to join in giving three cheers for Mr. Dutihie."' The cheers were given heartily. MR. BARBER. Mr. W. H. P. Barber said, he had again to express his very great apprecia. tion of the honour confened upou him by their re-election of him as member for Newt-own. He felt the honour thw more, inasmuch as at last election ho won the seat by only 38 votes. On thifl occasion he had been elected by a. sub- . .stantial- majority. It was very gratify« ing to him to know that those he haj represented for the past three yeara had elected him by an increased majority. There had been a little feeling imparted into the Newtown election, but he coulo! say for himself that he had dealt only with politics, letting all personalities go. He had won the seat on his own merits, and — like the last speaker — he said ifc was another victory for New Zealand. He was pleased to endorse the remark^ of, Mr. Izard, for he (the speaker) had grown, up amongst the people of Wellington. He thanked those who worked so hard on his behalf, and the members of his committee who had all devoted * good deal of time to his interests. He. would now call for three cheers for biff opponents MR. O'REGAN. Mr. P. J. O'Regan, who was cheereil by the gathering, said that though hu had not won the Central seat, he did not believe any other candidate could have defeated Mr. Fisher. (Hear, hear.} My. Fisher was to be congratulated upon tlu result, because it showed that th« electors had taken a very lenient view of his political past. (Prolonged hooting /and sheering.) But he desired to say, however, that Mr. Fisher had, made no mistakes that could not be retrieved. There was no man knew better how ttt t take defeat than the speaker did. (Cheers.) He thanked all those who had supported him, and it was to be regretted 1 that the prospect of 'a fair trial be-, tween Mr. Fisher and himself was spoilli by the presence of a, third candidate, who never had a chance. The speaker, who had always been true to the cause of labour, had been defeated by the presence of a labour candidate. He heartily 1 thanked his secretary and the ladies and gentlemen who had worked so enthusiestically- for his return. (Cheers.) H«i hoped to come again. He noticed one or two people trying to hoot just below him. To them lie would say that" they would not dare to hoot him at arm's length I To the crowd he returned thanks for .having given him a hearing, and he hoped the result of the election would leave do bitterness behind it. THE HUTT CANDIDATES. When the Hutt result was known, Mr. Wilford appeared on the balcony of thai Central Hotel, Petone, and was* given «. great reception by the large crowd assembled in front. He heartily thanked the electors and remarked that though at last election he was beaten at five booths, this time he led at every one, and had beeu re-elected by an absolute majority. This result was attributed to the untiring, xmselfish work oD his nineteen committees,, and to the fact that he had conducted the campaign in* a fair and proper manner, lie also paid a tribute to the untiring" work! of his organising secretary (Mr. W. J. Cracroft Wilson) and said ii would be his endeavour during the next three years to justify the renewed confidence placed in him. Cheers were then given for the successful candidate, fou Mrs Wilford. f6r Mr. Wilson, and, afc Mr. Wilfofd's call, for Mr. London. Mr. London came forward a little later and briefly addressed the electors. Hs thanked those who had supported him, and expressed great surprise that he haol not polled much heavier in Petone. Mr. Yerex had a few words 'to say ta the crowd gathered in front of his office. He considered that though defeated, ha had won a moral victory. The wavai which had swept right over the whola colony wao clearly attributable to thft electioneering tactics and the wholesale bribery at constituencies by Mr. Seddon. The political conscience of the people was so debauched that it was impossible tai make any headway under the circumstances. (Applause and a counter demonstration). As for the local result, •it was not creditable to the electors, many of whom had good reason to feel ashamed of . themselves. The Government's "spoils to the victors" policy was too strong. However, he did not'regrefc his defeat, for he had made many friends during the campaign, and if spared ho would again contest the teat at the ensuing election. Mr. Yerex's remarkc were given a mixed reception. A TRAGIC INCIDENT. . DEATH OF A CANDIDATE. There was a painful termination to the contest ibr the Mnnawatu seat. Mr. Job Vile, who represented that electorate during the past three years, died suddenlj during tho evening from shock to the system. Deceased .was born in 1845 in Somersetshire, England, and was educated in j London school. He arrived in tin colony with his parents in 1856, an<{ the family, after two years at the Hutt, went on to the Wairarapa, where they became prominent in local matters. Id 1872 Mr. Vile started in business fot himself in Masterton as a coach-proprie-tor and he established services between Wellington and Wairarapa, Pahiatua and Woodville, r.nd still later between Hawera, Manaia, Opunake, Parihaka, and New Plymouth. He was the first Mayov of Pahiatua. having been one oil the print* movers in the inauguration of that placs as a borough', and was ah,o the firs} chairman of (he Pahiatua County Council, lltree years ago he defeated Mr. John Stevens in the contest for the Manawati\ seat, and during his term of membership he voted w:th the Opposition. A Press Association telegram stater that Mr. Vile had complained of ill-health last Sunday. Yesterday afternoon h« indulged in bowling on the Marton green* and on arriving at his private residenci he felt unwell, and medical advice wa.« called. His collapse took place before the result of .the election was announced, and a painful .shock was experience* throughout the Manawntu electorate. Th<v funeral takes 'place' at Pahiatua on Saturday. DISPLAYING THE RESULTS. THE EVENING POST. Very complete arrangements were madtr by the proprietors of the Evening Post f»r displaying the .various results as they came to hand. A* large balcony platfoim had been erected in fiont'of tb& ofiiee in Willis-street, and upon this was located "a huge notice-board with the names of each electorate and the.' competing candidates in large black: pester typo. Arrangements had been, made *o that' the result of the voting .it «acb, polling'place in the city and suburbs vas brought by messenger or sent by.

telephone the moment it was made up,' and this enabled the stuff to post the results wkh gratifying expedition. How small was the delay can be gauged by the fact that the first result was received at our office at 7.19, and at 7.20 , it was being cheered as it appeared on the display board. A very powerful parabolic searchlight on the opposite side of the street lit up the board and the plationn, so that it was plainly visible in M«rcer-street as far as the huge crowd extended. It is estimated that over 15,000 viewed the board during the night. The results were posted promptly and the arrangements proved superior to anything of the kind yet seen in the city. x