TRIBUTE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 141, 15 June 1906, Page 5

TRIBUTE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

The City Council met for its usual fortnightly meeting last night, but, out of respect for the memory of the Premier, adjourned without transacting any business. Before adjourning, the Mayor (Hon. T. W. Hislop) said he had no doubt the council was unanimous that no business should be transacted. When tho council met a fortnight ago they were receiving from day to day intimation of the progress which tho Premier was making through Australia, and that the Australians generally were approving of the policy which had been the policy of New Zealand for a great number of years — that policy with which the name of the late Premier had been associated for the past thirteen or fourteen years. On Monday they received news which, if they were taking it morbidly, might make them, in the words of the great Burke, exclaim, "What shadows we are, and what shadows we pursue" ; but he thought that when they directed their attention to the actions of their public men they would find greater consolation in the words of the poet Lowell, who declared that "even after a great man's death the greater part of him still remains." There remained the memory, purified from tho petty contests in which they unfortunately indulged in their life, and they had the memory of strenuous effort made in the pursuit of the happiness and contentment and tho bettering of the world generally. Fortunately, he thought, they could look back upon the short history of New Zealand and find consolation for unfortunate events of this kind, and take courage for the future in the fact that whenever the occasion required they had had the man produced to carry out any great purpose. When Mr. Seddon first came into office a great movement had begun to take form. They had had many of those movements in New Zealand, but they could pay a tribute to Mr. Seddon for the strenuous efforts ho had made by his legislation and his i work in carrying out a. great policy. Even those who did not entirely approve of his measures, and perhaps disapproved of his administration, would pay a tribute to the strenuous nature of his efforts and his attention to the rjublic interest. He remembfered Mr. beddon when he came into the House. He (Mr. Hislop) had then been a member for three years, and Mr. Seddon, coming from the West, Coast, was regarded with the peculiar feeling with which members coming from the goldfields wore then viewed. He (the Mayor) ! was in the House during Mr. Seddon's first long speech, and sat beside Mr. Reader Wood, who, Avhen Mr. Seddon sat down, said to him, "That man will Ibe heard of in the colony yet." From that time Mr. Seddon continued to make his mark until he became a Minister. He heed not say anything with regard to Mr. Seddon's efforts since that time. They all joined in lamenting his death, but they could be thankful that his work which had been so well commenced could be continued by those who would take up the affairs of the colony. Their grief was great, but it was particularly great for those who unfortunately lost a fathe,r, : a grandfather, and a friend. He asked the council to pass the following resolution : —"That this council desires to "Pfff °»? v "cord its grief at the death ot the Right Hon. Mr. Seddon, Premier of the colony, and its sense of the loss the colony has sustained, and its sympathy with Mrs. Seddon and her children and grandchildren in the irreparable calamity which has befallen them and directs that copies of this resoluch°.?d be forwarded to the widow and Councillor Izard seconded the resolution in a few inaudible words, and it was carried in silence, the councillors standing. The council then adjourned for a