EXTRA EDITION

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1924, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION

A GREAT STATESMAN

LATE MR. SEDDON

TRIBUTES TO HIS MEMORY.

To-day is the 18th anniversary of the death at sea on his way back to " God's Own Country," after a visit to Austialia, of the Eight Honourable Ricnard John Seddon, wbo ( was Premier of New Zealand for thirteen years. Following their .usual custom, members of the West Coasters' Association gathered at Mr. Seddon's .statue in Parliament Giounds at 11 o'clock this morning, when tributes to the memory of the late distinguished statesman were voiced by two of his former colleagues, the Right lion. Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. Roderick . M'Kenzie. Another ex-col-league, the Hon. Sir James. Carroll, X.L.C., was also present. There was a very large gathering at the ceremony, amongst those present being Dr. and Mrs. Hay, Mr. and Mrs. F. Dyer, Mr. Nat. Seddon, the Hon. T. W. Hislop, M.L.C., Sir John Luke, M.P., Colonel li. J. Collins, Superintendent W. ■B. M'llveney, Mr. H. E. Atmore, M.P., Very Rev. Dean Regnault, Messrs. J. J. M'Grath (president West Coasters' Association), C. Pfaff (secretary), E .0. Warnes, T. Kelly, A. T. Peterkin, F. M'Parland,' J. Doyle, T. Falvey, W. Devine (Palnierston North), L. and T. Dwan, and Mesdames M'Grath and Quinn (two of the oldest West Coasters present), and many others.

In the course of an eloquent speech, Sir Joseph Ward remarked that as the years went by respect for the memory of the late Mr. Seddon had grown stronger, and so it would be in the years to come.' Mr. Seddon's was a great personality, and he was not only a statesman, but a man of the people, with great judgment and splendid vision, who did not talk first and think afterwards, but who thought well. Mr. Seddon was a humanist, an' educationist, and an Empire builder. Ho worked for progress, development of the country, and the amelioration of the position of the humblest people -in the country, and was a good father and a kind husband. . Today, there was not a man sitting in the House of Representatives who was there when Mr. Seddon entered Parliament. During the time Mr. Seddon was Prime Minister the whole aspect of things in this country was revolutionised. It was the late Mr. Seddon who inspired and enthused this country when it was on the eve of its first march into battle to keep the Empire together, and it was he' who presented to us for the first time a new phase of Empire life. Mr. Seddon's memory ought never to be forgotten for what lie had done -in moulding the minds of New Zealanders as to the necessity of solidifying the scattered portions of the British Empire into one great whole. A great fighter, the late Mr. Seddon was never vindictive, and when his battles were over. he. never did anything to wound the susceptibilities of those whom he had fought. ■

At the conclusion of his speech Sir Joseph Ward laid a wreath of remembrance'from the West Coasters' Association at' the foot of the late Mr. Seddon's statue.

The Hon. R. M'Kenzie briefly addressed the gathering, and spoke of the late. Mr. Seddon's generous and benevolent nature. In conjunction with his colleagues Mr. Seddon had left on the Statute Book laws which were beneficial to everyone at the present time, arid which, if not repealed, would be helpful to many generations yet to come. (An imperial statesman, Mr. Seddon was respected all over the world, and he was a man who was-always doing the ereatest^ iTood for the greatest number.At the close of the ceremony those present proceeded to the residence of Mrs. Seddon, in Golder's Hill, to remind her of their kindly feelings for the memory of the late Mr. Seddon.