SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Evening Star, Issue 11682, 14 February 1902, Page 6

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

WELLINGTON, February W. In moving the setting ipoia ooeanitte* to wait Tipon the mayor to arrange far » public meeting in connection with the Seddon testimonial yesterday, Mr John Doncan (a prominent Oppositionist) mid that to whatever party colonists belonged . afl mast confess that the services of Mr Seddon had been of ineakmlable value in brtagjmg w closer to the Mother Land, and in drawing all the ties of kinship closer. Attempt! had been made to belittle the part pW*d by Mr Seddon m the stand be had taken and the work he had done in connection with the despatch of oar contingent to South Africa. He (the speaker) said tin* this was ungenerous cavilling, and that we should yield all honor to the man who had set forth so promptly and so oKtrageowly to voice the feelings" of this colony in die Mother Country's hoar of need. He strongly urged that the testimonial should be accompanied by a parse of sovereigns, inasmuch as that would emphasise the deep feeling which the people of this eokmy feh towards Mr Seddon for the services which he bad performed. The wail of the presentation-ridden Civil servant is sad hearing. The inhabitants of the largest wooden bonding are now busily devising methods of escaping the rake. One of the number writes to the ' Post' as follows :—"Kindly allow me to make an appeal to the Premier. In a few days the Civil servants in the various departments will be approached with a request to subscribe to the national testimonial to the head of tbe Government, itnd I want to make it known that most of us smrpry cannot afford it. Some of us may determine to risk the displeasure of the Government and the officials by declining to subscribe, but there is a whole army of temporary clerks—poorly paid, too —whose billets depend on the goodwill of Ministers, and of course they simply cannot, refuse, although U subscribe means depriving their wives and families of the necessities of existence and the pifing up still higher of the tradesmen's bills, which are already heavy enough. Some of the men in my department have expressed tbe opinion that the proposal for a national testimonial emanated from Mr Seddon himself, and that he is determined to get a good round sum, whoever is made to suffer. But I cannot believe that. He has so often assured his hearers that he :s 'all heart,' and that he is an admirer of 'British fair play,' that I, with many others, have been persuaded he is what he represents himself to be. If he is kindly and considerate in this matter be will see to it either that no subscription lists are sent round the Government Buildings or that in each room is placed a box with a slit in the lid into which the men can place their offerings without that publicity which they would otherwise be subjected to." __