MR SEDDON’S APPOINTMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 February 1930, Page 7

MR SEDDON’S APPOINTMENT

WAR PENSIONS CHAIRMAN , TO LEAVE WEST COAST (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February 14. The retirement of Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, for some years a Stipendiary Magistrate, and also Chairman of the War Pensions Board, is announced. The vacancy created on the War Pensions Board as chairman will be filled by the appointment to the position of Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon, ex-M.P., barrister and solicitor, of Greymouth. The other members of the Board, Dr. A. W. Izard and Mr. J. D. Harper, will be appointed for a further term. MR. SEDDON’S CAREER One of the best known of West Coasters, Mr. Thomas Edward Youd Seddon is the second son of the late ,Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, and was born at Kurfiara, where he commenced his education. He later attended the Terrace School, Wellington, the Wellington College, and Victoria College. He matriculated at Wellington College, became prefect and was a member of the Rugby team for three years; also school athletic champion, winning the Ranfurly Cup. He gained his LL.B, at Victoria College in 1916, and was for five years among the first-string sprinters, and a member of the football team. After leaving college, Mr. Seddon became a cleric in the legal office of' Findlay and Dalzell, Wellington. He commenced his Parliamentary career in 1906, on the death of his father, succeeding the latter as member for Westland. He held that position until 1922, when he was defeated by Mr J. O’Brien, M.P., Mr Seddon again represented Westland from 1925 until 1928, when Mr. O’Brien again became the member. Mr. Sed- ; don has always given his allegiance to the Liberal Party. He was offered the portfolio of Mines in th© Mackenzie Ministry, but declined the appointment. He has acted as Whip for the Liberal Party, and has always been closely connected with the interests of th© Westland electorate.

Enlisting as a private with the Hon. Downie Stewart, in 1915,. Mr. Seddon left New Zealand in January/1916, as adjutant to Colonel Allen, of the Ninth Reinforcements. He saw service in Egypt, at Armentieres, in Flanders, and at the first battle of the Somme, 1916. He was company-com-mander of the 12th Company, Canterbury Regiment, at Passchendaele, in 1917. After winning his captaincy in the field, Mr. Seddon was appointed aide-de-camp to Sir Andrew Russell. He was company-commander of the first Canterbury Company, Second Battalion, at the second battle of the Somme. He was selected from the New Zealand Division to lecture in the United States, in May, 1918, under Lord Beaverbrook’s propaganda scheme. Mr. Seddon is a member of the executive of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. He was selected as New Zealand delegate to the conference of Returned Soldiers’ Associations to meet the late Field-Mar-shall Haig in South Africa, but could not make the trip. Returning to New Zealand after the Great War, Mr. Seddon joined the staff of Chapman, Skerrett, Tripp, and Blair, at Wellington. He later joined the firm of Hannan and Seddon, Greymouth, with which he is still connected. He is the patron of numerous West Coast organisations, and has been People’s Warden at Holy Trinity Church, Greymouth, this year, filling the position with distinct success. Mrs Seddon, who, until her marriage in 1922 was Miss Beatrice Wood, of Christchurch, has been identified with the Greymouth branch of the Plunket Society since its inception, and is Commissioner for Westland of the Girl Guides. She is also a keen horticulturist. Questioned to-day as to the date of his departure for Wellington, Mr. Seddon replied that it was still indefinite. As Mr. Cooper’s term as chairman of the War Pensions Board expires today, however,'Mr. Seddon will probably leave Greymouth at an early date, lie expressed the hope that he would have sufficient time Io travel around the Westland electorate to say goodbye to tlio friends with whom he has been associated for the past twentyfour years.