THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1899.

Grey River Argus, Volume 57, Issue 10268, 26 April 1899, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1899.

It has occurred to us, in connection wiih the local public function now filling our eye, that Mr Seddon is not merely an enthusiast in the way of public functions — he has a perfect genius for them. Nunlfoer or quality is a matter of the purest indifference to him. He will talced them "on a face," or in detail, iust as may suit ths exigency of the hour. The greater the variety the greater the fun of the thing. Any question of latitude or longitude should not be taken into account in a case of that kind. It is always a question of public duty with Mr Seddon. We are really not poking fan at the Right Hongentleman. But his performances in the way of public functions such as laying foundation stones of hospitals, and other public institutions of a useful character, opening new roads and bridges and railways — ifc ia not easy to keep run of all he gets through in that way—attending banquets and balls and divers other junketings — and heaven only knows how many other similar performances having more or less of a social or festive character — he has got through during his Premiership is more than amazing. He has put up a record in this respect that will only probably be dealt with by the public statist ab some future day. What a courage he must have ! what a vitality! to fight his way through it all — -and without turning a hair or losing even an ounce of flesh. We are even pre-

pared to believe that he goes through the wild whirl of functionising of one kind and another, without losing a night's rest. We never saw the like of it, nor did any one else until the present era of the Triumph of Liberalism and Democracy. Mr Seddon has performed more public work in the way of functionising than all the Premiers the colony has ever seen since ; the colony was . first granted constitutional government. Unbounded activity is as much a characteristic of : the Premier os meiutal or physical J strength is. He must be making things hum somewhere or othe* in some <

shape or form. He was intended by Nature for a "rustler" of the most resistless order. That is the usual destiny of men built on his lines anid with his buoyant temperament. "We have often been quite dazed at the celerity with which he appears and reappears all over the colony as if it was a huge morass andhe its particular will-o' the- wisp — and always busy, keeping a tight hold of all the strings of public business ; for nothing is left unattended to. Here is where his private secretaries come- in — and, we should not forget the tele graph wire — nor the special trains' This new style has grown gradually upon us. It undoubtedly possesses many advantages. We are not quite prepared to say on which side of the old or new method the balance of public benefit lies. We are free to admit that a vaster amount of ministerial work is now done than was ever known in the colony before, and with ten time 3 the celerity. The question of increased cost will not be too narrowly scrutinised in a case of that kind. Nothing but a genius for organisation and a rare power of execution could possibly meet the case. Why, in the matter of deputations the revolution or reform — take either name — has been as compete.. as. in every other direction. Deputations do not now have to. go to Wellington to interview the : . ; Government — Government comes to them, and does their local business for them at. their own door "free, gratis]and for nothing," as the saying is. There was probably no public man so well known throughout the length and in every .corner of the country or colony the size of New Zealand so personally well known as our Premier. He has been everywhere, seen everyone who is anybody at all, ■ and has all their local public; affairs at his fingers' ends. Like the Bird of Jove, the beat of his pinions! are never out of the air ; they fill the' land. Whether Mr Seddon's highly original and revolutionary way of I doing things and carrying on the. administration of the aftairs of the colony is altogether acceptable:td. the Oppoaition^oes not cost him a thought. It is; pkin to be seen that ...all this apparently mere jnnketing ;^and gallivanting are not disagreeable to the people. They take it all : as a matter of course and the correct, thing; to do. Mr Seddon's method of rushing things along in his own waymayjof^ course, be used as a bone of contentionnext session. But if it should, thW result is a foregone conclusion.' . , It will be a case of "no effecte." Mr Seddon'j in his light and airy ;way will brush all the objectors aside— and succeed, probably, in making more capital for himself than ever, and.finally r ;may be, wind up by singing, to - the House in his best voice, 'Oh, Richard is himself again !