The Hastings Standard Published Daily SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1897. THE PREMIER'S TOUR.

Hastings Standard, Issue 381, 24 July 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1897. THE PREMIER'S TOUR.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Aftkb an apparent pleasant sojourn of a couple of months in the Mother Country the Colonial Premiers are commencing to move homewards. The Right Hon. R. J. Seddon is to leave with his party shortly for the Continent, where he spends a week prior to embarking at Brindisi for Australia. Practically the result of the visits of the Colonial Premiers has in no way come up to expectations, and for this the fizzling of the conference with the Colonial Office officials is much to blame. The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain had sounded the Imperial tiumpet so loudly that the colonies looked for material advantages, directly and indirectly, by the Home-going of their representatives. The Premiers, however, have no doubt learned much that will be of benefit to their respective colonies. They have hobnobbed with royalty, have been banquetted in every quarter, have made speeches innumerable, and perhaps have found time to advertise in many ways the Islands of the South. Mr Seddon will no doubt claim that he alone is responsible for the material reduction in the shipping freights—a reduction that must mean thousands of pounds yearly to our sheep farmers —but according to many interested in the question the strings were pulled from this end instead of from London. We have heard little of the loan conversion scheme which was mooted, but a southern paper gives Mr Seddon credit for making preliminary negotiations in view of another loan. In a few weeks we will know exactly what the visit has done for New Zealand, and until then it will perhaps be unwise to assert that the trip has altogether been a failure. Mr Seddon is certainly to be congratulated on the happiness of his remarks at most of the social functions he attended, and many will be disappointed that he has done so well. The Press has been kind to him, and has put on record many of his most important sayings. The Loudon Spectator writes that " Mr Seddon struck a fine noce when he said that Maeauley's prophecy would never be fulfilled, because England could not go under till New Zealand had also succumbad. If England became a desert there would be no New Zeal&nder left to

sit on 3i broken arch of London Bridge while he sketched the ruins of St. Paul's." The Home News representative having asked him for a message which might be sent to the colonies, Mr Seddon said, " Tell Australasia that it has no idea how near it is to the Old Country." Mr Seddon's public utterances, the News remarks, " have been eminently characteristic and eminently happy. As one who believes in the future of women in the political sphere, he naturally regards the reign of the Queen as potent for good to every part of the Empire. To Britons at Home, ha says, it may not always have been so apparent as to colonists who are far away ' what a great force the Queen, in the personal sense, has been in the making of the Empire.' As for woman suffrage, what step of progress could have been more fitting in the Queen's reign? Imperial Federation, he thinks, will be brought about by work and faith, and the suggestion that progressive legislation in the colonies means separation from the Mother Country he denounces as a calumny. What more can the colonies want than they already have? Secession, according to Mr Seddon—and that he is right no sane politician would dispute—would mean the giving up of much for nothing." After a round of gaiety extending over three months Mr Seddon will find it hard immediately on his return to face what will probably prove a very stormy session. If Parliament does not meet on the date promised—and there is every probability of it not meeting then—the Government will find that many of the members of the Liberal Party are not as servile as was reported after the scramble through the short session. There is business enough to last Parliament foratleast four months, and an attempt ftill no doubt be made to bring the session to a close in half that time. Captain Russell and his lieutenants should profit by past experience and the storm will probably break on the first important question raised. Two of the Premier's colleagues, the Hon. J. Carroll and the 'Hon. W. Hall-Jones, have been feeling the country on the question of another loan—light line railways being thrown out as a sop —and it is quite on the cards that the financial proposals will include the raising of another million " for necessary works." If so the fireworks will commence.