THE PREMIER'S TOUR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8102, 4 October 1904, Page 2

THE PREMIER'S TOUR.

A DAY OF INCIDENTS.

(New Zealand Times.) GREYMOUTH, October 2. The Premier's party left Hokitika about midday by road for Kumara. The first incident of the day's journey, which was typical of many afterwards, was the meeting of an old man on the roadside, who said, "I stood on my legs for six bloomin' hours on jubilee day, and I liave just -stood another two hours ! ' A mile or two further along we arrived at the Maori pah at Arahura. HISTORIC STAFFORD. A few miles more brought us to the historical town of Stafford, now a blownout candle. The party pulled up in front of a ramshackle place where the Arahura Road Board used to meet. This was the first public body to which Mr Seddon was elected, and he recalled the first battles he ever fought as a public man. A few doors off. looking very musty and unused, is tho old Court-house. Here some of Mr Sedddn's earliest speeches were delivered, and he practised as a miner's advocate. Mr Seddon and the members of his family rode up to the cemetery to see some family graves, and the rest-ing-places of many of the eight hundred whose votes decided the first election that Mr Seddon won. Further on in the same village is the school of which Mr Seddon was head in the capacity of Chairman of Committtee.

THE WEST COAST VETERANS. One picturesque figure, chid in loose shirt, gum-boots, and broad felt hat. jumped, dripping, out of hi*3 race, and stood, hat in hand, chatting with his oldtime acquaintance for a few minutes, .and

then dashed off again to save his pan from being carried away by the stream. There were men eighty years of age, who had seen fifty years of the Coast; foreigners, with whom Mr Seddon had played their national games: and deputations of hoary veterans standing on their flooded <-ect:ons, and asking protection from the inroads of the Waimea Creek, caused by an ininuity undreamt of in the days when they themselves were the newest. GOLDSBOROUGtf. Goldsborough was full of history and incident. On the right-hand s'de of the road, before crossing the creek into the township, stands an ashy-colored build'ng that had been handsome. It is a relic of the first fitrhts for secular and national education. The old Hibernian school denominationalisjn wa3 one of the first inHtitutions against which Mr Seddon set his face. There was a very fine Roman Catholic priest — a Frenchman. Father Chererie — who championed the cause of sectarian education, and th« two. debated the question on the public platforms. The miners resented- the interference of the church in politics, and Mr Seddon got thyir confidence at the ballot. It was some time afterwards that the Hibernian school was closed, and now the national system obtains in Goldsborough. Goldsborough was the scene of most nf the Premier's athletic feats, particularly in wrestling and running. Just across the road from tin? Helvetia Hotel is the old Court-house, and- around it the j "convincing grpund* •' " The law was always tedious,, and occasionally unsatisfactory, and many of the old miners preferred to test the law and equity of a dispute by I the arbitrament of Knuckles on the con1 vincing ground* A PATHETIC INCIDENT. There was a very striking gathering of veterans in the. Helvetia Hotel to welcome Mr. Seopon. There were eleven of them. The first was a young man, only 67 years old ; the others ranged up to 81, and averaged about 72 years. They belonged to a class that converged on the diggings from all parts of the world. There were Austrians, Swiss, Italians, Russians, Finns, Germans, and Danes. Although they spoke different languages there was a common code of comradeship amongst them. "Although in their enjoyment they kept to their own people and nationalities," said Mr Seddon, in addressing the gathering, "yet I have seen them working adjoining claims, helping each other, and putting each other on the pold." The interview between the frail, decrepit, old diggers and their strong, burly comrade of former days was a touching one. The veterans, one after another, rose, with faulty accent and stammering diction, to retell some, old t4fe at the diggings. "There are only a few *»f you left," said Mr Seddon. "If 1 don't find you hero to met me, I go to the hospital for you, and if you are not there I find you on the hill. You have been manly, good colonists, and have done your part. You have fought the battles of pioneering, as nobly as ever soldier fought fpfr Kmg and country." In his expenwuee of nearly 40 years on tjhe Coast, said the Premier, he had. found them always nature's gentlemen. So long as they had a pick and shovel, and could work, they were independent, and when they got the old-age pension, he took it they were receiving what the colony owed them.

"MY OLD MATE.". At the top of the bill before, tb* voad> drops down into Knmara, t,h«e is a usai little 'cottage, scrupulously, «)iw, surrounded by a t% kitchen garden, with goats bleating in nn adjoining enclosure. Th» Js the residence of Mr James Steele, Mr Seddon's mate on the diggings. He is a broad, full-chested, sun-tanned Englishman, full of joviality, and carrying his years lightly. He was one of the origtnal owners of the Fardowner's claim in Bendiip), and has been one of the .staunches* friends of Mr Seddoir during his whole life in. New Zealand. Mrs SteeU, wkd," is well and strong a. * much younger, nursed a>9*t *H of the Beddon children, an£ has a comprehensive collection oj, photographs of the family. Kumara was reached about half-past five. After taarinv deputations, Mr Seddon mounted his hone again, and rode to Kumara Junction, miking 23 miles for the day. Greymouth waa reached about a quarter to ten. Eight deputations had then to be heard and Mr Seddon was not free until long after midnight In addition to ridinjf 25 miles, he spoke to hundreds of friends, heard 12 depuU, tions and travelled some distance. %y rail • By the time the )fat, cUjanfitfon dispersed into the darkness thin morning, Mr Sedd,on looked very fatigued. To-day he looks better, and is tilrfog almost com. pltte rest.