THE PREMIER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12534, 22 June 1901, Page 6

THE PREMIER.

■ The Premier has been so long in the service of his country that we are apt to forget how young he really, is. He is fifty-six to-day, almost a decade off the age-limit of his own pension scheme. He combines the knowledge, and skill of an old campaigner with the heart of a boy, and his opponents know that if his great physical strength has diminished somewhat with constant labour, he can still meet the youngest of them in., a trial of endurance. He is actually the oldest of the “strong” Australian Premiers of the nineties, excepting Mr Reid', who is the same age. Sir John Forrest is fifty-four, Mr Kingston fifty-one, and Sir George Turner not quite fifty.' The present Federal Premier, Mr Barton, is fifty-two. Sir William Lyne, who succeeded Mr Reid, in New South Wales, is a year older than Mr Seddon, and, / curiously enough, the present Premier of the parent -State, Mr See, is the same age as our own Premier. The fifties are evidently popular among Australasian politicians. Few of them, however, have been so lon£ in the service of their States as the New Zealand leader, and only Sir John Forrest has such a record as Premier. Id these days no one needs to ask ; who is Premier of New Zealand, for, if we except, perhaps, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, no colonial statesman has so wide a reputation. Whether : we agree with Mr Seddon or not, whether we admire him or not, we cannot but marvel at the splendid persistence of his work, his untiring industry, and his great achievements. By sheer force of character ha brought himself absolutely to. the head of the State, and to-day he stands head and shoulders above, not only the other members of the Now Zealand Parliament, but also above Australasian politicians. The noncratulations which reach him to-

■ | |- day will not coma from New Zealand alone. And he has no opponents oh' Mb birthday; % we ate all his admirers for twenty-four hours. We are tempted! to ask whether some Imperial secret has not been well kept, and whether the Duke of York has not kept pome Iloudut for this day which is to rob us of our " plain Mr Seddon.” The colony would not be , satisfied with a mere knighthood fop nrt« t chosen leader, and if the hero is not to b« i a 1 peer, well, we shall all be better pleased to have him remain one ox ourselves, out “great commoner,”- We oongnstnlate Mr Seddon very heartily on reaching; this day. It brings no sign of diminished no evidence of decline in the starngth and influence of his Government. The fickle multitude may some day demand some : other man -for king; but whether ini hi* present , position or on the Opposition ■ benches, he should have many years before him to give to the service of his country,and we wish him many and happy days. |