THE BANQUET TO MR. SEDDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11887, 12 February 1902, Page 4

THE BANQUET TO MR. SEDDON.

Some of the speakers at the meeting last night in connection with the' proposal to entertain the Premier at a banquet in Auckland before his departure to attend the Coronation ceremonies in London waxed wroth at the comments of this journal on the -first meeting held. But they entirely misunderstood the tenor of our remarks. We are quite in sympathy with the proposal because, firstly, the King's invitation to Mr. Seddon is an invitation to him as the official representative of the majority of the people of the colony in virtue of his position as head of the Government, and secondly, because we believe Mr. Seddon has done more than any other colonial statesman to give practical effect to the Imperialistic spirit which the war has created throughout the British Empire, and more particularly in New Zealand. What we objected to was that a movement intended to honour a statesman for services rendered to the Empire on behalf of the whole people of. the colony should degenerate into a narrow and purely party ovation, organised by a political clique, and in no way representative of the citizens of Auckland as a whole. Such a proceeding would, Ave are confident, have been distasteful to Mr. Sedclon himself, who must desire to be regarded on a great historic occasion of this kind not as the leader of a party but as the honoured representative of the people of New Zealand, without regard to political differences. To ensure the success of the movement in this connection it was essential that the Mayor, as the chief representative of the city, should place himself at the head of the movement and keep it clear of all party colouring. He has now done so, and we hope that his efforts will be crowned with success.