FEDERAL PARLIAMENT'S ' RESOLUTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13202, 13 June 1906, Page 5

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT'S ' RESOLUTION.

EULOGY-BY MR. BEAK IN.

WARMHEARTED AND ELOQUENT . SPEECHES. THE HOUSE ADJOURNS. By Telegraph—Press Association.—Cop>'rijjiit» . (Received June 12, 10.41 p.m.) Melbourne, June 12. When the House of Representatives met to-day Mr. Deakin moved: — . That this House places on record its pro. found regret at the untimely <iec*case of Mr. Scad I ,on, and expresses its deep sympathy with Ms family and the people of New Zea- , land. " The motion." lie said, " is couched in simple terms, such a? becomes the man and this unhappy event. It suisly needs u«» justification "when we remember to whom it relates and his claim upon us us a man and as a statesman and a guest, who only on our last day of meeting occupied a chair oil the floor of the House. Under these circumstances. recalling that none of us could have apprehended that which has happened, since no one believed it possible that ■this would be the last Parliament upon which he would look, he has passed from us in the full strength of buoyant man- ■ hood, with his ■ great capacities unweaker.ed, capacities which have been manifested throughout his whole career. Those who had the privilege of being associated with him during his; stay in this country will realise how completely and entirely he fulfilled the duties cast upon him, and all those, many others which he. perhaps too generously, assumed. We looked upon hint as he came here crowned with success in his own country, where, after » long and . strong political life, he seemed to have won over to a sense of confidence and admiration the whole of the people whom he so admirably represented, and so do we remember the royal reception he received in Australia from all classes and all parties. (Hear, hear.) If we remind ourselves, as members of this Government are peculiarly able to do, of the manner in, which ho entered into the discussion with us of matters , of far-reaching importance and most intricate detail, exhibiting mastery of both principle and substance which witnessed to (lie . great extent of bis knowledge and the broad character of his political views—all those things seemed to give us the assurance of a much prolonged and splendidly progressing career, continuing, far beyond the hour at which we bade him good-bye. Never was man more alive than the right hon. gentleman proved himself during the duties and welcomes crowded on liim duriii!; his stav in Australia."

Mr. Den kin -continued : " Ho came to us as/ a. visitor, it is true, but a visitor w'no would have been honoured because of bis great achievements in the past, and the groat ideals with which lie was associated. if it had not been because of his abundantand most, impressive personality. (Hear. bear.) He was a man who stepped «(• once into the regard and esteem of all ■. • those with whom he associated. No • stranger could he be where in Australia, ; and particularly in this State, and thin city. It was in this city where lie first 1 larded in the new world, it was in this' £ State he worked as a mechanical engineer, (*- it was under the Government of-Victoria , that he was in the first instance /in em - .1* ployee. it was on our goldfields at Bal- 'ft larat that lie became a digger, and, as lie " \ was proud to admit, it was here that he ■ ~n won his helpmate to whom he owed so much, both in his private and his public >1* career. The mere recollection of his affection will soften the blow which ghat- , l •< tered her hopes, and laid her home desolate. It needs no turning to thai records'- to dignify, the memory of Mr. Seddon. The tasks that ho has . '. faced and accomplished are too opulent even for the briefest summary. The page* A of the Statute Book of New Zealand will . , contain for all time the Legislative embodimerit which he gave to his ennobled aims, '.7 and his administration, prolonged beyond any which we have ever witnessed in this MS hemisphere,, was equally 'crowded''wi'th Unnumbered deeds of usefulness and service to •* rji his country. lie has gone to his wellearned rest. - ; '< Mr. McLean, .on behaif of the Opposition, -/ said' lie seconded the motion so eloquently - " proposed by Mr. Deakin. There was something immeasurably sad in the reflection r ■ that a man who was amongst 'hem at the last meeting in full vigour, had in the interval gone to his last long horns. It would . |, be perhaps too much to tay that during his 'long public, "career _ Richard I Seddo'i had never committed any errors of judgment: ' • • still everyone among us would .cone.>.tie that he Mas a strong and powerful personality. * (Cheers.) He was a natural leader of men, ■ able, tactful, and resourceful. He was a .; true Democrat in the very highest sense 'of ;! 1 the term, and he deeply sympathised with all sufferings of the community, .>nd had the kindliest disposition towards all legitimate aspirations of the great masses of the people. A splendid patriotism he had al- ' ■ ways shown towards hi« adopted country. 1 but it was patriotism that was part and ■ . parcel of that wider patriotism, as a true Sj& ' Briton lie ever exhibited towards the great j;|| and gloriousoEmpire of which lie was so worthy a son. His name would live long in t"| the annals of his country to many succeed- ■; ing generations.

Mr. Watson said: "I desire merely to say that I join in even,* expression of re- g| gret uttered by the Prime Minister and tho - '5 Leader of the Opposition." The motion ivas agreed to unanimously, , , !j and the Speaker was requested to convey it " / v: ; to the Government of New Zealand. ' The House then adjourned. DEMOCRACY'S CHAMPION,"' (Received Juno 12, .3 a.m.) ;',- v MKUiouitNK, June 12. * ■ [ Mr. Deakiu reviewed Mr. Seddon's" career ' j at length, and, concluding, said: "His in- , ' ( domitable individuality is taken from us, ! leaving us poorer, and leaving a high place vacant, so absolutely vacant of . his potent . personality that we ask ourselves, ■ indeed, who is he that will be hold enough to . fill it? He leaves behind him a, great figure in the life ■of these new. . countries, and a great ligmy, even when' measured by the standards of the Mother ,v Country. ■ Mr. Watson, in bis remark*,, said lie " . would have preferred that Mr. SeddcmV life-work could have Tjcc'iT completed. He ' hoped, though ho was gone, lie work which .; l \ lie intended to promote would be still ear- ■; lied on. Australasian democracy, indeed, had lost its champion. . THE ILLUSTRIOUS DEAD. "\aVS| ( Sydney, June 12. - > A wreath from the New South Wales Government was sent aboard the Oswestry Grange yesterday with the following inscription:—"NcNw South Wales iwminia with Now Zealand for the illustrious dead." PROPOSED NAVAL ESCORT. Sydney, June 12. It had been suggested' to Mr. Carruthers that tilt; Oswestry Grange should be escorted |Jto New Zealand by a warship, and he corn- . ■ j municated in the matter with the State " . Governor (Sir Hurry Rawson), but.owing to the absence of the admiral commanding (Sir Wilmot Fawkes), who is now at sea, and the other vessels of the squadron being seat* _ Adtered, it was impracticable to do any- ■_ . thing. "' \ < LORD CHELMSFORD'S EULOGY. Unis»ANE, June 12. , * In the course of .laying the foundation* ' J stone of the new grandstand *of tho . " '' Queensland National -Association the Governor (Lord Chelmsford) said he thought it was only right and fitting that lie should ' say something with regard ; to. the great loss which New Zealand and the bereaved Empire had suffered in the death of Mr. Seddon. He was an elemental force in New Zealand, -and. he was one of those .' * ;■ who had eon described as one of those— $ "Which stood four-square to all the winds teat' blow." /jigg And ho was a. man— ■■ ' Whose life was work, whose language) - rife ■ • v. - " ■■ ■ . ■:-■■■. "■With* rugged maxims hewn rota life.'' / '' He felt, in making thin parsing allusion to Mr. Seddon that they in Australia would, ■ feci that the death of Mr SixMon was a loss not only to New Zealand,-but"to tho ''i Empire. . '