THE PREMIER’S RETURN

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1511, 14 February 1901, Page 18

THE PREMIER’S RETURN

A WELCOME HOME

MR SEDDON AND THE EIGHTY CLUB.

The members of the Wellington Eighty Club were called together cn the 6th for the purpose of extending a welcome to the Right Honourable the Premier, on his return from the Australian Commonwealth celebrations. A few minutes after the Moncwai touched the wharf the president of the club, Mr T. Dwan, senr., accompauied by the Hon. R. H. J. Reeves, Messrs E. Wilson, T. Carmichael and others, shook hands with the Premier, and expressed their pleasure at seeing him looking so well after his well-earned holiday. Mr Dwan congratulated him upon the many good things he did while he was away, and referred to the manner in which he had safeguarded the interests of che colony. No gold lace or tinsel surroundings, the speaker said, had any effect upon Mr Seddon, for he had always-the interests of New Zealand at heart, and had always kept a level head. Mr Secidon was, he said, a ci’edit to the people of the colony, and the Eighty Club could not conscientiously see him return without. tendering heiarty congratulations to him and Mrs Seddon. Mr Dwan then referred to the position of the Eighty 'uiub, and to the opinion held regarding it by Lord Kimberley, the president of the Eighty Club of England. Lord Kimberley had referred to Mr Seddon, during the course of a conversation he had with the president, of the Wellington Club, in a most kindly manner. His Lordship stated that he considered Air Seddon to be a man of rare ability and end possessing creat judgment. Lord Kimberly, Mr Dwan said, on finding that the Wellington club was the only existing namesake of rhe English club, had given orders that the by-laws, pamphlets, speeches of Liberal leaders, etc., should be supplied to Mr Dwan and the Wellington club was now in possession of these documents. The speaker informed Air Seddon that it was intended to reorganise the club on the same lines as its great English model. The Premier briefly thanked the deputation for its hearty welcome.

Air and Airs Seddon are both looking well, and besides getting a public ovation, received, pf course, a very warm welcome from the family" circle which was on the wharf to meet them. Chatting with the pressmen, Mr Seddon said that all the visiting New Zealanders had been overwhelmed with kindness by the Australians. As for fejderaticn, everywhere one went in Australia and the subject was brought up, the verdict was : “You must come in with us.” No one seemed to be prepared with an answer to \ lie inevitable “Why?” except to indicate in a large and general way that die Australians and Neiw Zealanders are brothers—and that “you are one of ourselves, you knew you are.” Mr Seddon says the pleasantest day he spent in Australia was at the Williamstown railway workshops. He left there a smith, he went back a Premier and a representative man in every sense of the word. What enhanced the charm of the incident was the fact that our Prime Minister was able to grasp the hands of, and talk over old times with, comrades of his impetuous youth when he was lmt only a jolly good worker of iron, but also an all-round athlete and a recordbreaker of more than local teelebrity. The only difference was that ha had gene out and moulded a larger destiny, whilst they remained working away contentedly at their benches under the same old roof that had sheltered them and their comrade “Dick” in the ‘‘days when the world was wide.” It was, indeed, the happiest and most striking incident in all Mr Seddon’s happy and striking experiences in Australia.