RETURN OF THE PREMIER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10919, 28 September 1897, Page 2

RETURN OF THE PREMIER.

WELCOME IN-WELLINGTON.

Wellington, September 8. Notwithstanding the late arrival of the Wttikftre—owing, it is said, to the inferior coal purchased iv Sydoey,—tho reception accorded-to the K:ghfc Hon. JUf Seddon on his return to New Zealaud to-day was ft raos^ coidinl oue, though sit; one tima it looked as if it wquld ba marred by the delay. By a quarter to 3 a large crowd had collected ou Jervois qu!\y. and fclio adjacent streets, the procession began fcj foroi up, and the iuusic of binds rose above tho hum of ootiversatiou. A posse or police and rermnnenb Artillery was -lined-up on. tho whatt and kept clear a. apace in which members of the Reception Committee and ticketliolders v,ere congregated. A rumour spread that ihe Waikaro had uob jet been signalled and that the Premier might uot arrive till 5p m. jiftei-waitiagsome time ii; was ascertained that the Waikare had uot even been signalled from Farewell Spib, a vessel that had been ■sifiuf.lled as the Waikare beiug evidently the

Itunhiue, which by this time had arrived m port. Considerable disappointment was, expressed on this becoming known, and the crowd thinned somewhat. A great many, however, waited patiently hour after hcur, and at length a black ball hoisted on the yardarm of the bignal mast on Mount Victoria indicated a " steamer from the north." The Reception Committee held a hurriedly convened meeting, and it was decided fco wait, but some of the .processionists hail fjot tired oil waiting and left, while one or two of the bands also left gaps in the ranks. At length, jus!; as the clocks were striking half-past 4-, Iho TaUanuna, which had taken the Proniier and hi 3 party en board from the WaiUare, hove in sight and the languishing crowd became somewhat more animated. As tho steamer ncated the wh;tf & number of Maori men and women, wearing fUx and feathered mats over their European garments, performed a tmka of welcome. Mr Beddon was seen on the deck of tho vessel surrounded by his wife and daughters and numerous officials and friends, amongst the latter Vieiog the. Hon. John M'Kenzic, who had gob up from a sick bed in order to welcome hia chief. After the rhythmic chanting of the Maoris had subsided the crowd chseted, and

Mr Seddon, who'was looking in the fcesfc of good health, bowed hia acknowledgments again and aga:,n. Oae could not help remarking on the contrast of the tcsne oq the evening the Hon. Mr Seddon set; jail for England and' that when the Ifcglu H.W. Mr Seddon, P. 0., D.C.L., came back to Wellington, la poimuz r*iu ?.nd darkness, atteuded by only a few faithful adherents, who braved the elements to show their loyalty, ha set out. On a quiet spring evening he returned, greeted by the sight of admiring crowds that througed the wharf and clustered ou tha ships. As he drove away from'the wharf the cbeßrieg was renewed, Mid it was repeated aS different points along the Hue of route to Parliaments . House, where addresses-were presented. The precession, which composed most of the trade and labour organisations of the city, besides civic and other bodies, and -leading citizens, arrived at parliamentary grounds shoitly after 5 o'clock, and on M.^Seddmi stepping from his earrings to the dais the Girrisoa Ba.ud played " Home, sweat home." Andres-res were then presented by the eitizwji', the Women's Political League, the Womeu'q Democratic Union, the Fostou Bi.rough Council, &ni the Wairar*pa Liberal League, all of which welcomed the Premier and his-family-back'to the colony, referred to the dignity .ami honour' with which he had represented New Zealand in England, and expressed pleasure at the honour conferred on him. Among these oa the vat" form were the Ministers of the Crown, Archbishop Redwood, Dr AVaUitrs," members of tha Legislature,, anjd a large number of ladies. . Rir Seddon, replying on behalf of Mrs Ssddon and hiuise'sf for their great demonstration of welcome, said there was a time when iho lips could not give utterance to 'the ' feelings of the heart,, and that was bis positilu now. He felt that the welcome was a .national one—not onlj from, "those'present but from tha colonists as »• whole. Thea the speaker referred to the great pageantry, and said fchay little knew. «hat a f(ceue that Jubilea was and what ii; was to travel through istvea * miles of cheersl. It.was easily understood that there was real affection in England for tha colonistii; There were many living in the colony : who had never seen -their relatives in-'. England and who still loved and revered thorn, and w'nsn cheering the represent <tives oi the colonies that day those at Home were realiy wafting their feelings to their vela'ives—their kin sero33 the sea. The Qiwen, he said, was deeply' imprctsid on Jubilee D*y. He was close to her on that d»", and he was not surprised that she was moved. She was a noble Empress, who loved her subjects." When: shs started from, her palace until reaching the fooS of 56.. Paul's millions of voices cheered her aud 'gang the National Anthem," calling "God bless her ! God bless our noble Queen ! " Therefore was it to be wondered at tbab tha Qaeen wss deeply moved. He had been ea- * trusted with au address from the New Zea'aud Legislature for presentation to..her .•Majesty, a«d he had received a reply which, in his uiicd, should be deliverud in psrson to the people of NewZtalftud. He desired to jioiut out her •Majesty's desire to show to thoae. were seub ag" . representatives of her devoted subjects iv the colony the greatest honour possible, and said; it was understood the addresses'.■were to ha preaentsd to the Queen while she was seated in y a chitir, but her Majesty called for her Indian servant; aud, leanicf! on hi3arm, went round to where the presents were lying and where the Prime Ministers itood,' and received from . eich aad every Premier the addriss he w.s to' prtsent. In that &lone her Majesty slowed an (simple to the civilised world. H» had delivered to her Majesty the address in- the same' way as he had re.eived the addresses ab the hands of tha ; acting mayor and the ladies and gentlemen who had given them th&t day. He g^ve her Majesty an assurance of the loyalty of New Zsfiland colonists, and also of their loyalty to the '.Throne for our free and great Constitution. Her Majesty replied that she was greatly touched by the mauifestitions of loyalty ami devot'on to bhe Throne expressed ;'6n the completion of her sixtieth year's reigu, and«ho -nti* much gcsitified at the warmth shown by the New Zealand Pitrliameut. She requested him to convey her Ketriy thanks to the LegisUfcive Council aad Houdo of Koprejeufc&mei of New Zealand. Speaking as to the loyalty of the colonies h« said there wis no fulsome aduUttoa here, "and th're wsb no grovel iug. NewZ-a-land peojla wece loyal subjects, aud 10-ed their Queen, and,'should necessity arise, she'wou'.d-' find them behind ter.—(Cheers w.re theu given for the Quesn.) A 1", every place Mrs Seddon and ' Himself ' had visited they had been mostly cordially received, and IB would be. invidious for bitn to pay where they had the mist hearty welcauie. He went on to say thai!, notwithstanding his travels, he baa come to We conclusion that New Zealand was the finest country on earth—a statement which: was heartily cheered.' He was pleased to see that atieution was now -beiujj jdven toniterual• matfeis at Home, and that ths gie^t misses were having mattors to which thsy were ealnisd dealt with;- He then referred to ibe great men of the Empire — particularly sule'ghifig'- Mr ChttMterliio; who, ao said, voiced the pscpta; of the-British Empire. Hs wa3 pleased to sea thatsteps were being taksn by him to help tha masaes'iu England. Theu he reformed to others who"took aa interest in New Zealan ', meutioaidcr seve/al ex-Governors ; and ho-a'so paid a high tribute to Mr Grlndsfoß?.- To Sir Gsorga Giey also he paid the highest tribute, an-l eaid the • lsat Esessaae he , had reccnei from him before leaving was, "God- t-»Ke you in Hifl keeping." Speakiug as to »ha conference, he sftid that riiatterß of great momantto the Empire and New Zealand had been discussed, with a result that a stranger bond of affection v/as drawn .together,. wincSi would be indissoluble. On his mentioDinj-the New Zealand contingent cheers were given tor > them/and Mr Seddon said they bad gained for New Zealand the greatest of honours, and were placed amongst the fiwt iutho march past ou the great day at Aldershot. In concluding, the Premier said-he had iuno way pledged ths colony, and those who had-stated otherwise did not know theman'whom New ZsaUnd had seat Home to represent them. He know the Constitution under which the colony was governed, and he would not commit it without the sanction of Parliament. He briefly, on behalf oi Mrs Ssddon and himself, replied to the address of welcome, and the crowd, cheering, departed. Me aad Mrs Seddon are to be eat-Qitsuwd next week. . ■ •" ■'. « ■ -

The Mayor of Dunedin ■ despatched the following telegram to await fcbe Premier's arrival: — The Honourable Richard Sed.ion, LL.IX, Premier. I send my hearty congratulations on your sate return to New Zealand ami oa your eTtorts whilst ill KagUnd and elsewhere ou behalf of us ail. 1 trust that the cause of Imperial fed oration aj£ New Zealand especially will reap, as I feel sme they will in due time material advantage Irora. your visit to the Ho^.g«»^ OCRLErv Mayor.

The following congratulatory ■ telegram was sent from the president 'of the Womau-sl Fraachise League in this city:—

Tim Right Hon. Richard Seddon, Wellington: ■ Heartiest congratulations to yourself, Sirs Seddon, and, daughters on safe arrival on-the anniversary of women's franchise being carria.t in. New ZeriVua, and many thanks for P^ent.tjg our petitions to our Queeu, and your effort, ou behalf of womanhood suffrage at H^ iej lATToX _'. ' The mayor on the 9th received the following telegram in reply to that sent by him on the previous day :— . "I thank you sincerely for your hear y welcome and congratulations: I am agreea&ly surprised to find, that my humble snvices oa behalf of the colony in the mother land ate generally appreciated. I have hopes that many benefits will sccroe to ns from tee recent pro-ceedings.-R. ,J. Seddon, Wellington. Blrs Hatton received the following tele--8 " I have to thank you very sincerely for your congratulations toM.ra Seddob, daughters, and njyMtf-on our safe arrival home, minder as to the anniversary brings back to mi pLsant recollectiouß. Good ;work. has been :done to our colony, and you will be pleased to bear that there is every hops of itsi being «- tended to the other colonies and to the mother country at no distant date.-R. J. SffIMMW, •\YeilipgtoD-"

A.SERIES OE MISEOETUKES.

Auckland, September 1,

. Abraham John SUrke Gib'os, a. shipowner, ia a sworn statement in bankruptcy, said he bad been in biwinefs about 14 years -.In 1893 he w&3 about £2000 to the good, but since then he had a series of losses through the bankruptcies of people who owed him money, and a=so through the wreck of six of bio vessels-toe D'Arcy Pratt, Seabird. K*nilwortb, M»huvangi,Olive, and repairs to the l Jup>puka, which was driven ashore. His looses totalled £3765 snd he did not recover the insurance on any of the wrecked vessels. Since these reverses he had been obliged to mortgage nearly all his jniaU coasting vessels, and on the expiration of the morwes he was unable to renew, eonsequoutly The vessels were cold at a lou. 'Ac i ? med» c cause of his filing w*s that two of bif veswta h,d been seized by a creator who obhuued a iudemont against him. He oviei £727 10», -nd S.™U were £262 10,, leaving a defloicnqr ot £465. He could nob see bis way to suggest any. compromise.