A LIBERAL DEMONSTRATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 20

A LIBERAL DEMONSTRATION.

PRESENTATIONS TO MB *«v — WLb SEDDON. Wellington, July ai. The Opera m Saturday mglv on J> J ? Liberul p:i rty nr aniTlrs s'Sdon 'in honour of *• Mr William M'^*';,; filled by chair, and seats on U £«?* {h& G m. members of .the Mimstt^ rooin ber ß onent party, m the U^ otUer of the L^^So the right hpn. porters and f ™£* ian , in his opening gentleman. Fhet war , m£my y address, referred at lenguj i drf lus tions Mr Seddon had jgj c briefly eulogSJ&^^feadmin^ationof^ mmmi wmmmrn Steh ft an b d d aioToß^ik of appreciation of hw service* in the Liberal cause. _ Mrs F"M«m appropriately rephed in a few W mV"' HetMon, who was enthusiastically re reived also spoke, and expressed his warmest thanks' for the honour that had been conferred on his wife and helpmate. He said he greatly appreciated the kindness that had been extended to one without whoso help and ad wee ho would never have been Prime Minister of the colony. A "-old watch and chain, suitably inscribed, and an addrc^ were also presented to Mr Seddon. The address set forth that his sup porters rejoiced that he had held the honourable position of leader of the people of Now Zealand for a longer period than any of his predecessors, and they acknowledged that as leader of the progressive party he had ever done his utmost to better the conditions of life of tho inhabitants of the colony.

Mr J- Kerr, M.L.C., offered a few congratulatory remarks, in which he made brief reference to the many good and worthy measures Mr Seddon had passed through the Legislature for the benefit of the people. He now looked upon Mr Seddon as " the Grand Old Man of New Zealand."

Tiie lion. W. M'Oullpugh, M.L.C., expressed his pleasure at being present on such an occasion, and thought the Liberals of Wellington had done the proper tiling in thus recognising the good services of the leader of the party and his worthy wife. On behalf of the Liberals of Auckland, he heartily concurred in all that had fallen from the previous speakers and in the sentiments expressed in the addre-* uro^cnled to Mr and Mrs Seddon.

Mi* Millar, M.11.U., aUo spoke. He said if the presentation had beon made a national one the call would have^ been willingly responded to by Liberals in all parts of the colony. lie declared that until the Ballance party came into power there had never been an honest attempt made by any Government to better the conditions of the masses.

Mr H. A. Oornford (of Napier) and Mr jGeo. Fisher, M.H.R., added their congratvi-

lations to the right hon. gentleman upon his many years of public usefulness.

Mr .Seddon, in returning thanks for ihe presentations that had been niado to him, said it was pleasing for a public man to know that his humble services were appreciated by his fellow-mon. lie felt that ho was not worthy of the good words that had beeu spoken, and iho kindness that had been extended lo him, and thoso dear to him. lie could say, however, that ho had without faltering done his best to promote Ihe wellbeing of the peoplo of the colony. It could never be said of him that when a just claim came before Parliament ho had not done what was right according to his lights. Ho claimed that his Government had greatly benefited the masses, while property-owners had nothing to complain of, and the ' Minister for Lands had greatly promoted the settlement of the people on the land. He predicted a great future for the mining industry, which would tend (o make New Zealand ono of the most prosperous countries on the face of tho globe, no combated the contention that the Government had set class against class, and said he hoped this would never bo done by any party in power. If during the last few years the condition of tho toilers of the colony had been considerably bettered, as ho contended it had, he asked no praise for himself. Tho credit rested will) the people themselves, who had returned their own lepresentatives to Parliament. He ridiculed the oft-repeated story that, the finances of New Zealand were in jeopardy, and asked where was Iho proof of tho statement that tho Government had lost the confidence of the country? The Opposition wero believed to be panting to get before the people, but he was at any time prepared to lay the works of the Liberal parly at the feet, of the people and let them judge. 110 deprecated the fact <hat on some occasions acrimony and personal abuse woro carried beyond the pro cincts of Parliament. In concluding what was a very brief speech, Mr Seddon again expressed his warmest thanks for the honour ho and his wife had received that evening, making paiticular mention of the clevet and beautiful workmanship contained in the od drfs-sea and jewellery. Mr Wilson, M.H.1!., on behalf of Iho com mitte-* which organised tlif> donumstrati-jn, thanked the audience for (hoir atlondai c\ and expressed the opinion that tho <>al!u'rn:<> would do a gioa.l amount of good lo ILo Liberal parly.

In response to loud calls, the Hon. J. G. Ward, M.11.X., ranio forward and said ha wished, in the most earnest sense, to expioss his warmest regards for the "record" Premier of New Zealand and his most estimable wife.

The mooting concluded with a vole of thanks to tho chairman.

In an notion al Perth (West Australia), in which W Kiflin Thomas sued Andrew Neilson for wrongful arrest, Ihe jury assessed the damages at £1250.

About nine miles from Stratford, clo>o alongside the Waiwiri road, is a curious bubterranean stream. It flows in a natural nilvert of shell rock, which lias been explored for some seven or eight chains, and found to be of a height sufficient for a man to walk upright in and to have throughout walls and roof of the above material. From the outlet lo the hollow of the ridgo where the stream takes its rise is about a quarter of a mile, and probably the same formation ox tends to the ridgo. for on the other side of it there are large faces of shell rook