The Pahiatua Herald. with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1894.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 143, 2 May 1894, Page 2

The Pahiatua Herald. with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1894.

The Hon. Richard Seddon has developed a bad attack of swelled head. All the symptoms of the complaint have been present for a considerable time, and every now and again a , relaxation of the Premier’s wonted 1 vigilance has made glaringly apparent ! the rapid progress of a serious moral j disease, to which, unfortunately, most successful colonial politicians appear remarkably prone. Rut in the hauteur of his demeanour, and in his lofty disregard of the rights of others, Mr Seddon, we arc indeed sorry to ob--serve, bids fair to eclipse them all. His reception the other day of a deputation from unemployed working men was abs rutely insulting. Ilis a.iitude towards the guiudiggers up north was no less insulting. In replying to deputations generally he has adopted an overhearing and autocratic tone which ill suits the leader of a Liberal Government. Manly independence and straightforwardness is at all times commondable ; hut between independence! and contemptuous offhanded;,, ss there is a great gulf fixed. That gulf, however, Mr Seddon has cleared without difficulty. In assuming the attitude he has, he has degraded his high office ’and made of himself a living monument of the baneful influence of tho possession and ex rcise of too much Let it not ho understood that in writing thus we are condemning Mr Seddon’a policy. 1 1 is the autocratic manner of the man wo now object to. Ho is placed in a position where il ;; d >- •- -'ml J of V ill he shouM tv.am- j dbm’a "f ■ ’ • , hi i ti rand bravado !

which may seem natural enough in tho man, but which is decidedly out of place in the Minister. Every man, whatever his station, is entitled to courtesy from the Premier, whose apparent readiness to accept class distinctions gives an easy opening to those of his enemies who affect to mistrust his motives. Mr Seddon is paving the way for his own downfall, lie is kicking tho men on whose -boulders he climbed to power. The action is not a politio on.', as he will doubtless discover ere long. ,’t has, moreover, induced serious reflection the substance of which would he interesting, if not edifying, to th cause thereof.