The Pahiatua Herald with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. MONDAY. AUGUST 00, 1897. MR SEDDON’S RETURN.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume V, Issue 537, 30 August 1897, Page 2

The Pahiatua Herald with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. MONDAY. AUGUST 00, 1897. MR SEDDON’S RETURN.

There is quite a hubbub in Wellington concerning the reception to be tendered to the Premier, the Right Honorable R. J. Seddon, on his return from tho Diamond Jubilee celebrations in England ; and party feeling is in consequence strained to a severer tension than at any period since the last genoral election. Personally we fail to see tho necessity of any reception whatever. The Premiers of tho Australian colonies have returned and settled down to work without any unusual fuss, and the proper course would have been to allow Mr Seddon to do likewise. But once the reception was definitely decided upon it undoubtedly should havo been made of a strictly non-political character. The Premier returns not as Mr Seddon, leader of the Liberal Party in the colony, but as the Premier of New Zealand, the people’s representative at a national celebration. Why drag in the question of political color at all ? It can only serve, as has already been proved, to accentuato and intensify party hatred and tend to make tho coming sesnon of Parliament a bitter and acrimonious one. The letters of Lady Stout and Mr Duthie, declining to assist in any way in the reception, were a gratuitous insult to every Liberal in the colony, containing as they did wholesale charges of corruption and political turpitude against the whole party. The letters displayed a narrowness of mind and dogreo of prejudice that could only be attributed to moan jealously and envy and disappointed ambition. No moro pitiablo display of spite has ever been witnessed. It is gratifying to know, however, that these ebullitions will recoil on tho writers in subjecting them to the contempt of every member, not only of tho Liboral Party but of tho Opposition as well. The display of venom was quito uncalled for. Jlad these people not cared to act on tho reception committee, tho proper cturse was obviously to havo declined in the ordinary wily, and not to have rushed into print with a sheaf of charges against three-fourths of the voters of the oolony. Surely on tho common platform of a reception to New Zealand’s representative at Ihc most unique and interesting celebration the worl I has ever witnessed tho petty c m i icration of personal disappointment might havo been temporarily iaid aside. Thoro is surely room there for all. To the honor of tho Opposition Party it must be said that these are isolated instances of spleen and prejudice. The leudors, including Captain Russell, aro ablo to take a broader view of tho matter and regard it not as a party but as a colonial welcome to a returning representative. Whilo still maintaining that any reception was unnecessary, we nevertheless hope that as it has been decided

upon the welcome home will be unanimously joined in by every party.