RESOLUTION BY CITY COUNCIL

Colonist, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11668, 2 July 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

RESOLUTION BY CITY COUNCIL

At the meeting of the City Council on Friday his Worship the Mayor rose and said he had a melancholy task to perform. He moved : "That this Council desires to place on record its sincere sorrow at the death of the Right Hon. R. J. Soddon, late Premier of thisUolony, and also to express its deepest sympathy with Mrs Seddon and her family in their sad bereavement. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Premier, the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, and to Mrg Seddon " He said it was rarely such a man as MrSeddoo graced any Parliament House. By his willforce and indomitable energy he had won a position that was iarely occupied by a man in the British Empire, for, indeed, he won the higheat position any man could hope to attain. By the tribute of Mr Massey, the "Leader of the Opposition, was seen very plainly what was the estimation in whioh he "was held by his political opponents. No one could but admire his quick perceptive faculty in recognising the worth of the popular side of a question. He thought that was seen plainly in his action in sending contingents to South Africa. While others thought he acted. He was able to meet all demands, and he won his fame in the British Empire. (Hear, hear). In his opinion tnere were two measures in connection with whioh the late Premier would be held in the highest honor. He referred to the Conciliation and Arbitration Act and the Old Age Pensions Act. (Hear, hear). Whatever the outcome of the former Act, it had been a great gain. By the Old Age Pensions Act, he believed Mr Seddon would be best remembered. He, the speaker, had had much to do, in his otiicial capacity, in the administration of these old age pensions, and, though abuses miybt have occurred, he could say that it was a boon and a blessing to the aged poor. (Hear, hear). He had Been homes, before the pensions were provided, where the pinch of poverty had been felt, and whore there was such a distaste of charitable aid that j starvation, almost, had been faced, i and he had seen those homes since, ! when the aged poor had been lifted I up, and comfort iiad come again by firesides where it had not been since the younger years, by that measure Mr Seddon had lightened the going to that bourne from which no traveller returns. It was because the liivjht Hon. gentleman was the foremost man during troublous times in carrying through measures for the general good that he, the speaker, thought iiis name should bo j recorded with the names of those who hud done worthy actions for the human race. He did non wish to say more, but would ask Cr Lightband, as the oldest Uouncilor, to second the motion. Cr Lightband said that his Worship had voiced, in a very able j manner, the feelings of Councilors. • He had recognised the living force j and the work of the Right Hon. gentleman they now mourned. A greater man the Colony had never known, and not one of them had received the news of his death without emotion. He, himself, had known Mr Seddon as a member of Parliai ment, and more intimately since he had been Premier, and he could boar witness of the high feelings which actuated him. He mentioned instances when Mr Seddon had crossed (he mad to shako hands wifch old residents and diggers he had met long ago, and alluded to his great work as Premier, to his force of character, and the good work he had i done for the Colony and the Empire. He was proud to second the motion, though he grieved the occasion. i Cr Atmore said one could agree with every word that had fallen from the mover and seconder of the resolution. They had lost the greatest statesman in the colonies, and he I pointed to the feeling in, Australia. To appreciate what the Mayor had said ragarding old age pensions, one had only to go to the Post Office on pay day. He believed that Mr Seddon's most distinguished work would be recognised in bis domestic legislation, but he referred to his action in trying to avoid future trouble in the Pacific by his action in to the New Hebrides. They! all deplored the greatest loss that had ever befallen New Zealand, in the loss of one who, when the history of the Colony was written, would loom largest. (Hear, hear. ) Cr Grace said that they were of one mmd — that the loss they had sustained was irreparable. Mr Seddon has loomed so large that now he was gone he had left a void that could not be filled. He regarded as the greatest proof of Mr Seddon's greatness that whereas when be took ov6r the leadership he was met with great opposition — and that even ; on his own side — at the time i of his death practically the whole i of .the Colony was with him. The true reason of this was that| he had governed New Zealand for the benefit i of the whole community. He was : obliged to level upward, and"how i successfully had he done so- True ' he did not finish his work, and he indicated some directions in which < he would have effected improve- ' ments, including the better remuneration of journalists and or school teachers. The motion was then put and car- i ried, and the Council adjourned for 1 a quarter of an hour as a mark of respect.