PRESENTATION TO MR SEDDON.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2356, 30 March 1897, Page 4

PRESENTATION TO MR SEDDON.

. ■ ■ . ... ♦. — : — (Bx Tklegraph.) WELLINGTON, March 29. A deputation from the Marine Engineers' Institute waited on the Premier, and pressnted him with ' an album [containing more than 200 signatures of members prefaced, by an illuminated address which alluded to the valuable services rendered by the Government m passing the Shipping and Seamen's Act and advocating their cause. Mr Pay ten, m making the presentation, said that the Act had been discussed at the annual dinner of the marine engineers and naval architects]at Home, by whom complimentary letters were. sent, to the secretary here. The Act liad also been favourably criticised by the engineering journals m England and America. He hoped' the Premier, when he went Home, would wake up the Board of Trade upon this matter. He alluded to the fact that Mr >Seddon was one of the cloth. The Premier said he took it that the presentation was really meant for all who had helped to pass the Act. He agreed that the colony was ahead of the Old Country m shipping legislation, despite the efforts of Mr Plimsoll, to whose memory he paid the highest tribute. The New Zealand Parliament had only done itß duty to the engineers tvnd the people of the colony as well. He mentioned the surprise with which the recent Conference of Premiers had heard some of the provisions of the Act, which he told them would be useful m coping with the difliculties that faced them m Australia. In Victoria, he found m a high position a man whohadbeen a fellow apprentice with himself. He had just received a letter from another under ivhom he was taught the trade of engineer at Home. The Premier was then asked to present the Institute's gold badges to Messrs Payten, Robs, and Kelly, and was himself presented with the honorary asso-. date's badge, which he was told would beep him an engineer the rest of his life. Mr Seddon remarked that no doubt this would be said to be only the forerunner of other stars or decorations, but time would show that he valued it quite as much as any rewards that might be bestowed on him for his political services. He urged that more* attention be paid to technical education, m which respect both England and the colonies were falling behind the Continent, especially Germany.