The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1910. THE SEDDON MEMORIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14210, 27 May 1910, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1910. THE SEDDON MEMORIAL.

The people of Westland have done the right thing, and 110 more than the right thing, in erecting a life-size marblo statuo to the memory of tho late It. .J. Seddon, whose career as a. local representative and a Dominion statesman had given Westland so much to he proud of while he lived. "Whether one agreed with Mr Seddon in his political aims and methods or not, it was always admitted that he was a remarkable man, whose infiuonco upon public opinion was greater perhaps than he himself imagined. It has out- . lasted his own existence, for he gave to public opinion on many points a. direction that will he maintained, and nil impetus thai will carry it far into tho future. One can see now that had he known his power he could have done more than he did. The public respect a strong leader, and like to he. boldly led, even if somewhat sceptical of tho wisdom of the leading, so that it is leading and not driving—or seems to be leading, though driving. They miss now Mr Seddon's forcefulness, industry, and promptitude; his readiness to do at once things that he saw needed to be done. Mr Seddon nevar forgot that he was a "Westcoaster. The TVest-coasters should not forget it either; and the statue which has just been unveiled (and which is said to he a very good likeness) will, it is to be hoped, long bo a reminder to the residents of Hokitika, and to visitors there, of the man who not merely held the reins of government in New Zealand for a long time, but gave a new colour to the political life of the 1 country. It is remarkable, though comprehensible, how quickly the statesmen of the past, and the services they rendered, are forgotten. This is the ease everywhere, doubtless, but in a young country, where conditions of life of all kinds change rapidly, the veil of oblivion falls more quickly. Ivea in the narrower field of a pro.-

vit«:iiil di.-.tricj. Mm of lim-h '•"• hj" ;ervice in the pn.- ; t :-/iou unl i>» n/'ls a> t o.'r.mrlrsrs of t}.i•ir deed.-. '(!»•. (;•>•)'<•;.• falitllfi, 'the Roik-Mon Maine, i: i < iiij-J. church, y.rn {(,]■ ;ii] hill, i'- a mh in I e:,i r;;j I ll'.'ieuoil of I In; ;)r>rni];i i nni l.il 1"' - merely decorative oh|eets to '■!'■ ire at, i" parsing, evoking no iiinit ir v, or in/jinr.v eliciting 110 iilnniill:t>.il1;_c reply. 'I ii<> namo ot" Helton .Mooreiionse. mieht recall a. tunnel, if so much as that. li one named Sir .Julius Vogel—the man who started Xt",f Zealand 011 the way to its prcntsnt prosperity—llio f|Uest.ion oiio might expect from tho runjority of the younger adults of Nov.- Zealand, .and the younger still, would bo " Vogel! Who 011 earth was Vogel !•"" And to tho average woman voter the, name "Sir John Hall" recalls 110 claim to gratitude. There are complaints about the inadeouateness of the teaching of history in own schools; and when ono thinlc3 of it, it must he admitted to ho u. gravo mistake lo allow great public men and their services to ho forgotten. For their example is of permanent value, though the work they actually did may have perished, or have been eclipsed in magnitude by later efforts assisted by greater facilities. Therefore, when Mr J nines Allen comes to the elaboration of his ideas regarding a "national life " for Xi:v,' Zealand, it may be anticipated that he will give an important place in his sketch plan to the history of New Zealand, told, not ns a series of events, but as a succession of stories of its men and women who have done, or tried to do. noteworthy things in helping New Zealanders to become a nation.