THE WESTLAND SEAT.

Observer, Volume XXVI, Issue 44, 21 July 1906, Page 2

THE WESTLAND SEAT.

West Coast Only Moderately Loyal.

THE sentiment of Mr Michel that the West Coast would make itself the laughing stock of the colony if it elected young Tom Seddon to the seat bo long and honourably filled by his late father was as vain as it was audacious. Laughing stock or not, the West Coast has returned Mr - Seddon by a majority of between six and seven hundred, and the whole country will cordially approve of this course. Whatever may be Mr Michel's qualifications as a legislator, and we have only his own word that he is the better man of the two, Westland owes .■ to the late Mr Seddon a debt of gratitude that it can never repay, and the ■ election of the late member's son to the father's seat was a slight and reasonable acknowledgment of the : claims of the Seddon family upon -. Westland's sympathy and gratitude. " This is wholly apart from any consideration of young Mr Seddon's ' qualifications, and these are held to folly justify his election. — —> ■—> What has surprised many people in connection with the contest is the significant fact that 1700 persons on the West Coast should have voted against a Seddon. But this is a fair example of human nature in these ■ decadent days. A moderate majority of the West Coasters were loyal to their dead chief, and eager alike to do honour to his memory and to bis family, but what of the others? A year ago, when Mr Seddon was alive, it would not have been safe to have uttered a word on the West Coast against him or his policy. When he toured the district, every voice was raised in demonstrative approbation and every knee was bowed in fulsome - adulation. People fought for the honoXir of clasping his hand, and of robbing elbows with him, and none r held back looking askance. Was it - the glamour o~f power and fame that created this popularity, or was Mr , Seddon loved for himself alone? The " election last week must be the answer. .'• Mr Seddon is dead. Somewher; about < 2400. people voted for his son as a '■■„. candidate, for the seat that the father * had honourably held for twenby-seren ? -ears. Somewhere about 1700 voted or Mr Michel, an individual who does ' : not appear to' have been heard of out- '■' side the West Coast, and who was Srepared to aid in reversing a part of Ir Seddon's great policy.

This serves to show what popularity is_ worth even amongst the democracy. Six months ago, a wheelbarrow would have been accepted and elected for a West Coast constituency, if Mr Seddon had labelled it with his name. To-day, his so n is compelled* to fight Btrenuously for his father's seat against an opponent wholly unknown to political life, and the "votes of 17uO of his father's idolizers, the West Coasters for whom everything was done, atfe cast against him. But what of that 1 John Ballance, one of the greatest champions of the people's party, is already forgotten, and a recent visitor to his grave in Wanganui asserts that it is neglected and covered with weeds. How long will the gratitude of the democracy of New Zealand^to the late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon last? Already, it is sordidly being contended that the cost of a suitable national memorial should be paid for by the State, and should not come out of the pockets of the people for whom he accomplished so ti.ucb.

We offer young Mr Seddon our hearty congratulations on his success. The energy and ability with which he conducted thie campaign show that he is a true chip of the old block. A certain section of the press professes to deplore, in his own interests, the fact that he has destroyed a promising professional career by taking up politics at an early age. But, if the truth were known, this section of the press was probably very anxious tor the permanent disappearance of the name of Seddon altogether from New Zealand political life. Young Mr Seddon has no reason to be dismayed because of the sacrifice of his professional prospects. They are not sacrificed, and never will be sacrificed, unless he chooses to sacrifice them.

Tom Seddon is a member of Parliament and not a Minister. Eight months of the year remain to him in which to pursue his legal studies and to continue his professional career, and, if such great legal lights as Sir Robert Stout, Mr F. E. Baurae and Mr Wilford could follow politics without sacrificing tht-ir professional careers, there is no reason whatever why young Tom Seddon should not do so, also, seeing that his professional location and the legislative halls are in close proximity to each other. However, Tom Seddon is now a member of the New Zealand Parliament, and we wish him a career as full of brilliancy and great achievements as that of his illustrious father.