THE PREMIERS IN ENGLAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5961, 28 August 1897, Page 6

THE PREMIERS IN ENGLAND.

THE END OrruE JUBILEE. WITH THE* G.O.M. TWO HOURS AT HAWARDEN. [From Our Correspondent.] LONDON, Jul* 16. Sir Wilfred Laurier, Mr Eeid and Mr Seddon, ciceroned by Lord and Lady Carrington, left Euston at nine on Saturday morning for Chester, en route to Hawarden and Llanrwst. Distinguished tourists are common in the first-named' ancient city, and their arrival attracted comparatively little attention. They drove at once in landaus to the Duke of Westminster's Palace at Eaton Hall, and looked over the house, picture galleries, gardens and stud farm. The family not being in residence, this took but a short time, and a move was then- made for Hawarden. Here they found the Park full of the picnic parties who come over from all parts of Wales and Lancashire for Saturday after.noon, and whose crowning glory, it is to catch sight (if only for a moment) of Mr Gladstone. .: The G.O.M. was— though looking all his four-score years— in great form, and took the lead in the entire proceedings, Mrs Gladstone, his daughters, and indeed everyone except Miss Dorothy Drew being quite subsidiary. Mr Morley, of the Daily News, who was present as a personal friend, says that after an inspection of the library the guests appeared on the terrace, Sir Wilfred Laurier and Mr Gladstone bringing Tip the rear, and took afternoon tea under a shady old hawthorn. The visit was a great success, and it is safe to say that no incident in the Premiers' experiences in this country will leave a deeper impression. The pleasure was mutual, and Mr Gladstoae was greatly interested in the presence at Hawardqn of statesmen who have upheld the Liberal flag in Britains beyond the sea. Let me say at once, however, that present day politics were entirely excluded from the interchange of ideas at Hawarden. The Colonial. Premiers are the guests of no party, but of the nation, and it was in this spirit that Mr Gladstone received them. They were much impressed by the range and variety of Mr Gladstone's conversation, and by his stores of reminiscence on subjects in which they were specially interested. Mr Gladstone mentioned that it was sixtytwo years since he was appointed UnderSecretary for the Colonies, and drawing on his own recollection of events in which he played no inconsiderable part — though this was a fact he did not mention — he spoke at length on the characteristics of the old colonial system, and on the great reforms introduced therein by Lord John Russell. To Sir W. Laurier Mr Gladstone spoke of tho Hudson's Bay Company, that great trading and exploring corporation whose romantic history still remains to be written. To Mr Seddon he talked about Sir George Grey, the grand old man of New Zealand. Mr Gladstone warmly congratulated Mr Reid on the success of his f reetrade policy, and declared that he was heart and soul with him. However, I am trenching upon private ground ; the conversation throughout was informal and familiar and not intended for publication. Sir W. Laurier, himself an accomplished orator, was much struck by the beauty and richness of Blr Gladstone's voice. One and all felt to the full the magnetism and charm of the great statesman. "Itis no wonder," said they, " that the man has exercised such great influence over his countrymen." The visitors were much interested in the peaceful and happy domestic circumstances of Mr Gladstone's life in retirement, but not less by his physical vigour and unfailing mental alertness. The kindness of Mr and Mrs Gladstone and their evident desire to make the visit pleasant, greatly charmed the visitors. They were especially struck by Mr Gladstone's courtesy and consideration in himself accompanying them to the station on the termination of. the visit. Before the party left Hawarden a photographer took several groups, and the Premiers will take copies home as among the most valued souvenirs of Jubilee year. AT GWTDTR CASTLE. The visit to Mr Gladstone concluded, Lord Carrington conveyed his visitors by special train along the Welsh coast to the beautiful Vale of Conway. The whole district was en fete for the occasion, and Llanrwst itself had gone in for extensive decorations and a volunteer escort. Of course there had to be a speech. The Welshmen presented an address, and Sir Wilfred Laurier replied. As usual he forgot he must answer for Mr Reid and Mr Seddon as well as himself, and was aggressively Canadian. Mr Seddon looked like orating for half an hour if let go. Lord Carrington and Mr Reid, however, wanted their dinners, so the procession moved hurriedly en to Gwydyr Castle. Mr Morley says that during dinner national airs and other music were played by one of the best harpists in Wales. Towards the end there was a pleasant surprise by a serenading of choirs and bands outside. The Premiers and their hosts afterwards went out and took the deepest interest in an open-air concert. One choir and band were looil to Llanrwst, another choir, entirely composed of miners, came sixteen miles from Festiniog, and is probably the best choir in the Principality. The scene was very striking. The grounds of the castle were filled, owing to the free-and-easy hospitality of Lord and Lady Carrington, with people from all the ' neighbouring villages. The choirs and bands having sung and played in turn the semicircle of mountains, above the vale was 'lighted ap, an avenue leading from the Castle gardens across the River Conway to the town being hung with innumerable twinkling lamps, while on the mountain tops on the opposite side of the valley bonfires blazed. The evening was warm and still, and no more romantic setting could bo imagined for ■ the music, now passionate, now weird and melancholy, from deep-chested quarrymen. Sir W. Davies, Sir W. Laurier's colleague, himself of Welsh descent, was intensely interested. The leaders of the choirs were introduced to Sir W. Laurier, who said that nowhere, except among his own French-Canadians, had he heard such charming national music. Pressed to award the palm between them, he laughingly added that not even in Canada had he heard better. At the conclusion of the concert Lord Carrington 6poke a few very felicitous words of thanks to the musicians, and called for three cheers for the Queen, which were most heartily given. Three cheers for Lord Carrington and one cheer more for her Ladyship brought the proceedings to a close, and testified to the esteem in which they are held by the people among whom they have made their home. MR SEDDON'S DOINGS. Mr Seddon did not get back to town till Monday evening, but no sooner had he snatched a mouthful than he was off to Shoreditch,. where Mr Lowles, M.P., had called a. nieeting of. his constituents to " welcome . the colonial Premiers." I do not— as I have frequently stated — believe in either Mr Lowles or his Trade League, and if the New Zealand Premier had followed the example of the other ten and stayed away from this function I think he would have been wise. As it was he had the floor to himself, and gave the Southsiders a severe dose of New Zealand. On Tuesday morning the Premier was, as usual, the victim of a series of interviews,, the number of which imperatively curtailed their duration to a quarter of an hour. After a very considerable amount of difficulty and more than one call, I was able to squeeze myself into one of Certainlt .the best medicine kuown is Pander and Son's Eucalypti Extract. Test its eminently powerful effects In coughs, colds, influenza— the relief is instantaneous. In serious cases, und accidents ef all lauds, bo they wounds, burns, scaldings, bruises, sprains, it is tbo safest remedy— no swelling, no inflammation. Like surprising effects . prvluoac l in croup, diphtheria, bronchitis, inflatn matioiu of the lungs, ffi*HUinfrs, &o. Diarrhoea, ayeentoiji", diseases of ttie kidneys and urinary organs. In U6e at hospitals and medical clinics all over the globe; patronised by his Ma.ei.ty the King of Italy, crowned with medal and diploma at International Exhibition, Amsterdam. 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these quarter-of-an-hour periods. The most important function the Premiers have been present at since the last of the conferences with the Colonial Office was, of course, their visit to Mr Gladstone at Hawarden, and on this subject Mr Seddon waxed mildly enthusiastic. "Almost the first observation that Mr Gladstone made," remarked your Premier, "was that in 1835 he was in the Colonial Office — a date before I was born — and from then on he kept himself thoroughly conversant with colonial affairs." "Our welcome," continued Mr Seddon, " was particularly wa-un. You see all the colonies are vrna-i would be called in England very advanced Liberal in politics, and this gave the gathering a tone different from what it under other conditions would have had. I mean there was ' a sort of fellow-feeling- in meeting the G.0.M., the head of advanced Liberalism in the Empire. It was surprising to all of us how'Mr Gladstone had kept in touch with the advance of the colonies, ahd how well up he was in their geography. He 7 particularly pleased _ Mr G. H. Reid by. a reference -to the acknowledged beauty ' of Sydney .harbour,^ iand . it -.-will be interesting So New Zealanders to know that frozen mutton- had not escaped,. his notice. He spoke bf colonial nieat as tender and of delicious flayour. In referring in conversation to the expansion of the Empire beyond the sea, he spoke in glowing terms of Lord John Russell, to whom he said the colonies owe the self-governing freedom they enjoy. Mr Gladstone :i?7o pa,ssed commendation on one less kno"**" . biit to whom the colonies owe a greaC dial, namely, John Robert Godley. He ptid a tribute to the work done by Sir George Grey, and also had a word for the f ar-seeing political aims of Daniel O'Connell. We were photographed with Mr Gladstone on the lawn, and the day that we spent, besides being a most pleasant outing, possessed for us a significant interest that is somewhat complicated and much easier to feel than to explain." "Did you find the G.O.M. as alert as reports would have led you to suppose him to be?" "He certainly is a marvel. His step is fiijf., his eye bright, and his voice strong and resonant. I can tell you there was not one among us who would have cared to have tried a fall with him." THE CONFERENCES WITH THE COLONIAL OFFICE. The Premiers are very naturally somewhat reticent with regard to the outcome of the conferences with Mr Chamberlain, Mr Seddon among the number, and one cannot help taking the view that nothing of importance transpired simply because nothing practical was decided on either at the earlier 6r at the last of the series, which was on Friday, July 8. However, I popped off the question on Mr Seddon at what appeared an auspicious moment on Tuesday. " What was the outcome of these conferences ?" The answer I received was very much what experience had taught me to expect: " Oh ! the confei*ences were entirely satisfactory, and I havo reason to believe that overy weight will be given the recommendations made by the various Premiers." ** However, I patched a few hints with the information I had previously acquired, and came to the conclusion that the tremendously secret confabulations with Mr Chamberlain and the officials of the Colonial Office, had three more or less practical outcomes. In the first place, the question of the investment of trust money in colonial securities was threshed out and put on a decidedly more satisfactory footing than was previously the case. Secondly, tho arrangements existing with regard to colonial naval defence remain exactly as they now stand, it being found impossible to better the present agreement, but the Australasian squadron will be somewhat strengthened. This question is always open to discussion, however, by any of the parties concerned. Thirdly, this Jubilee Conference will not be by any means the last meeting of the Colonial Office and the Premiers or representatives of the various colonies. Fourthly p.nd lastly, the great talk of colonial representation in the Imperial Parliament, although approached on all sides, could not be satisfactorily settled. There were rumours that the colonies would be represented by peers in the House of Lords, but this solution is chimerical. New Zealand is, of course, in a very roundabout way, now represented in this way, for her late Governor, the Earl of Glasgow, has been raised to the English Peerage and is entitled to a seat in the House of Lords. On this subject of colonial representation, Mr Seddon was more communicative, and he favoured me with his views at length.