MR SEDDON'S TOUR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7725, 26 March 1904, Page 7

MR SEDDON'S TOUR.

As to the direct result of the tour in regard to Government aid, little can be safely said at present. Mr Seddon openly told the people that he does not consider it a Minister's business to go about the country making promises. To go about is a duty; but as to the granting of petitions this should be reserved for after consideration. The one promise he made was at the Okavva luncheon. "I am going to make you a promise," he said, "though it is against my rule to do so.I promise you " —and hero a few of the simple-minded of the 104 present began to have a hope about the railway extension —" I promise you to come back here some day." On the other hand, he seldom gave a pointed refusal. "The matter would be considered " —that was the burden of his reply generally. At the same time, if one may judge by manner and tone, particularly at Owaka, and pending a direct reply, there is room to hope that the claims of these settlers will receive attention.

If the inhabitants of the colony as a whole could see the Owaka men and women, and hear their tales of hardships and disappointments which have driven away many who went there to settle for life —it would be cheerfully admitted that this is .1 special case for consideration by the Government and the prompt expenditure of public money, not only as an act of justice, but in the financial interests of the colony as a whole. The actual position is that the Catlins men are being starved out. As one of them put it: "I have a section, and a good one, but it doesn't keep me —Tm keeping it, and it's as much as I can do to hold on and eke out a living by taking a job on the co-operative works." —

Diinedin Star