Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established Third of a Century.] MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1905. A SPLENDID ORGANISER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8280, 23 October 1905, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established Third of a Century.] MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1905. A SPLENDID ORGANISER.

♦ ■ As an organiser Mr Seddon is simply invincible. No other public man in the Colony can in any degree compare with him as regards organising ability. The consequence is that he wins in almost every instance. We do not like the idea of his coming out of the approaching General Election on the winning side; but we feel perfectly sure that his organising ability will bring him out top, as usual. Whatever may be required to bring about this issue will be done—and done thoroughly. In politics he is a master-workman, and it is not easy to measure the extent of his organising operations. If we are opposed to him, it is because he is the high priest of material prosperity—rather than of character or conduct. We recognise in him no devotion to principle—no statesmanship worthy of the name. In politics he is merely a keen, shrewd trader who makes a big profit on all his transactions. His organising genius has reduced politics to the level of an exact science. He has a well-equipped Intelligence Department, and every word (written or spoken throughout New Zealand) which bears at all on his interests or his administration is read, and, when necessary, noted in a classified form in some book, so that it is available for use at any moment. Every speech made by every candidate during the' election campaign will be entered in this book of fate, every promise made will bo recorded ; and this is so well known amongst politicians that many of them do not care to say too much. Then, again, in every electorate of the Colony he has several confidential agents who keep him in touch with public opinion, and who report to him what steps are necessary to secure

the return of his candidal*). 'The' electoral machinery of the Colony is largely worked by these confidential agents. What chance, has the intrepid Massey or any other political opponent against such, an organisation ? Then, again, in the House there is a perfect system *as regards the passing of measures. The opinion of almost every member of Parliament is ascertained and noted before any proposal goes to the vote. The divisions in the House in nineteen cases out of twenty—and it may be said in every important instance—are mere formal records of pre-arranged issues. Nothing is left to chance; nothing is risked but certainties. If, during this week, there be a hurry scurry through a number of important Bills, it will be because the Premier knows that he can rush certain matters through at the tail end of the session, which the House would be unlikely to accept, if time for deliberation were given. Mr Seddon is the cleverest Premier that we have seen during our long sojourn in New Zealand—the cleverest, perhaps, that we ever shall see. While we admire his ability, we do not like either his legislation or administration. We shall, however, we feel certain, have to put up with him for some time longer as our ruler and as the uncrowned King of New Zealand. As a man of principle he does not come up to our idea of that which is fit and right. He seems equally at Home as a Protectionist and as a Freetrader, as a Leaseholder and as a Freeholder, as a Publican and as a Prohibitionist., But as an organiser he is simply perfect; and it is by organisation that he wins his campaigns.