THE FIRST ELECTION.

New Zealand Graphic, 27 June 1906, Page 28

THE FIRST ELECTION.

Among the most enthusiastic of the great Liberal leader’s admirers was Mr. Seddon; and though at one time he seems to have refused to take seriously the suggestioh that he might enter Parliament, by 1876 he had resolved to try his unfailing good fortune in a political career. He came out as one of the Liberal candidates for Hokitika, the other candidates being Messrs. R. Reid, Dungan, Barff, and Button. Only two members were required, and Messrs. Barff and Button were ehosen. But Mr. Seddon was not disheartened, and held himself in readiness for any opportunity that might arise. In 1877 Mr. Button resigned, owing to some difference of opinion with his constituents; and Mr. Seddon, always faithful to Sir George Grey, took a prominent part in securing the return of the aged statesman’s nephew, Mr. Seymour Thorne George, over the Conservative candidate, Mr. C. Cr. Fitzgerald. Then came the dissolution of 1879, and as Mr. Thorne George had decided to stand for another scat, the Hokitika electorate needed a Liberal member. The local Liberal organisation, of which Mr. Seddon was chairman, communicated with Sir George Grey, requesting him to nominate some one for the vacancy. But the old statesman made answer in these impressive words: “You are worthy; stand yourself.” Always a keen reader of men, Sir George Grey had already discovered in Mr. Seddon the qualities which afterwards led him to the summit of political ambition and publie power. But for the moment Mr. Seddon himself and his friends appear to have been taken by surprise at this unexpected tribute to powers not yet revealed to the public eye. However, it was never in Mr. Seddon’s nature to miss chances, and at once he threw himself with all his characteristic energy into the stress and turmoil of a political election. Life on the West Coast in those days was, as we have tried to show, strenuous and exacting, and West Coast elections were always rather adventurous episodes. As an illustration of the danger that then beset public life on the Coast, we may cite the following interesting comment on an educational contest in which Mr. Seddon had previously been engaged:— “Feeling ran very high on the Stafford-Waimea field on the question of denominationalism and secularism. Mr. Seddon and Mr. John McWhirter, who now keeps the store at Goldsborough, were the candidates for the School Committee on the national and unsectarian ticket, and they had to operate an arduous and occasionally dangerous campaign. There was some violence displayed, and the candidates went to one or two of the camps almost with their lives in their hands. In passing through Goldsborough, Seddon and McWhirter always got a hot reception, and they made a practice of dismounting and sheltering behind their horses as they walked up the road beside the hill, often in a hail of stones. On one occasion a shot was fired. Possibly it was only an accident, but Mr. McWhirter always maintained it was fired intentionally at Mr. Seddon and himself.”