THE COMING POLICY.

New Zealand Graphic, 27 June 1906, Page 30

THE COMING POLICY.

As to the matter of this first speech. it is interesting chiefly as an anticipation of a great deal that Mr. Seddon said and did later, when he had attained the full height of his ambitions. It includes comments on such varied subject- as triennial Parliaments, finar.vial reform, manhood suffrage, the social and industrial progre s of the country —in fact, all that has since come to be regarded as characteristic of progressive Liberalism. One passage in particular we may quote as illustrating the views which Mr. seddon even then entertained on th; land question, and also the sympathy that his kindly, generous heart always held for those whom he believed co be oppressed or misgoverned. Replying to some comments made upon the question of land tenure by an Irish member, he said:—“l have seen his felloweountrymen who have left their homes standing on the wharves at Liverpool. I have ■=een old men and women bidding good-bye to their sons and daughters, and shedding tears as they parted from them when the young people were starting on their voyage to this country. Then the time eomes when the sons and daughters •end for their fathers and mothers to come out. Do they who spent their sixty or seventy years perhaps in the land of their birth tear themsehes from it without feelings of regret ! The last -Sunday comes—they visit the graveyard where those who have been dear to them lie. They tear themselves from all the old associations, iiiu they ‘-ome away to this new country. Do they c-onx? willingly? Is it of their own free will that they break asunder all these old ties! No; they are driven away. They are driven from their homes by the bad laws which oppress them. I hope honourable members will bear that in wind when they vote on this occasion. and I trust that ir. years to come we shall not. through their votes, see the same thing happen here. I fear me.” he added. " that if I were to arise from my grave some 50 or I*M> years hence. I should find the people driven from our shores and going to Victoria and New South Wales, where they are legislating year by year against squatoeraey." This was 27 years ago: and the speaker lived to see that peril averted by the legislation that his party, under bis guidance. carried in the face of strenuous opposition. But no one in those days had yet conceived what the future would bring forth for New Zealand or for the great man who for thirteen years guided her destinies. But mingled with all these more weighty matters are frequent references to land surveys, dredge channels, and water-races: in fact, it is evident throughout that the ugh the member for Hokitika is doing his best to look at policy questions from a broad ami public point of view, he finds it difficult to prevent his thoughts and werds from leading him back to his own country and his own people. “The West • 'cast, its trials, joys, sorrows and grievances.” figure largely in this oration: and it wa- for a long time a matter for humorous comment in the House that Mr. Seddon found it hard to keep the miners out of his speeches. But very few men ever aff«s-ted to treat "Digger Dick” as a fit subject for humour. In this first speech be dealt vigorously with Mr. Alfred Saunders, who had spoken contemptuously of the “Greyhounds." who formed a strong section of the Government. “The honourable member for Cheviot.” he said. “ has tried to bounce the ‘Greyhounds.' but if he attempts to bounce me, he will soon find that my mottoeis ‘no surrender.’ When once I take up a position I will fight it out to the last: I will never cry ‘ Peeeavi ’; I will never ask for quarter.’’