A GIANT AT WORK.

New Zealand Graphic, 27 June 1906, Page 64

A GIANT AT WORK.

PECO!.LECTIONS OF A JOURNALIST. “An Old Journalist," writing to the “New Zealand Times,” says:— The newspaper man who was told off to travel with Mr. Seddon had the hardest work that eould i>e allotted to him. F:ow the moment of leaving town until his return it was one ceaseless rush from F[v-ech to deputation, from function to train, from east to west. It was the strenuous life with a vengeance. Perhaps the most remarkable tour ever rar de by a public man in New Zealand or ct: ew here was that meteoric dash of Mr. Feddun’s during the last election campaign. He left Wellington on November 7th for the North, speaking every day, sometimes as often as six times, until returning to Wellington on the 26th. The following day lie was off again to Manawatu and the day after that he left for Christchurch. He had a triumphal passage through the South Island, and returned to Wellington on the morning of the election. December 6th. Nobody but a giant could have stood the wear and tear of that lightning peregrination. But Mr. S’ddon was a giant in the matter of travelling. He seemed to glory in it; to thrive in railway trains and steamer-. where other men became fagged and jaded. One day in 1902 he was in Wanganui late in the afternoon. The following day he was to opm an industrial exhibition in Feilding, fifty miles away. W hat was our surprise next morning to find him on the Wellington platform! Mrs. Fiddon was indisposed, and he had made the journey of 150 miles to Wellington the night before to see her, and was now going back 100 miles to Feilding. The following day he open d a bridge over the Tangitikei River, at Bulls, with half an hour’s speech in a downpour of rain, made a speech at a luncheon, casually dropped in at the opening of a Roman Catholic bazaar, and returned to Wellington that night. Mr Seddon was always eager for ■work. He eould not bear to be idle, end if there was not enough work on hand in the shape of telegrams he would hurry back to town. One evening early in February he careered up to Palmerston almost unheralded, and put in an appearance, slightly late, at the banquet to Sir Joseph Ward. He looked quite fresh, as he. always did, except sifter a very long strain, made his enigmatical speech about race purity, and retired about midnight to his hotel. Next morning he was gone. He had left in the night by a special train. Even his secretaries were ignorant of his intentions when they left the banquet. Only a few weeks ago Mr Seddon visited Fox ton and Levin. He arrived at the Falter place on horseback about midday. lunched, heard deputations, and drove to the Weraroa industrial farm, ■where he spoke for an hour; returned To Weraroa. and m-ade a speech that lasted until midnight. Suddenly a train whistled at the shftion. Mr Seddon made an unostentatious exit, sent back an invitation to the writer to travel in his special, and escaped to Wellington. Only two or three of his hosts knew that he had gone. There, is a historic departure from Rotorua that was equally abrupt. LIFE ON A TOUR. The life of the late Premier on board n train was very little different from the ordinary routine of the office. He generally had two secretaries, and the typewriter was going ceaselessly. As Boon as the train started he would bring out bundles of telegrams from bis pockets, and « mmence to dictate replies. This might occupy the greater part of the journey. Then he would take out a few speech notes and arrange them conveniently for use, read the paper. and. if there was any time left, have a quiet dose. He had unusual capacity for benefiting by the least respite of this kind. Arrived at his destination, he would, if practicable, leave his secretaries working in the cariage while he went on with the ceremonies. If these were not arranged as he liked, lie would in the most natural manner make himself master of ceremonies, and alter them to his liking. He often changed the plans of his hosts, not always in so inconsequential a manner as merely inserting an extra toast into the list. But the thing was done in so natural and good humoured a manner that Le was quite inoffensive.

MR SEDDON AS A SPEAKER. As a public speaker (says the “Auckland Star”) Mr Seddou’s characteristic was magnetic force and intense earnestness. Although lacking somewhat in polish, he possessed powers as a popular orator which swayed his audiences to intense enthusiasm. His wide experience of New Zealand history and law. and his intimate knowledge of colonial life and modes of thought gave him great facility in replying to the attacks of political opponents. He never spoke so well as when stirred to vigorous retort upon some persistent attack upon his administration. But no matter how much incensed during debate he never carried bitterness into private life, and was always personally one of the most popular members of the House. “An Gid Journalist,’’ in the “New Zealand Times,” says: “As a speaker, Mr Seddon was plain and forceful, rather than academic. He invariably put his audience in good humour by telling a few anecdotes at the beginning of his speech, introducing others at intervals to brighten up the dissertation upon the heavier phases of polities. When he was speaking he did not notice time slipping away. His regular political addresses generally exceeded two hours, sometimes three: and even at open-air functions he frequently spoke for an hour. On one occasion lie opened a dance with a speech of more than half an hour’s duration. When others were speaking Mr Seddon seldom interrupted, and he rarely betrayed by his countenance what he was thinking. MR SEDDON AS A FREEMASON, The Right Hon. R. J. Seddon was installed as M.W. Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand at the Choral Hall, Christchurch, on April 28. 1893, in succession to M.W. Bro. Barron. There was a very large attendance of the brethren, and the ceremonies were of a brilliant and impressive character. Speaking on the occasion of his installation, the new Grand Master said that they had now for the first time in their history as a Grand Lodge the gnp across the sea, and Masonieally as well as otherwise they were now nearer the grand ideal of the welding together of all the English-speaking peoples. He felt sure that the union so far would be welcomed with great joy throughout the colony of New Zealand. He would so conserve the duties of his high office as to win the esteem and respect of all his brethren, ruling by love and not by fear. The mother lodge of the deceased brother was on the West Coast. The Governor (Sir Harry Rawson'i was re-elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of New South Wales on June 14. He made reference to the death of Bro. Seddon, “an Imperialist of the best type, who had always worked for the advancement of Britain and Greater Britain.” He proposed to cable their sympathy to the Grand Lodge of New Zealand. MRS. SEDDON. When Mr. Seddon returned to political warfare in 1904. after the severe illness, which it was feared would have had a serious termination, he said of Mrs. Seddon : “She has never been far from me during the trial of the last few months, and I think if my medical advisers made known what is in their inmost consciences they will tell you she has been of great assistance in knowing how to handle your humble servant. Ido not tliink that the outside world has realised how much depends upon the good wives of public men, and how it would be almost impossible fot them to devote their lives to the jeople unless comforted and sustained at home. I hope I may say, without being in the slightest way egotistical, and without going outside reasonable bounds, that I have to some extent, at all events, been successful, and whatever -access has been achieved, whatever good work has been done. I wish one and all to know that if it had not been for the help and the manter in which I have been sustained at home, it would have been impossible for me to have done what I have done.” Mr. Seddon’s family comprised eleven children, nine of whom are still living, viz., six daughters and three sons. The names of the family are: Mrs. Bean, Mrs. Dyer. Mrs. Moriee. Misses Mary Stuart, Elizabeth May. and Ruby Jessie, Messrs. Richard John, Thomas Edward, and John Spotswood.