COLONIAL LOYALTY AND KING’S CLEMENCY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 17 December 1901, Page 2

COLONIAL LOYALTY AND KING’S CLEMENCY.

The tribute of praise to our Premier, given by the great English papers, is well deserved, for patriotism is a strong feature in Mr Seddon’s character. All politicians are at times compelled to temporise, but upon this one question we do not believe Mr Seddon would concede the smallest point. He is essentially and truly loyal, and places his loyalty to the Empire in front of aught else. With a less patriotic Premier, New Zealand might, like Mr Barton, be hanging back in dread of opposition, but with Mr Seddon it was enough for the Empire to ask the colony to respond, and that response is a magnificent one. At such a time it is pleasing to learn by cable that the King’s clemency has been extended to Trooper Trasker, who was sent to an English prison for sleeping at his post, and that the New Zealand lad is to be released forthwith. We do not find fault with the punishment, for it is essential that the sentries should be wakeful; at the same time there is a limit to human endurance, and so it was with Trasker, He had been on continuous duty for very many hours, and his offence was a failure of nature that might have been condoned. However the King himself has seen it in this light, has pardoned the “ offender,” and his clemency will render him none the less dear to a colony, where loyalty to the Crown is greater and firmer than in Old England herself.