The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, APRIL 22, 1902.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 396, 22 April 1902, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, APRIL 22, 1902.

MR SEDDON ON TOUR, Thk arrival of Mr Seddon in Sydnoy apparently caused such a buzz of excitement as every New Zealander anticipated. The shipping companies were too swift, or the Government too slow in the matter of a reception banquet, the outcome being that the companiesprovidedabaoquetthat was a great success. According to the cablegrams, the Sydney Morning Herald says the banquet must bo regarded not only as a tributo to tho remarkable personality of the Prouder of New Zealand, but as evidence of tho blood relationship between Now Zealand and the Commonwealth. There was much that was worthy of serious consideration in Mr Seddon’s suggestion that mutual relations for tho present should be reciprocity, not reprisals. On the other hand, the Telegraph, which is mainly run by New Zealanders, and perhaps' for that reason, prompted by custom or cussedness, attacks Mr Seddoii. Jfc declares that he shows a lack of knowledge on the incidence of a preferential tariff. As tho people of New South Wales had for many years sacrificed everything else to fighting over the fiscal policy they evidently pride themselves on being authorities on the subject. In its criticism of New Zealand’s Premier, the Telegraph continues : “It was true there were no fiscal difficulties in the way as far as New Zealand was concerned which applied to the reason why the preferential proposal was so popular in that colony. New Zealand’s experience of the virtual exclusion from Australian trade under the Federal tariff had no doubt proved a sharp education to the colony on the local desirableness of getting hotter access to British markets if possible. The local motive looms largely visible behind the most of Mr Seddon’s many other views. For instance, ho advises the Commonwealth not to enter into any protracted cable agreement with the Eastern Extension Company. The reason for this voluntary and seemingly disinterested expression of opinion is that New Zealand does not get on well with tho Company, and, moreover, is a partner in the Pacific cable project, one of the substantial purposes of which is to keep the cost of cabling up to a certain height, so as to minimise the loss that is to be borne on the working of the ‘all-red’ cable. He wishes for all-Bri-tish mail servioes, because New Zealand 1 has difficulties with the American mailcarrying company, and he fears that an Australian navy will be a failure, New Zealand being better suited with Imperial protection.” The feebleness of the criticism shows that Mr Seddon has left his ! mark in the minds of the people of the Mother Colony. Soon we will probably hear of Mr Seddon being at Pretoria, and it would not at all surprise qs if he should happen to be there when the peace negotiations are brought to a successful issue. A meeting of Seddon and DeWet would be rather interesting, and it is within the hounds of probability that in a few weeks’ time it may come about. Before he left Sydney lie would be aware that tho peace negotiations had been suspended for three weeks. The “ Seddon luck ” has had a big innings, and possibly another triumph awaits it.