PREMIER’S BIRTHDAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1490, 26 June 1905, Page 3

PREMIER’S BIRTHDAY.

SPEECH BY MR SEDDON. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, last night.

Mr Seddon was the guest of the eyening at a very largely attended demonstration held in the Town Hall on Saturday evening in honor of his 60th birthday. On the platform were the majority of members of the Ministry, the Mayor of the city, prominent politicians, and citizens.. Owing to tho stormy, weather having dtlaiod |the arrival of the Takapuna bearing Mr Sedcl jr from Auckland, he did not reach town till nearly nine o’clock. Dr W. E. Collins presided, and on behalf oi Mr Seddon’s friends presented him with an illuminated address, expressing admiration of his services to the oolony, and a wieh that ho might bo able to serve the colony for many days to come.

In tho course of his reply the Premier ; made reference to questions outside the domain of domestic politios. He said tho colonies doeply regretted the wrong that had been done to the Empire by the action of British statesmen in allowing the Chineso into South Africa. If an emergency arose again the colonies would da their duty, but would not allow British statesmen to have the solo right of saying what was to be done when wav was over. It was the ignorance of tho British Statesmen that had boon {he cause of the trouble in Sooth Africa, and had lost to ,-olony the position of strength it this v- —.iso havo obtained. Tbe only would other.. curing again was to way to prevent tba-, . ° f call tho colonieß into tho great oouno 1 * ° the nation, to jointly devise that w.would be good for the Empire. Ho proceeded to point to tho position that bad arisen in the Pacific, and said he desired to lift the people and tho colony to a t»reater New Zealand, for tho time was not ?ar distant when they would realise that every island in the Pacific ought to bo British sooner or lator. Tho remainder of Mr Seudon z reply was of a retrospective character in regard to previous ministers and ministries. He made no referenee to the work of the coming session, except to remark that any legislation passed would be in the interests ofthe people.