Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 20th, 1919. THE WESTLAND SEAT.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 20th, 1919. THE WESTLAND SEAT.

“There is no nobler duty than to sacrifice self in the service of all.” The words just quoted are those with which Sir James Allen closed his recent Budget speech In the peroration to the Financial Statement, the Minister of Finance, who is Minister of Defence also, • spoke of tlio conclusion of the war, and the debt owing to those who served concluding with proposals for a national memorial designed to perpetuate the ; memory of those who served in the j great war, and as a constant reminder j to the people that “there is no nobler [ duty than to sacrifice self in the service ! of all.” In thinking of the approach- J )n g general election, and the facb that i in common with all scats, Westland will be op for decision also, memory re- i calls immediately that the sitting mem- j ber, Mr Seddon, since the last general j election, not only served tho constitu- j

ency, as its honourably elected representative to Parliament, but he also volunteered his services, prepared to sacrifice himself in the service for all the Dominion to help in bringing the great war to a successful close. His sacrifice was complete. H e entered the Army as a private, going into the ranks and submitting to all the routine which discipline called for, to qualify himself to serve as a capable soldier and later as a responsible officer in the sphere of usefulness the needs of the occasion created. The war and all that service meant is being left behind, and some folk might be forgetting what arduous millitary service such as a ranker took up. It is well to recall those anxious days of over four years ago, when the course of the war called for the youth and manhood of New Zealand to help replace the fallen and to succour those who still held in gallantly, on the fronts where our little Army served. Those not of short memories will remember the letters the men at the front were writing home. Here is an extract from one letter written by a Westland soldier during the heat and burden of the Gallipoli campaign: “Some of our men (in New Zealand) appear to be hanging back because they do not. know there is a war on, or at least they have not the slightest idea of the seriousness of it. If tlies© men could only see how much they are needed to thicken the thin line of khaki wihich hold the enemy forces,— and which are always double ours they would lose no time in getting a rifle on their shoulder.”

Appeals such as these were irresistible to men like Mr-Seddon, and before the fall of 1915, when be was able to adjust his party vote—for political parties were then on a very even balance — he lost no time in getting into khaki and applying himself dligently to military service. He sat for liis commission for which he quickly qualified, and in due course crossed the ocean to serve not merely his Constituency, or even tire pominion, Ibut the Empire, in fact humanity at large—“service of all”. Mr Seddon’s military service was of a distinguished character. He filled posts of responsibility. He saw much active service in which be underwent the rigor's of like the men about lrim. Last week was the nnniverversary of Passcbbndaele—in that desperate encounter Ire served with special distinction, being in the thick of the fighting and being left, as the senior officer to bring th© remainder of bis ! out of action when relief was sent up—but not before Mr Seddon had been himself rather badly gassed. On the staff he had most important duties to perform, a.nd served with the most notable of the New Zealand general officers. Finally he had tiro honor of being selected as the 1 representative of the whole New Zea- , land Army to take part in the pro- • British propaganda work in the United States where it was essential for the recruiting spirit to fire th© imagination of tiro Yanks with true stories of the conditions in France. In th© Senate Mr Seddon had several crowded and arduous weeks carrying out his duties, and his work there was a credit to those who sent him, and to the cause he represented. Here, then, is the man who offered himself as a willing sacrifice in a conflict which staggered and almost shattered humanity. He went through all the varying phases of the war, and to the delight of those who knew him has returned safely though not altogether scatlrless. Westland should he proud to have the services of Mr Seddon at its call as its future representative. As the member for Westland, Mr Seddon has sat now since 1906. He has had over 13 years of service, and the associations with the constituency have been friendly in the extreme. There is the suggestion, or rather more than the suggestion, that Mr Seddon will be opposed. A Labor nominee will he put up, hut as far as can be gathered, Reform will not put up an opponent to Mr Seddon. There is some talk of a third candidate standing however as an independent, but the gentleman has not yet fully weighed the situation surely, or lie would not seek to oust if ho could, or even discount, as he will to some extent, the chances of a gallant and local returned soldier who having done his duty in “the service of all” now seeks approbation at the hands of his constituents.

'ltiiE eoonomic {situation arising at 'Home through the falling oii of production is specially stressed m the cable news to-day, ami there is a very plain indication of the financial dislocation which will arise if in a national way Great Britain does not seek quickly to retrieve the position. The prevailing conditions are largely universal, and an American publication is before us, emphasising tho fact that the United [ States is face to face with a financial situation not less acute than that of the British Empire. The writer goes on to say:—“Th o labor situation is disquieting because the unrest which is prevalent tends to lower production, when the only possible remedy for the conditions complained of is •in larger production. It is a trying time, a time which tests the sanity and patriotism of would-be leaders and groups. Every one who has any understanding of economic law and of social progress must be anxious that sober counsels shall prevail, and that the entire machinery of production shall bo worked without interruption and with the highest possible efficiency to relieve the existing scarcity. This is no time for turmoil and strifo, for class struggles or inflammatory speech. The men who have the qualities for wise leadership know that most of the troubles of society are due to the failure of people to understand one another, and they seek in times liko this to quiet excitement and bring men together, rather than to intensify feeling and aggravate the disorder. AVhat is wanted above everything else is work, steady, earnest work to repair tho wastes of war and make good the shortage of necessaries and comforts which lias resulted from tho four years’ interruption of industry .There is no other way to make it good. Nothing could he more certain than that such a shortage would exist at the end of the war, and no one could rightfully expect to escape all cost and inconvenience to himself. It is time for the exercise of patience and reason. Conditions are undoubtedly trying for many 'people, but there is every reason to believe that they are temporary and will gradually right

themselves as production is resumed. Indeed all precedents go to show that m the long run the wage-earning class will come out with permanent benefits Their wages have had a large advance, and when general prices fall, they will be in a better position than ever before.”

1 Mr and Mrs Wormington insert a thanks notice in this issue. In the House on Friday evening, replying to Mr Seddon, the Prime Minister said the finances of the Greymouth , Harbour Board were, under considera- , tion by Cabinet, but he could not say ! what, decision would be come to. i Mr George Rush, manager in Nelson < and on the West Coast for the Kaiapoi j Woollen Company, who lias been i- the I service of tire firm 'for twenty-s! .. _ ears, is leaving at the end of the rear to en- j ter into business in Auckland. 1 ! A missionary social takes place at St. Paul’s school-room to-night when the Rev Sinclair, General Secretary and Organiser of the Methodist Church delivers his interesting address on “The New Pacific; Its problems and its future.” Musical items and supper. The following will represent Marists in their match, on Wednesday with Uniteds at 3.30. p.m.—Stopforth, Cron, Breeze, Keller, Stapleton, Myers, Lock Nightingale, Glass, Stickles, Groufsky, Kidd, Stopforth, Freitas. EmergencyLock, Jones, Stopforth. In the House of Representatives on Friday afternon, Sir James Allen stated that the Commissioned of Taxes had been officially instructed to enforce the compulsory clauses in connection < with, the Victory War Loan. Those who ought to have subscribed would be communicated with, and given another opportunity of subscribing. The many friends of Mrs Dove, wife of ,Mr Eli Dove, of Arahura Road, will hear with sincere regret of her death, which took place yesterday. The deceased, who had been ailing for some time past, was a very old and esteemed resident of the district. She was 78 years of age and a native of Bourne,. Lincolnshire, England. Her only son, Lieut.' W. Johnstone, passed away after ibis return from, the front. Very general sympathy will be extended to> the bereaved husband in his bereavement. A serious accident happened at Reefton on Thursday evening to a young man named Dew, employed in the office at Lockington’s sawmill. It appears that ho was on the side-board of a motor car and not knowing that the door was not locked, seized hold of it as the car went around a corner, with the result that the door swung open and the young man was precipitated on to the road, falling on to his head, and sustaining a slight concussion. He was taken to the hospital and next morning was reported to be improving, though extreme quietness and rest will be Ms portion for some time to come. “I hold services in curious places,” said the Rev. C. L. Wilson,, art the Diocesion Synod, at Christchurch on Friday evening. “In one place I use the. smoko room of an hotel,, at another the Magistrate’s Court, in another district, the kitchen of a farm-house, and in another the living room of a humble dwelling. And even where there are churches the accommodation leaves something to he desired. One church, the plans for which had been passed by the Standing Committee, had a vestry 4 feet by 4 feet 4 inches, which; had to hold a. writing table, a robe press, bookshelves, a bell-ringer, and a parson.”

Three brothers, all ministers of the Presbytrian Church, were present at Tuesday evening’s meeting of the Auckland Presbytery. They were the Revs. W. McNeur, of Whakatane, D. McNeur, of Kauriholiore, and A. McNeur, who has just, returned from Palestine, where he served in the ranks. * The Moderator, the Rev. G. Budd, in referring to the fact, said that two other brothers were ministers of the Church, one being stationed at Winton and the other in Canton, where he was the senior Presbyterian missionary. Sir Budd, stated 1 , that Sir A. SfcNeur, who had just returned from Palestine, bad been appointed to the important position of “rough rider, on the ridges of Canterbury,” the work being in, connection with the shepherds and men of the high country.

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