THE KAIKOURA STAR. KAIKOURA, AUGUST 7, 1894. Richard or Robert?

Kaikoura Star, Volume XIV, Issue 762, 7 August 1894, Page 4

THE KAIKOURA STAR. KAIKOURA, AUGUST 7, 1894. Richard or Robert?

The battle of the two Richmonds has advanced another stage, the senior Member for the Empire City having unburdened his mind regarding the dying wishes of the late Premier, and informed the world that he, the dead chief, desired that on the shoulders of Robert, and not those of Richard, should his mantle be placed. There is no reason to doubt that such were the wishes of the deceased, for had not the true Liberal and the shoddy Radical Knight been the warmest of warm friends, both politically and otherwise ? Thus it would have been a matter for astonishment had the dying leader not looked to the friend of his bosom to succeed him. John Ballance was a large-souled, tender-minded, kindlydisposed man, with whom sentiment went a long way in many matters. So in this. He thought, in the generosity of his heart, when ho was sick unto death, of bis friend, and momentarily forgot the Democracy. No one will, under the circumstances, blame him lor the betrayal of such weakness, because it was bound to right itself in the end. When, subsequently, Mr Seddon became aware of the facts of the case, as related by Sir Robert, it would have been more manly on his part had he at once admitted the position, but he would have had good grounds for urging that deeply as he respected the wishes of his late chief, he had a higher duty to perform, one that the Democracy demanded of him, and that was that until the people pronounced in favour of the Knight he, the Tribune, was justified in filling the breach. The incident is of a pitiable character, but it is one that the advocates of an Elective Executive will, in all probability, find very useful.