Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 1897. The Premier's Trip.

Manawatu Herald, 9 February 1897, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 1897. The Premier's Trip.

The invitation issued by th§ Secretary of the Colonies to the Premiers to visit London and take part in the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Queen's reign, is one we trust the Hon Richard Beddon will see fit to accept. It should be a delightful holiday for himself, and ifc would also be an act the colonists desire. We oan understand where the real difficulty as to acceptance arises, and that is, where would the present Government be without the advice and guidance of tht Premier 7 We have here an instance of the disadvantage arising from a one man Government, and it little matters how quiet the colony might be, the absence of the Premier from the colony would considerably weaken the bold his party has over ib. Yet we would like to see him go, and we think the occasion is one of so much importance that be should sacrifice bis own wishes and go. Of course Parliament cannot do any business, in his absence, and this must be allowed by all parties ; but as Mr Seddon will only have gone to do his duty to the colony we have no doubt j but that the Opposition would make honourable arrangements to vote the necessary supplies and do nothing to upset the present position until the Premier returned. Granting all this, it will be hard for the Premier to leave, even for so short a time as is necessary, and thus lose the grip of all that is going on below the surface, and most possibly on his own account be would rather remain in New Zealand. His Excellency the Governor in bis farewell speech gave many reasons why the Premier should go Home, bo that we hope Mr Seddon's patriotism will prevail over personal reasons, and thus he will send an acceptance of the invitation. The Governor is reported to have said on this subject : — The Premier of the colony has been asked to go Home with Mrs Seddon to take part in these ceremonies. ... He could not doubt that it was the wish of his Ministers that it should be accepted, and tuas it would gratify publio opinion in this colony to a very high degree that such a meeting should eventuate. The assemblage of the Premiers of all these great self-governing colonies would be an unprecedented event, and would be one of the most important of those that would mark the celebration of one of the most illustrious reigns recorded in the history of Great Britain. If the feeling of the colony be suoh on tho question as he had ventured to anticipate, such as we knew by cable had been the case in Canada and at the Oape of Good j Hope, there would be no difficulty in ; arranging for a brief meeting of Parliament in order to pass votes of supply on account, with an adjourn*, ment until the Premier's return, and he had no doubt but that the self* sacrifice which he was afraid would thus be entailed on members would be more than fully outweighed by their patriotic approval of a step which oould not bub be attended by great ultimate benefit of the whole Empire. Among those questions whioh would no doubt be entered upon at this Conference of Premiers would be the question of defence. This was a question of the highest impqrtance. . . . He would point out that Great Britain had practically declared that she would see that they were free from attack, but the Navy must have suitable places where it could resort to recruit and obtain supplies and coals. If it could not resort to these places in safety it could not resort to them at all. It was therefore incumbent upon the colony to see that these places were raad« sufficiently strong. It was not sufficient to make them strong only in the opinion of Ministers here, but also in the opinion of those who looked to the safety of the Empire at Home.