MR SEDDON’S FUTURE.

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 88, 17 June 1902, Page 4

MR SEDDON’S FUTURE.

It has been left to Mr. Arnold White, in the “ Sunday Sian,” to suggest that Mr Seddon should be given a place in the British Cabinet. In his “Topics of the Times,” Mr White, after charging Lorcjt, Salisbury with nepotism, suggests that the King might interfere, and proceeds : —“ But it man be said, what can the King do? The King can do much more besides mere negative opposition to the appointment of incompetent officers. In May and June the colonial statesmen will be among us. One of them, Mr Richard Seddon has succeeded to the place in the Empire lately occupied by Mr Rhodes. Richard Seddon embodies the spirit of the old Liberal party. He has sane views of .Empire coupled with a tormenting energy which is the best qualification of a leader of men. Mr Seddon, strange to say, is not a lawyer. He is a man of the Abraham Lincoln type. Force of character has made him what he is. He is poor, yet trusted with implicit faith by the most; sus picious community in the world—a colonial democracy. This is the type of man we want iu English politics. The King can honour Mr Seddon and might even arrange for his entry into into the Cabinet. Richard Seddon is not a heaven-born genius, but a big hearted, great-souled Englishman, who lias made a small colony a great State, and who his life and example has strengthened the British Empire and sustained its spirit in a just war which surprised the rulers of the Empire in their shameless and inglorious ease. It is expected that on his.arrival in England Mr Seddon will take the opportunity of expressing his opinion on the absence of directing ability in high places. In stating this view lie will express the opinions of the majority of the inhabitants of these islands, but he and his brother Premiers, though publicly fawned on and flattered by the smart set who have capture 1 and monopolised the machine) yof gove -nrnent, will be secretly hated. Tne King may take no sides ; but the welfare—nay, the existence---of the Empire demands that the views Mr Seddon will express shall be laid to heart and adopted. The -Iriumph of Dick Seddon means the collapse of the Hotel Cecil with its paraphernalia of pretentious knowledge and. gilded inefficiency. The coronation will throw as fierce a light upon the principles of colonial democracy as upon the wealth and luxury of the smart set. The King's opportunity will then arise.”