Deputationised in a Bath.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2095, 19 April 1898, Page 2

Deputationised in a Bath.

A good story is told in connection with the Premier's visit to Rotorua. It appears that on his arrival there at the end of the week he was interviewed by leading native chiefs on Native Land legislation. - After haranging them for about an hour, through an interpreter, Mr Seddon proceeded to enjoy a dip in the Priest’s bath. As he was revelling in the luxury of immersing his portly frame in water, the temperature of which is about 90 degrees, he was somewhat surprised to see a deputation consisting of some half-a-dozen Native gentlemen- file in. They ranged themselves in a semicircle round the Premier, and the spokesman straightway enlightened him as to the real or imaginative grievances under which the Natives labored. The Priemer listened attentively, but every now and again the spokesman had to pause, in order to await the emergence of Mr Seddon’s ears from the pale-green waters of the bath. At length, after numerous interruptions of this nature, Mr Seddon stood up in the bath, and drawing himself up to his full height, assured the deputies that their troubles should receive his most careful attention—a promise which was made while he was squeezing the hot water from his beard and wiping liquid drops of sulphuretted hydrogen from, his eyes and ears. This incident illustrates the fiact that Mr Sudden’s time -is of the utmost value, and is probably the first occasion when important affairs of state have been discussed under such novel e inditions.