TEN YEARS IN OFFICE, A RECORD PREMIERSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 107, 4 May 1903, Page 2

TEN YEARS IN OFFICE, A RECORD PREMIERSHIP.

The compliment pud to the Righ' Hon. It J. Seddon, on the compleioti of ten years service as Premier cf the colony, is one that people of all shades of political opinion will rejoice to see. Even ;hose who have honestly workfd to shoren Mr Sfdion'a term of offict cao, withoit any d's'ojalty to their I party, congratulate Mr Seddon on having been spue l , a- don having retained the confidence of his fellow colonists so long ax he has succeeded in doing. Every colonist can afford to fe?l proud of the fact that New Zealand alone, of 41 His Majesty's dominions, has a Premier who has an unbeaten record. As a consistent supporter of the party, of whi<:h Mr Seddon is the' t-stetmed and distinguished head, it is with uomingled feelings of satisfaction that we congratulate him on having hald office "S Premier for ten years continuously. No previous Primo Minister has sarved continuoufly, more than five years and one month The Hon. Mr Stafford, who held office from June 1856 to July 1861, ugain fronT«©ctober 1865 to Juno 1869, and finiily f-oan 10th Sep'ember 1872 to lltb Chto'oer 1872, in bis three periods failed to put in more than eight, y*ars and ten months in all. The ■ ecord Premiership covers much that is interesting in the bis'ory of New Zealand. In no ten years of its previous history has feo much occurred of deep importance to the people of this polony, The past dec*do has seen the incidence of taxation changed, the admission of women to full i quality wih men in all political privilege', a complete change m the land laws, and a progress and < prosperity which hag amazed both \ friends and enemies. It bat witnessed ! the downfall r.f the old Conservative l pa;ty und its complete obliteration as a I political factor. The Liberal p»rty, ' wl.r'ch swept the pulls in 1890, has held . with a strong and ever increasing grip t, the control of the chief political forces r of this country. In Taranaki the pro- • urees has been more marked than t any other pirt of the colony. The population has increased from 23,093 to 38,775. Tho number of holdings fjom 2938 to 4389, the area . under crop from 7309 acres to 15,735. Tha art a in sown grasses from 276,068 ' acres to 602,318. The number i f horses from 10,915 to 18,821, cattle 79,848 to 244,970, sheep 132,270 to 564,392. On every hand Taranaki his seen an expansion of is trade and industries that is simply marvellous, ond tha great majority of its people will j rin with us in heartily congratulating Mr Seddon on his record term of office.