MR SEDDON AND A TITLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8174, 6 August 1906, Page 3

MR SEDDON AND A TITLE.

(New /Soalaiiil Herald Corrcspoiuliii Lo.M'UH, June 15.

It is not for me to obtrude my reminiscences of tlio cx-I'ramier alt liouyk as one who luul very exceptional opportunities o£ watching his t public career from its ineeptiou to its : close these are neither few nor uiiin--1 terceting. liather is it my funclioii to j set forth certain matters which ar? not i »o weil-known in the country of Mr > seddon's udopLou. One of these 1 s . ihe fact that ill' fSe Idon could have ; had a baronetcy, at Hie least, wheii- : ever lie chose to claim it. His Majesty Ihe King was deeply imi pressed wua tiie value of the , services winch JNcw Zealand, at Mr . Seddon's lnstitnee, had l'eudered to tho Empire during the South African war, and was exceedingly anxious when Mr Seddon came Home fur tilt: Coronation to include his name among those chosen for the bestowal of Coronation honours upon their owners. King Edward, in the course of an audience, personally pressed upon Mr Seddon the acceptance of a baronetcy. But Mr Seddon respectfully submitted tu the King that such an honour, while it would be most deeply valued by himself and his family, would nevertheless hamper him in the work which lie still had to do. lie explained that in his view any honour that his Sovereign might graciously confer would be better timed for its bestowal when , the recipient should be retiring for repose on the compltion of his active career than at a time when be was I still an active worker, when it might have the effect of compromising him F in appearance at any rate with his 'particular party in politics—the extreme democratic section. His Majesty listened attentively, and at length remarked with evident reluctance: "ft may be so; no doubt you arc right; you should know best''— or words to that effect, adding that at any future time if Mr Seddon could sen his way to accept the honour which his Sovereign was eager to confer upon him, that honour would be his for the asking. Indeed, it was even hinted that a yet higher rank might be his if he wished it. My authority for this statement is the late Premier himself.