THE SEDDON MEMORIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 June 1915, Page 5

THE SEDDON MEMORIAL.

I'XVKIIJ.Mi UiREAIOXY. -y-- t i:g sow: worthy tributes. By Telegraph.— Pros? Association. • uvv:, ■',.■ • • H the presence ot u considerable number of pr 0,,!,., tlic statue of the lata K'giit Hon. ft. ,f. 8(,i ( [ 01l was UllV( ;ii e< i . ■ ill tin parliamentary grounds by his Excellency the Governor, Lor,) Liver- : !>"<>.. The \,i!'.,;,,!! ,',.,{!i»m and "The Ganand ..i dowers" wore p! a y C ,i by the 'i'iuicl, ami speeches eulogistic of the Mo ,I'romior wore delivered bv tho Mayor (Mr. P. Luke), thp Governor, the Iniue l-liMintMaiiJUir Jo« T h Ward. in trfe course, of liis speech, the Mayor paid a tribute to Mr. .Serfdoms united efforts for tho uplifting of me people. Me road a telegram from the Mayor of vumara, regretting I,U inability'to attend and aililiiiffi - TitHo will novcr dim t.ie ins.ro oi lus memory nor his works." Lord Liverpool said that the occasion was unique, as it commemorated ,W who lived his Hfe, u„t only among thepcple ~, Xow Zealand, but also among those. „f ;!.e British Empire. The Governor --id ho did not know Mr Soddon rusually, but lie had eoon and relijm as it strong, forceful per■"»!!:''ity, n:.,\ one of the worthiest representatives of the people that ever visited London. His Excellency said! that from ),„ observations he would to* inclined tc enm-parc Mr. Seddon with the younger Pitt ns one of the most oiil-v.nndiug f lß „ rps in ,]3 ritis]l 6tatell , , nmi.fil.ip. Jioth were men to whom tho people looked for advice and leadership. -As Ins Excellency unveiled the stntoe the band played the Kisscngor Slow March. " , The Prime Minister said ft was a' ,<?roat privilege to take part in s „oh a ceremony to honor a. groat imperialist, during whose term of office Nov.- Zealand had made such remarkable progress The humanitarian legislation which ho had placed on the Statute Book would last for all fmc, but what had made him most noted was his action at the beginning of the Boer war when his offer of armed f o rcc H -, v ,«s made .to aid the Motherland, jik a-, other troops from these islands were now doing elsewhere to-day. Mr. .Missov concluded that even Mr. Petition's opponents all respected li.ni because there was nothing small or petty in the man. He would give ami take, knocks in triumph, or the reverse. He was always strong, courageous and kindly wJtlml. His great example was one to be followed hy every uinti, ami in doing so any man would leave the country better" than he found it. •

Sir Joseph Ward said that the gathcrins «as taking part in a ceremony commemorative of the eerecr of the greatest and most remarkable man in the history of New Zealand. The late Mr. Seddon had started life in a humble position; he had not had the advantages that social influence, and wealth could confer, and his advance had been duo ■ entirely to his own exertions, but tho ardent and inasterful spirit of the man had carried him forward to the highest position ■ that the dominion give liim, and he had guided the. destinies of New Zealand as Prime (Minister durinß thirteen years. In that time he had achieved greatly. His reign at the head of the. executive might l>c described aa a melody of just proportions. Vr. Seddon had been a big man In every way, physically, mentally and spiritually. Ha had been a man of action, at all times ready to do battle for the cause* lie ' had made his own, and to face with resolute courage the difficulties ttiat would have dismayed a smaller man. When he took office great diflkultiea had confronted him, and there had been people who had said that he would fail, but he had not failed, and a? time passed the Parliament of New Zealand had learned to recognise how great wis his political stature. His fame had not remained -within New Zealand, for. perhaps, his highest claim to the veneration of posterity lay in the fact that, he had been the first of the. Jlrit.'sh statesmen overseas to see a, vision of Empire. His opportiini-ty had come at the time of the South African war. when he had opened a new chapter of Imperial history by his promnt offer nf armed Instance to the Mother Country in an hour of trial. Then he had"govie as New Zealand's representative to the first " Iniperiiil Conference in London, where he might be said to havo started the real wui-k of empire construction and empire consolidation. Sir Joseph Ward men- ' turned the efforts Mr. Seddon Had made to extend the Jlritish dominions in the Pacific. I£ the New Zealand stateman had been ablu to have had his way, Hawaii and 'Samoa would never havo passed under foreign flags, Mr. Scildcn'a splendid success as a legislator had been due to the fact that, in addition to rare strength of character and tenacity of purpose, lie had possessed that rare*"ift, the creative faculty strong developed. The statue stands upon a rising ~]opa m the grounds of Parliament House as ■ a point which will <bc in a direct line with the main entrance of the new '"Hilling. It lias been placed upon a grace nlly proportioned pedestal of Aberdeen granite iifteen feet in height, relieved by chaste mouldings. On the north and south side of the pedestal are broi,/.e shields bearing the deceased's statesman s initials in monogram, while Jiaar the top there runs a frieze of bronze upon which have been modelled sea shells and billowy waves in which dolphins are sporting, emblematic of the overseas dominions. Upon the front of the pedestal is engraved the simple inscription: " Richard John Seddon." The figure, which rests upon this pedestal, is ot 'bronze, nine lect six inches high, and is admirably proportioned, like the pedestal. The lignre js the work of Sir 1 nomas Brock, the eminent English si-ulptor, who is best known as the designer of the great Queen Victoria Memorial now erected in front of Biukiuglutm Palace. Sir Thomas worked from photographs taken while .Mr. Seddon was m the act of addressing a meeting at Papawai in IDU>. His modelling was further aided by suggestions furnished by' Mrs. and Miss Seddon in London. Ho l-.s depicted the orator dressed in the '.■oek coal, which Mr. .Seddon always all'eeted when upon the platform, liig right hand uplifVJ to omp'kasise his appeal, while in his left hand he holds a sheaf of notes. His feet are .firmly, planted in a characteristic attitude, giving him a --ense of power and motion to> the body. At his feet rest two pon. dermis- tomes. „ hr.irel leaf. Union .lack upon n slat!', symbolising his work as a legishiior. the Empire which he assisted to consolidate, and the victory he won! in the success whi.-h attended'his many, acts of stuie.-umnsliip. No such wort may he above criticism, but the impression left upon the. mind of the impartial observer as be looks nt this, the latest addition to New Zealand's monuments, is that the artist lias succeeded in catching something of the soul of the man. Thai pose is natural and forceful, the figureis instinct with life, and as such it has'been commented upon with very general approval. At the close of the ceremony a handsome laurel wreath was laid nf the base of the monument by Mr. Colvm, MjP., orJ behalf of the people of Westland.