MR SEDDON AT TIMARU.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2311, 28 January 1892, Page 4

MR SEDDON AT TIMARU.

The Hon. Mr Seddon arrived in Timaru on Tuesday last, and in the evening attended a banquet given by the local Lodge of Druids to officers of the Grand. Lodge, who had attended a meeting of the Royal Arch Chapter of the order at an earlier hour. Replying to the toast of" The Army, Navy and Volunteers," Mr Seddon, who met with an enthusiastic reo«pti.m, said : He, like the gentlemen who had proposed the toast, was almost in a defenceless position, because his throat :vus' not in good order. Moro than that, his friend oji his left (Mr Hall Jones) had taken him in. (Laughter.) In accepting the invitation to be present he expressed the hope that ho would not be expected to speak, and Mr Jones had given this guarantee; and here they were. (Laughter). He felt great pleasure at being present, and he felt that the work which they were doing was a noble work in the interests of the people of this country. (Applause.) As an Oddfellow, and one who had for over a score of years taken an active share of lodge work, he said that those who detracted from their noble labours knew not what they did—(applause) and so long as his voice or pen could assist the work they were doing, he was at their command. (Applause.) Speaking of the defences of the colony, Mr Seddon said that if the time should arrive, and they were called upon to defend their country, they would have heroes in New Zealand—sons of New Zealand, and those who had adopted New Zealand as their home—who would be ready to defend their country with the last drop of their blood. (Applause.) They had something to defend. A grand and glorious country ; and aB free men they would fight to the death in the defence of it. (Applause.) He might be told that with the science now brought to bear, and the excellence of the material used, the colony would be helpless. He said at once nothing at all of the kind. They were well up so far as modern science as applied to war was concerned; and he was not afraid on that score. They had experienced officers in the different ports of the colony; they had young men under instruction, and were well posted. Remembering the fact of the distance the colony would be away from the seat of strife, it meant only that an enemy would come on a filibustering expedition. They could not bring a large number of men with them. The arrangements the colony had with the Home authorities led him to question very much whether any foreign power would dare to send a filibustering expedition to the colony. However, should one ever come here it would mmt with a warm receptiou. (Applause.) It was said that volunteers away from the four centres were not required. Whoever held this o, anion was wrong. Where there were defenders and forts, a hostile cruiser would not go. It was on the coastline where a party could be landed; and on this coastliue should be the volunteers. For instance, if an attempt were made to land here, the volunteers of Tiwaru would first muster and hold the enemy at bay until they were assisted by the volunteers from north and south. Speaking on the financial aspect of the question, Mr Seddon said that he had first to look at the financial position of the country. They could not give more than they were giviug. In the past there had been uncertainty, and this uncertainty militated against the volunteer movement. He as Defence Minister decided that for his term of office there should be no uncertainty, and the capitation would in future, that was for hi 3 term as Minister, be not less than it was at present. (Hear, hear). On© thing he would like to add ; it was that the defence forces tended to populate the country, (Laughter and applause). They might laugh ; but •wherever there was a red coat, there they would find the ladies ; and wherever there were ladies—well, they all knew what was the result. In conclusion he said thai nothing smartened a man up so much as drill. He would like to see it in our schools, for a well drilled man was not only superior physically, but had a mental training which men who were not drilled had not. He thanked them for the way they had received- ttw toast, and trusted that this good feeling wight Jong exist in Timaru. (Prolonged applause),