THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1902. TESTIMONIAL TO THE PREMIER.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 300, 27 December 1902, Page 3

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1902. TESTIMONIAL TO THE PREMIER.

Some time ago we suggested that something more should be heard ' about the “ National Purse,” to > * have been presented to the Premier before his departure for England, ( feut delayed, according to the state- ] ifient made at the public meeting in ] Christchurch, because subscriptions . i hail not all come to hand. What I j rendered news of this amount more necessary was the denial by Mr < Seddon that a purse of sovereigns j was te be presented. I 4 At. last the matter seems in a fair | way'to be cleared up. On Monday aj the Parliamentary Buildings, i Wellington, the contribution of that < 'city to the National Purse was - presented to the Premier. The J presentation consisted of a casket of solid silver, beautifully chased and , mounted on a black stand. On the 1 side of the cover was the following | inscription: —“Presented with its contents to the Right Ho&. R. J. | Seddon, P. 0., a souvenir in recog- f njtion of services to the colony and i Empire. —‘Wellington, New Zea- i land, Decemder, 1902.” The con- | tents referred to consisted of a j cheque for about £B7O. The gift t was handed to the Premier, by Mr i Nicholas Reid, on behalf of the < mhscribprs. He explained that the | presentation was made to mark the t services to the colony J and Empire. Mr, Reid made eulo- c gistic references to Mr Seddon s | work in contingents to - Africa. and at the Colonial t Premier’s vimi fyrairty t cheers then given- for *♦ Mrs Seddon. In his reply the Premier said that it had been j erroneously cabled Hoflie that a , purse of sovereigns had been pre- * ■ented to him in Christchurch, and * he had a correction put in the papers 1 that that presentation had, at his request, not been made, although it ! was spoken of. Now it had been decided that there should be presentations at Wellington, ; Auckland and Christchurch. He went on to commend the system of giving “ presentations to politicians during their lifetime instead of giving grants to their relatives after death. t He was pleased to receive this j souvenir, marking as it did their appreciation of his services to the c Empire. He trusted that im regard to his larger Imperial actions he 1 would ever enjoy their confidence, j| goodwill and esteem. i Right thinking people can hardly j regard Mr Seddon’s acceptance of , the £B7O and his very evident I readiness to accept all else that is offered, with the least degree of favour, and they must also regar j j breaking up the purse into four as , a -transparent dodge. When Mr | Seddon reached Home ;he found that his tacit acceptance of the proposed purse of sovereigns to have been presented in Christchurch was looked upon Ivory unfavourably by British statesmen and people, and he at once denied having any intention of accepting the Propped National Purse. This denial, cabled * to New Zealand, naturally caused great astonishment, and the Premier’s action in accepting the money, even when it is presented at different centres, will hardly have the effect of dismissing the feeling that he would have done himself more credit had he adhered ... to either one statement or the other. It is a great pity that the money had not been all collected before MV Seddon’s depasture, when he would lhave accepted it beyond the possibility of quibble,, and he , would have had to stand by hi«: ' actions «t( Home,' ****£ rests, he J»a Deople ,o£