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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 80a

The Premiership

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The Premiership.

Coming to the Premiership, he would carry their minds back, and would mention a name which would ever be cherished in this colony—and he was delighted to know that there was a representive of Wanganui present—the name of the late John Ballance. (Applause.) Proceeding to review his own career, Mr Seddon said that he was the only one who had sat continuously in the New Zealand Parliament since the year 1879. He had been under the leadership of Sir George Grey—(applause)—and in a great measure we owed the Liberalism of this colony to that great statesman—(renewed applause)—he had had as leader the late Mr Macandrew, one of the most farseeing men this colony had ever known—(applause)—he Imd had as a leader the Hon. Mr Montogomery, a good and true Liberal—(applause)—he had had as leader Sir Robert Stout, the present Chief Justice—(applause)—and his next leader was the late Hon. John Ballance. (Applause.) At the time Mr Ballance was called away by death, he (Mr Seddon) received a communication which he had not before given to the people, but which threw a flood of light upon his action in taking the high and responsible position he was asked to take in 1893. The communication was as follows:—

"You have fairly gained the chance; form Ministry if you can, but good: if not good, have nothing to do with if. Five are enough to start. If there is any difficulty, others will soon join you. You will have an opportunity of greatly serving your fellow-men. Do it. You have the capacity; do not shrink. All you have to do now is to say you will try to form "Ministry and I believe you can.—George Grey."

(Cheers.) As they knew, it was rumoured at that time that he hesitated, and be then received the following message:—

"You are acting in a great crisis, such as makes a hero. Act with your Maker for the good of his creatures. What anyone else may say or do is nothing to you. The millions of your fellow-men and their Maker—let these be your thoughts. Be brave, unselfish, gentle, yet resolute for good, Reflect well before acting; gain time for thought. The good will soon gather round you.—George Grey."

"This, said Mr Seddon. "was on the morning of the 1st May 1893, and that Minister of this country."(Cheers.) The Premier went on to say that it would probably be somewhat interesting if he gave his audience some of the comments of the press at that time (Laughter.) This was one:—"Had anyone a few years back predicted that the rough, little-educated, and excessively talkative member for Westland—(Laughter.)—would be the P[unclear: remier] of New Zealand, he would have been scouted as a madman. (Laughter.) Or the science of government, as carried on outside New Zealand, he is as ignorant as a baby." (Renewed laughter.) Another paper said:—"Mr Seddon is stubhorn"—("And so he is," interjected the Premier, amidst laughter)—"'and now that he is the man in possession, it may be found a very difficult matter to shift him." (Great laughter and cheering.) "That gentleman," remarked Mr Seddon, "realised that weight was bound to tell," (Laughter.) It had page 12 taken ten years, continued the Premier, and he had not been shifted yet: and he thought he might fairly claim, taking that vast assemblage as indicative of the feeling throughout the colony, the people did not desire a change. Another writer at that time had said:—"Mr Seddon is a good fighter, but will be a dismal failure us leader. His training is deficient, but his aspirations are good." After ten years had gone, he might say that he had the same aspirations, but he had had ten years' training, and so long as the country had not suffered during that course of training, they could hope for the best. Another newspaper had said:—"Mr Seddon is impossible as Premier. We give him credit for capacity, but we cannot see the statesman in him." The same paper not long ago stated:—"Our Premier is the greatest statesman in Australia—(cheers and laughter)—and has held his own with the statesmen of the Empire." (Cheers.) It was not for him to say one word against those who had opposed him during the struggle of ten years; this was the time, he thought, when, in the words of the poet, he might say:—

"This is not the hour of triumph over beaten foes;

Let the dead past bury its dead"

(Cheers.)

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