Chapter V.
Days of Parochialism.
While these events were taking place, Mr. Seddon’s influence in Parliament was growing, and he was working hard, keeping his duty to his constituents before him and helping to bring about general reforms.
It was not long before he made a reputation for himself as a speech-maker and a “stonewaller.” In his second session, it was told as a joke how he had nearly killed Hansard, which it was proposed to abolish on the score of economy. There was no closure then, and the only breaks on talkative members were the ordinary rules of Parliamentary debate. Mr. Seddon looked upon Hansard as a useful and necessary publication; but he occupied so much time in saying so that he brought it into a critical position, many members using his speech in support of the contention that the record of speeches was more bulky than useful. After pointing out that members’ speeches for the session had monopolised 52 yards of Hansard, at a cost of £2,000, he continued to speak for four hours, and when the humorists measured his space, they found that it was eight yards long, and the cost was £300.
His most notable “stonewalling” tactics were adopted in 1881, when Sir John Hall introduced the Representation Act which was passed in that year. It was one of a series of measures devised by the Continuous Ministry. It was deemed necessary on account of the uneven growth of population in the colony, and it brought about a redistribution of seats. Mr. Seddon and several other members, however, looked upon it as a dangerous measure, as it gave more power to property and less to the people. He felt that the measure would give the wealthy classes an overwhelming majority of votes. To his eyes, the Bill was a piece of rank Conservatism
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