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| A large format print taken at Hillsdene the home of the Wrigley family recording the visit of Premier R.J. Seddon to Tauranga 18-19 March 1905. Image courtesy of Tauranga Museum, 0557/08. Photo by T.E. Price |
Premier Richard Seddon’s visit to Tauranga on 18-19 March 1905 is immortalised in this posed group photograph.[i] Several notable citizens, wearing their finery, surround Seddon who is larger than life at just under six feet and nearly 20 stone. Canon Jordan, Mayor of Tauranga, appears on the path second from left and his wife Mrs Eleanor Jordan, the town’s matriarch, stands next to the Premier also on his left. Colonel Ward is wearing his Tauranga Mounted Rifles uniform, and handwriting on the image indicates that Mr T. E. Price (the photographer), Mr & Mrs Howell, Mr & Mrs Spooner, and Mr Asher are also present. The Honourable Mr William Herries, MP for the Bay of Plenty, looms at the back to the right of Seddon. Intriguingly, he appears to have been caught in a wry smile, perhaps revealing how he felt about sharing a verandah with ‘King Dick’.
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A close-up of William Herries taken from the image above - 0557/08 |
Seddon and Herries were well acquainted foes. By 1905 Seddon, the leader of the Liberal Party, was nearing the end of his 13-year reign as Premier or Prime Minister of New Zealand[ii]. Seddon’s nickname ‘King Dick’ speaks volumes about his personality and leadership style.[iii] Herries, as the Independent MP for the Bay of Plenty since 1896, built his reputation on campaigning against Seddon and the Liberal government, frequently calling into question the actions of the Premier.[iv] Both men were accustomed to verbally sparring with each other, as the run up to the 1899 General Election illustrates.
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The Late Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon. Image:
Tauranga Museum, 0075/23 |
In May 1899 Herries spoke at a public meeting held in the Theatre Royal, Harington Street, to an estimated crowd of 150 to 200 people.[v] At the gathering Herries described himself as an ‘Opposition man’ and Seddon as ‘the greatest autocrat that ever lived’.[vi] This was the opening salvo in what became a war of words between the two men.[vii] Herries’ election campaign officially began in November, with public meetings held in Katikati, Greerton and Tauranga.[viii] The Bay of Plenty Times reported that at the Tauranga meeting Herries questioned the legitimacy of Seddon’s salary and expense claims. He objected that Seddon would claim a travel allowance for his proposed visit to Tauranga at which Seddon would ‘endeavour to do as much damage as he could to his [Mr Herries] candidature.’[ix]
During Seddon’s visit to support David Lundon, the Liberal Party’s local candidate for Bay of Plenty electorate, as predicted he gave a speech to a large audience which attacked Herries’ reputation:
“He [Seddon] had been asked long ago to come to the district, even by Mr Herries himself, and he was glad to be able to meet them that night. It was said that wherever he went he helped the Opposition (laughter), and if that was so nobody could object to his travelling about. He believed he was the best abused man in the Colony; their present Member Mr Herries, had said a good many unpleasant things about him, if the newspaper reports of his speeches were correct. All he would say of Mr Herries was that he was a cultured gentleman but one whose utterances must not be taken too seriously.”[x]
These remarks did not go down well and two weeks later Herries doubled down on the claims of wasteful spending:
“He [Mr Herries] considered that an injustice was done not only to him but to the people of the Colony by the Premier thus travelling about at the country's expense for merely partisan purposes … The Premier had told his audience that their Member was a cultured gentleman but one whose utterances must not be taken too seriously. It was strange, if the Premier held this view himself that he took him, [Mr Herries] so seriously and thought it necessary to travel around the electorate to try and keep him from getting into the House again.”[i]
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The main reason for Seddon’s visit to Tauranga in 1905 was to celebrate the opening of the King’s esplanade – two years after completion. The excitement generated by the prospect of his visit saw the town go into planning hyperdrive. Seddon, who arrived in Tauranga with Herries in tow, found himself part of a military procession that travelled from the Star Hotel, along Willow Street and down Harington Street and along The Strand to the Town Wharf. Following speeches Seddon was returned to his carriage and was taken to Hillsdene for lunch.
“On arrival at Hillsdene Mr Seddon was met by Mrs Wrigley and sat down to a recherche [exquisite] luncheon with a party of friends, including the Mayor and Mayoress, at the conclusion of which a couple of group photographs were taken in the grounds.”[ii]
Clearly for the purposes of ensuring festivities were successful, both men put aside their differences and took part with good grace and humour.[i] Thank you to Steve Vergeest for supplying information that confirmed that this photo was taken at Hillsdene - the home of Mr and Mrs Ellis Wrigley. Steve was able to make the identification by examining the homestead’s architectural features with other images available online at Tauranga City Libraries Pae Koroki.
[ii] Seddon is New Zealand's longest-serving prime minister.
[v] The general election was held on Wednesday 6 December with the Maori electorates voting on Tuesday 19 December.
[vi] Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3853, 31 May 1899, page 2.
[vii] Reports suggest neither Herries nor Lundon had much to say about each other. Herries preferred to attack the Liberal Party and Seddon directly. Lundon spoke at length about his party’s polices and challenged Herries’ misinformation. Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3895, 6 September 1899, page 2.
[viii] Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3921, 6 November 1899, page 2.
[ix] Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3924, 13 November 1899, page 2.
[x] Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3928, 22 November 1899, page 2.
[xi] Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3934, 6 December 1899, page 2.
[xii] Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4725, 20 March 1905, page 2.
