Richard John Seddon (1845 - 1906), sometimes known as King Dick, was the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some as New Zealand's greatest political leader. June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... St Helens is a town in the traditional county of Lancashire and the metropolitan county of Merseyside in North West England. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1906 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... The term Anglican (from the Angles or English) describes those people and churches following the religious traditions developed by the established Church of England. ... The El Chino Mine located near Silver City, New Mexico is an open-pit copper mine Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually (but not always) from an ore body, vein, or (coal) seam. ... A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries influenced by British cultural heritage. ... This article is about the original New Zealand Liberal Party. ... John Ballance (March 27, 1839 - 27 April 1893), served as Premier of New Zealand at the end of the 19th century, and was the founder of the Liberal Party (the countrys first organized political party). ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... 1893 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1906 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... William Hall-Jones was a former Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1906 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Prime Minister of New Zealand is the head of government of the national Government of New Zealand. ...

Early life

Seddon was born in St Helens in Lancashire in 1845. His father was a school headmaster, and his mother was a teacher. Despite this background, Seddon did not perform well at school, and was described as unruly. Despite his parents' attempt to give him a classical education, Seddon developed an interest in engineering, but was removed from school at age twelve. After a short time working on his grandfather's farm at Barrow Nook Hall, Seddon held various jobs at foundries in Liverpool. St Helens is a town in the traditional county of Lancashire and the metropolitan county of Merseyside in North West England. ... Lancashire (archaically, the County of Lancaster) is a county palatine of England, lying on the Irish Sea. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Licensure and Qualifications for the Practice of Engineering The Engineers Ring The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer Engineering Disasters and Learning from Failure American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) ASEE engineering profile (2003) PDF Categories: Architecture and engineering occupations | Engineering ... Barrow Nook is a small rural hamlet on the fringes of Bickerstaffe in the county of Lancashire, England. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough on Merseyside in north west England, on the north side of the Mersey estuary. ...

When he was eighteen he emigrated to Australia, and entered the railway workshops at Melbourne. He was caught by the gold fever and went to Bendigo, where he spent some time in the diggings. He did not meet with any great success. In either 1865 or 1866, he became engaged to Louisa Jane Spotswood, but her family would not permit marriage until Seddon was more financially secure. The City of Melbournes coat of arms Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of 3,600,650 in the Melbourne metropolitan area (June 2004) and 61,670 in the City of... Bendigo is a large regional town in central Victoria, Australia, located in the City of Greater Bendigo. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... 1866 is a common year starting on Monday. ...

In 1866, Seddon moved to New Zealand's West Coast. Initially, he worked the goldfields in Waimea. He is believed to have prospered here, and he returned briefly to Melbourne to marry Louisa. He established a store, and then expanded his business to include the sale of alcohol, becoming a publican. 1866 is a common year starting on Monday. ... The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island. ... A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries influenced by British cultural heritage. ...

Local politics

Seddon's first real involvement with politics was with various local bodies, such as the Arahura Road Board. He was later elected to the council of Westland Province, representing Arahura. Gradually, Seddon became known along the West Coast as an advocate for miners' rights and interests, and he was frequently consulted over various political issues.

In 1877, Seddon was elected as the first Mayor of Kumara, which was to become a prominent goldmining town. He had staked a claim in Kumara the previous year, and had shortly afterwards moved his business there. Despite occasional financial troubles (he filed for bankruptcy in 1878), his political career prospered. 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The town of Kumara is located on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. ... Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Entry to Parliament

Seddon first sought election to the New Zealand Parliament in the 1876 elections, standing for the seat of Hokitika. He was unsuccessful. In the 1879 elections, he tried again, and was elected. The New Zealand Parliament is the legislative body of the New Zealand government. ...

In Parliament, Seddon aligned himself with George Grey, a former Governor turned Premier. Seddon later claimed to be particularly close to Grey, although some historians believe that this was an invention for political purposes. Initially, Seddon was derided by many members of Parliament, who mocked his "provincial" accent (which tended to drop the letter "h") and his lack of formal education. He nevertheless proved quite effective in Parliament, being particularly good at "stonewalling" certain legislation. His political focus remained largely confined to the West Coast, and he had little interest in most other matters. George Edward Grey Statue of Sir George Grey in Albert Park, Auckland Sir George Edward Grey KCB (April 14, 1812 - September 19, 1898 ) was a soldier, explorer, Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Cape Colony (South Africa), Premier of New Zealand and a writer. ... Flag of the Governor General of New Zealand The Governor-General of New Zealand is the local representative of the Queen of New Zealand, Queen Elizabeth II, and as such is the highest office in the Government of New Zealand. ...

Liberal Party

Seddon's first ministerial position was obtained when the Liberal Party, led by John Ballance, came to power in 1891. (He may or may not have been offered various ministerial positions prior to this — if he was, he did not accept them.) Ministers, in the New Zealand government, are Members of Parliament who hold a ministerial warrants from the Crown to perform certain functions of government. ... This article is about the original New Zealand Liberal Party. ... John Ballance (March 27, 1839 - 27 April 1893), served as Premier of New Zealand at the end of the 19th century, and was the founder of the Liberal Party (the countrys first organized political party). ... 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Unlike Ballance, Seddon did not have any great commitment to philosophical liberalism — or, for that matter, to any ideology. Rather, he saw the Liberals as champions of "the common man" against large commercial interests and major landowners. His strong advocacy for what he saw as the interests of ordinary New Zealanders won him considerable popularity. Attacks by the opposition, which generally focused on his lack of education and sophistication (one opponent said of him that he was only "partially civilized") tended only to reinforce his new reputation as an enemy of elitism. Note: This entry discusses liberalism as a world wide ideology, not its manifestations in any specific country. ...

Seddon quickly became popular across the country. Some of his colleagues, however, were not as happy, accusing him of putting populism ahead of priciple, and of being an anti-intellectual. John Ballance, now Premier, had a deep commitment to liberal causes such as women's suffrage and Maori rights, which Seddon was not always as enthusiastic about. Nevertheless, many people in the Liberal Party believed that Seddon's popularity was a huge asset for the party, and Seddon developed a substantial following. Anti-intellectualism is a term that in one sense describes a hostility towards, or mistrust of, those who call themselves intellectuals, and intellectual pursuits. ... The international movement for womens suffrage, led by suffragists (commonly called suffragettes), was a social, economic and political reform movement aimed at extending the suffrage (that is, the right to vote) to women, advocating equal suffrage (abolition of graded votes) rather than universal suffrage (abolition of discrimination due to... Te Puni, Māori Chief Māori is the name of the indigenous people of New Zealand, and their language. ...

Premiership

In 1893, Ballance suddenly fell ill and died. Seddon, acting quickly, managed to secure the backing of his Liberal Party colleagues as interim leader, with an understanding being reached that a full vote would occur when Parliament resumed sitting. Seddon's most prominent challenger was Robert Stout, who — like Ballance — had a strong belief in liberal principles. Ballance himself had preferred Stout as his successor, but had died before being able to secure this aim. Despite Seddon's promise, however, there was no vote — by convincing his party colleagues that a leadership contest would split the party in two, or at least leave deep divisions, Seddon managed to secure a permanent hold on the leadership. Stout continued to be one of his strongest critics. 1893 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Robert Stout (1844 - 1930) was Premier of New Zealand on two occasions in the late 19th century. ...

Style of government

Seddon was a strong premier, and enforced his authority with great vigour. At one point, he even commented that "A president is all we require", and that Cabinet could be abolished. His opponents, both within the Liberal Party and in opposition, accused him of being an autocrat — the label "King Dick" was first applied to him at this point. President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... The New Zealand Cabinet is, in practice, the highest body of the New Zealand governments executive branch. ...

Seddon was also accused of cronyism — his friends and allies, particularly those from the West Coast, were given various political positions, while his enemies within the Liberal Party were frequently denied important office. Many of Seddon's appointees were not qualified for the positions that they received — Seddon valued loyalty above ability. One account, possibly apocryphal, claims that he installed an ally as a senior civil servant despite the man being illiterate. He was also accused of nepotism — in 1905, it was claimed that one of his sons had received an unauthorised payment, but this claim was proved false. Cronyism is similar to nepotism, but it applies to friends and prior associates rather than exclusively to family. ... Nepotism means favoring relatives because of their relationship rather than because of their abilities. ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Seddon also accumulated a large number of portfolios for himself, including that of Minister of Finance (from which he displaced Joseph Ward), Minister of Labour (from which he displaced William Pember Reeves), Minister of Education, Minister of Defence, Minister of Native Affairs, and Minister of Immigration. As Minister of Native Affairs, Seddon took a generally "sympathetic" but "paternalistic" approach. As Minister of Immigration, he was well-known for his hostility to Chinese immigration — the so-called "Yellow Peril" was an important part of his populist rhetoric, and he compared Chinese people to monkeys. The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. ... This article is about the New Zealand prime minister. ... William Pember Reeves (10th February 1857 - 16th May 1932) was a New Zealand statesman, historian and poet, who promoted social reform. ... The Minister of Maori Affairs is an official of the New Zealand government who has broad responsibility for government policy towards Maori, the first inhabitants of New Zealand. ... Traditional cultural paternalism: Father Junipero Serra in a modern portrayal at Mission San Juan Capistrano, California Paternalism often refers to the hierarchic pattern of the family applied as a paradigm to state policy; it also can refer to paternalistic attitudes and actions by individuals and non-state institutions. ... Yellow Peril (sometimes Yellow Terror) was a phrase that originated in the late 19th century with greater immigration of Chinese and Japanese laborers to various Western countries, notably the United States. ... Cynomolgus Monkey at Batu Caves, Malaysia Monkeys, Mori Sosen (1749-1821) A monkey is any member of two of the three groupings of simian primates. ...

Policy

One of the policies for which Seddon is most remembered is his Old-age Pensions Act of 1898, which established the basis of the welfare state built by Michael Joseph Savage and the Labour Party. The early Labour Party often claimed a certain affinity with Seddon on this basis. Seddon put considerable weight behind the scheme, despite considerable opposition from many quarters. Its successful passage is often seen as a testament to Seddon's political power and influence. Other "leftist" programs attributed to Seddon include pensions for teachers and moves to improve housing for workers. There are three main interpretations of the idea of a welfare state: the provision of welfare services by the state. ... Michael Joseph Savage (March 23, 1872 - March 27, 1940) was a New Zealand politician and the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. ...

Seddon's most notable failure to have his way, by contrast, was over the issue of women's suffrage. John Ballance, founder of the Liberal Party, had been a strong supporter of voting rights for women, declaring his belief in the "absolute equality of the sexes". Seddon, however, opposed women's suffrage. This resulted in considerable debate within the Liberal Party. Eventually, Seddon's opponents within the party managed to gather enough support for a women's suffrage bill to be passed despite Seddon's hostility. When Seddon realised that the passage of the bill was inevitable, he changed his position, claiming to accept the people's will. In actuality, however, he took strong measures to ensure that the Legislative Council would veto the bill, as it had done previously. Seddon's tactics in lobbying the Council were seen by many as underhand, and two Councillors, despite opposing suffrage, voted in favour of the bill in protest. The international movement for womens suffrage, led by suffragists (commonly called suffragettes), was a social, economic and political reform movement aimed at extending the suffrage (that is, the right to vote) to women, advocating equal suffrage (abolition of graded votes) rather than universal suffrage (abolition of discrimination due to... The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. ...

In the sphere of foreign policy, Seddon was a notable supporter of the British Empire. After he attended the Colonial Conference in London in 1897, he became known "as one of the pillars of British imperialism", and he was a strong supporter of the Boer War and of preferential trade between British colonies. He is also noted for his support of New Zealand's own "imperial" designs — Seddon believed that New Zealand should play a major role in the Pacific Islands as a "Britain of the South". Seddon's plans focused mainly on establishing New Zealand dominion over Fiji and Samoa, but in the end, only the Cook Islands came under New Zealand's control during his reign. (Samoa later came under New Zealand rule as well, but Fiji did not). The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ... 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Boer guerrillas during the Second Boer War There were two Boer wars, one from December 16, 1880-March 23, 1881 and the second from October 11, 1899-May 31, 1902 both between the British and the settlers of Dutch, French and German origin (called Boers, Afrikaners or Voortrekkers) in South... The Pacific Ocean has an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 islands; the exact number is unknown. ...

Death

Seddon remained Prime Minister for thirteen years, but gradually, calls for him to retire became more frequent. Various attempts to replace him with Joseph Ward met with failure. Seddon himself eventually indicated a willingness to retire after a Colonial Conference in 1907. While returning from a trip to Australia, however, Seddon was suddenly taken ill, and died. He was buried in Wellington, with his grave being marked by a large monument. He has a statue outside Parliament Buildings. This article is about the New Zealand prime minister. ... 1907 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Poneke) is the capital city of New Zealand and the countrys second-largest urban area. ...

 

Prime Minister of New Zealand
Preceded by: John Ballance	(1893-1906)	Succeeded by: William Hall-Jones
Sewell | Fox | Stafford | Domett | Whitaker | Weld | Waterhouse | Vogel | Pollen | Atkinson | Grey | Hall | Stout | Ballance | Seddon | Hall-Jones | Ward | Mackenzie | Massey | Bell | Coates | Forbes | Savage | Fraser | Holland | Nash | Holyoake | Marshall | Kirk | Rowling | Muldoon | Lange | Palmer | Moore | Bolger | Shipley | Clark

The Prime Minister of New Zealand is the head of government of the national Government of New Zealand. ... New Zealand coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... John Ballance (March 27, 1839 - 27 April 1893), served as Premier of New Zealand at the end of the 19th century, and was the founder of the Liberal Party (the countrys first organized political party). ... William Hall-Jones was a former Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... Henry Sewell (1807 - 1879) was a prominent 19th century New Zealand politician. ... Sir William Fox KCMG served as Premier of New Zealand on four occasions in the 19th century, while New Zealand was still a colony. ... Edward William Stafford (1819 - 1901) served as Premier of New Zealand on three occasions in the mid 19th century. ... Alfred Domett (20 May 1811 - 2 November 1887) was a British colonial statesman and poet. ... Frederick Whitaker was a former Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... Frederick Aloysius Weld (1823 - 1891) was a New Zealand politician and a governor of various British colonies. ... George Marsden Waterhouse was a former Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... Sir Julius Vogel (February 24, 1835 - March 12, 1899) was New Zealands first Jewish prime minister. ... Daniel Pollen was a former Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... Harry Albert Atkinson served as Premier of New Zealand on four separate occasions in the late 19th century. ... George Edward Grey Statue of Sir George Grey in Albert Park, Auckland Sir George Edward Grey KCB (April 14, 1812 - September 19, 1898 ) was a soldier, explorer, Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Cape Colony (South Africa), Premier of New Zealand and a writer. ... John Hall (December 18, 1824 - June 25, 1907) was the Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... Robert Stout (1844 - 1930) was Premier of New Zealand on two occasions in the late 19th century. ... John Ballance (March 27, 1839 - 27 April 1893), served as Premier of New Zealand at the end of the 19th century, and was the founder of the Liberal Party (the countrys first organized political party). ... William Hall-Jones was a former Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... This article is about the New Zealand prime minister. ... Sir Thomas Mackenzie, (1854-1930) was Prime Minister of New Zealand in 1912, and later served as High Commissioner. ... William Ferguson Massey (often known simply as Bill Massey) served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925, and was the founder of the Reform Party. ... For details of Francis Bell, the actor, please see Francis Bell - actor The Right Honourable Francis Bell (1851 – 13 March 1936) was the first New Zealand-born Prime Minister. ... This article is about the New Zealand prime minister. ... George William Forbes (12 March 1869 - 17 May 1947) was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. ... Michael Joseph Savage (March 23, 1872 - March 27, 1940) was a New Zealand politician and the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... The Right Honourable Peter Fraser (1884 - 1950) served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 27 March 1940 until 13 December 1949. ... Sidney George Holland (1893-1961) was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1949 to 1957. ... Walter Nash (12 February 1882 - 4 June 1968) served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance. ... The Right Honorable Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, was a New Zealand politician. ... John Ross Marshall (1912 - 1988), generally known as Jack Marshall, was a New Zealand politician. ... Norman Eric Kirk served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1972 until his sudden death in 1974 and led the New Zealand Labour Party from 1965 to 1972. ... Sir Wallace Edward Rowling KCMG, (15 November 1927 - 31 October 1995), often known as Bill Rowling, was a Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... Sir Robert David (Rob) Muldoon KCMG CH (25 September 1921–5 August 1992) served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. ... The Right Honourable David Russell Lange (pronounced Long-ee), CH, ONZ (4 August 1942 – 13 August 2005), served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. ... For the British actor, see Geoffrey Palmer (actor) For the English lawyer, see Geoffrey Palmer (attorney) The Right Honourable Sir Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer, AC, KCMG (born 21 April 1942), served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from August 1989 until September 1990, leading the Labour Party. ... This page is about the New Zealand politician and Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. ... The Right Honourable James Brendan Jim Bolger, ONZ, (born 31 May 1935) was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. ... Jennifer Mary Shipley (born February 4, 1952), Prime Minister of New Zealand from December 1997 to December 1999, served as New Zealands first woman Prime Minister, and led the centre-right National Party. ... This entry is about the New Zealand Prime Minister. ...