Richard John Seddon, occupying, as he virtually does, the position of dictator of this tight little island, is manifestly worth culti vating. And accordingly we find that this is being most assiduously done by those who have patently an iron of some kind or other in the fire. A number of such gentlemen approached the Premier a fnw days ago in Wellington and humbly requested his per mission to postpone a public testimony of gratitude to him on the auspicious occasion of his fiftieth birthday. There arc so many of those patriotic movements under way just now that it was feared that " Mr Seddon's birthday and Mr Ward's banquet might clash," The prospect of such an incident appalled, paralysed, and smote the deputation with fear and apprehension. But the Premier reassurcd,calmed, and soothed the agitation of his devoted subjects. "Away with it," said he with a generous wave of his hand. "If ever mind me ; dismiss me entirely from your con siderat'on and look to tho success of Mr Ward's banquet." The deputation wouldn't, of course, hear of such a thing. They would merely postpone the presentation, and then they informed him it was also intended to present Mrs Seddon with a purse of a thousand guineas, "as a token of appreciation of her husband's public services," and assured him that the people of Christchurch, Dunedin, and other cities were most anxiou3 to partici pate in the testimonial, We know that in Dunedin just now the public are most con cerned about the equipment of soup kitchens and the relief of a starving horde of unem ployed. And it is so throughout the colony. Is the time not inopportune and inappropriate for all this prospective banqueting and the thousand guinea preservation? H ave Mr Sed don's public services any connection with the existing destitution and pauperism ? If not.in what do they consist? Where are the proofs of those services ? Is there not now more acute suffering among the working classes than there has been for many years ? We don't say fcbst Mr Seddon's Administration is re sponsible for this. But it certainly has not prevented it nor lessened its intensity. 