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The Life and Work of Richard John Seddon

In South Africa, he is shown pardoning De Wet, who is kneeling before him and humbly offering his arms. On the voyage to England he is in conversation with Sir Thomas Lipton, to whom he says: “Now, look here, Lipton, you’re a right good sport, but, hang it, man, you’re not patriotic. Racing for the American Cup and giving Uncle Sam all the benefit of your cash isn’t the thing. What do you say to promoting a sports syndicate to develop the sporting proclivities of the Empire? As for yachting, why New Zealand can arrange the finest winds in the world, and Shamrock III. and Columbia wouldn’t be in it with Aorangi, and there are lots more knocking about Maoriland waters. Bring your yacht to New Zealand if you want some really good sport.”

In another cartoon he is taken as a typical John Bull, standing full in the foreground of the picture, with Lord Salisbury, Mr. Chamberlain, and Mr. Balfour, very small figures in comparison, in the background. He is dressed in the dark-felt hat, top boots, and cut-away coat usually worn by John Bull in pictures, and carries in his hand the orthodox hunting-crop, a specially thick and heavy one. He is speaking to Jonathan, who has his hands full of trusts and combines. “Jonathan, my boy,” he says, “I’m just telling you gently, in a friendly sort of way, to stop it. These trusts and combines must be put down, and I’m the man to do it. As long as you act fairly and squarely with the Empire you can rely on Dick Seddon; but the moment you come the underhand on us, I will resent it in a way that will never be forgotten.”

He appears before Lord Roberts in the uniform of a general. “Look here,” he says to the Field Marshal, “you’ve got to drop all this red tape and sealing-wax. I’m not going to stand any of this kid-glove business.” He is shown speaking through a telephone in England to Sir Joseph Ward in New Zealand, sending messages to the colony, and giving instructions to the Empire generally.

The political situations that he helped to bring about have often been drawn upon for cartoons, many of which have happily represented the attitude he took up. His successes at the polls have also been an inspiration to cartoonists, and he has been