60 Facts About Richard Seddon

Richard Seddon succeeded to the leadership of the Liberal Party following Ballance's death in 1893, inheriting a bill for women's suffrage, which was passed the same year despite Richard Seddon's opposition to it.

Richard Seddon's government achieved many social and economic changes, such as the introduction of old age pensions.

Richard Seddon's government purchased vast amounts of land from the Maori, aided by his allies Alfred Cadman and James Carroll as the Ministers of Native Affairs.

Richard Seddon spent the 1899 general election trying to relieve New Zealand's parliament of the independent politicians who had so greatly dominated the country's organised national politics since its provenance, in which he triumphed greatly.

Richard Seddon's government supported Britain with troops in the Second Boer War and supported preferential trade between British colonies.

Richard Seddon continued to live on the West Coast of the South Island throughout his premiership, only coming to Wellington on a regular basis very reluctantly, from the late 1890s.

Ironically, this was something Richard Seddon had been instrumental in creating, through his successful attempt at suppressing New Zealand's previously dominant political cohort of independents.

Richard Seddon was born in the town of Eccleston, near St Helens in Lancashire, England, on 22 June 1845.

Richard Seddon's father Thomas Seddon was born on 1817 and was a school headmaster, and his mother Jane Lindsay was a teacher; they married on 8 February 1842 at Christ Church, Eccleston.

Richard Seddon later worked at Vauxhall foundry in Liverpool, where he attained a Board of Trade Certificate as a mechanical engineer.

On 15 June 1862, at the age of 16, Richard Seddon decided to emigrate to Australia, working his passage to Melbourne on the SS Great Britain.

In either 1865 or 1866, he became engaged to Louisa Jane Spotswood, but her family would not permit marriage until Richard Seddon was financially secure.

Richard Seddon is believed to have prospered here, and he returned briefly to Melbourne to marry Louisa.

Richard Seddon established a store, and then expanded his business to include the sale of alcohol, becoming a publican.

Richard Seddon was followed to the West Coast by his older sister Phoebe, younger brothers Edward and Jim and younger sister Mary.

Richard Seddon first entered politics in 1870, when he ran unsuccessfully for the Westland County Council, finishing third.

Richard Seddon ran again for the County Council in 1872, finishing a distant third.

In 1874 Richard Seddon stood for the newly created Westland Provincial Council and was elected for Arahura.

Richard Seddon established himself as a broadly effective, if rather bellicose, advocate for miners' interests.

Richard Seddon took an interest in education during this time.

Richard Seddon lost this position with the abolition of the provinces in 1876, and was elected instead to the newly reconstituted county council.

Richard Seddon had staked a claim in Kumara the previous year, and had shortly afterwards moved his business there.

Richard Seddon represented Hokitika to 1881, then Kumara from 1881 to 1890, then Westland from 1890 to his death in 1906.

In Parliament, Richard Seddon aligned himself with George Grey, a former Governor turned Premier.

Richard Seddon later claimed to be particularly close to Grey, although some historians believe that this was an invention for political purposes.

Richard Seddon nevertheless proved quite effective in Parliament, being particularly good at "stonewalling" certain legislation.

Richard Seddon's political focus was on issues of concern to his West Coast constituents.

Richard Seddon specialised on mining issues, became a recognised authority on the topic, and chaired the goldfields committee in 1887 and 1888.

Richard Seddon aggressively proclaimed a populist anti-elitist philosophy in many speeches and toast.

Richard Seddon joined the nascent Liberal Party, led by John Ballance, following the December 1890 general election.

Richard Seddon was sworn into his first ministerial positions when the Liberals came to power in January 1891.

Richard Seddon became minister of public works, mines, defence, and marine.

Richard Seddon promoted co-operative contract system for road-making and other public works projects.

Unlike Ballance who believed in classical liberalism, Richard Seddon did not have any great commitment to any ideology.

John Ballance, now Premier, had a deep commitment to liberal causes such as women's suffrage and Maori rights, which Richard Seddon was not always as enthusiastic about.

Nevertheless, many people in the Liberal Party believed that Richard Seddon's popularity was a huge asset for the party, and Richard Seddon developed a substantial following.

Ballance fell seriously ill in 1892 and made Richard Seddon acting leader of the House.

In 1899 Richard Seddon recommended Stout to the Governor as the next Chief Justice of New Zealand.

In July 1893, two months after Richard Seddon became Premier, the second of two major petitions for women's suffrage was presented to the House.

When Richard Seddon realised that the passage of the bill was inevitable, he changed his position, claiming to accept the people's will.

Richard Seddon moved the radical Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Bill in 1893 to introduce licensing districts where a majority could vote for continuance or reduction of licences or no liquor licences at all.

One of the policies for which Richard Seddon is most remembered is his Old-age Pensions Act of 1898, which established the basis of the welfare state later expanded by Michael Joseph Savage and the Labour Party.

Richard Seddon put considerable weight behind the scheme, despite considerable opposition from many quarters.

Richard Seddon's plans focused mainly on establishing New Zealand dominion over Fiji and Samoa.

Richard Seddon was firmly opposed Chinese immigration to New Zealand, harbouring an ethnic prejudice against them stemming from his years in the goldfields.

Richard Seddon compared Chinese people to monkeys, and so used the Yellow Peril conspiracy theory to promote racialist politics in New Zealand.

Richard Seddon was a strong premier, and enforced his authority with great vigour.

Richard Seddon accumulated a large number of portfolios for himself, including that of Minister of Finance, Minister of Labour, Minister of Education, Minister of Defence, Minister of Native Affairs, and Minister of Immigration.

Sir Carl Berendsen recalled seeing Richard Seddon in 1906 as a Department of Education junior innocently bearing what was an unwelcome document.

The inspectors had picked out three outstanding candidates, but Richard Seddon picked out the last on the lengthy list; he had no academic qualifications and had just been released from gaol for embezzlement.

Berendsen cowered in the corner while with a snarl Richard Seddon grasped his pen and wrote once more in very large letters, "Appoint Mr X".

Richard Seddon became a Freemason in 1868 when he was initiated into Pacific Lodge No 1229 in Hokitika.

Richard Seddon attended Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and received her Jubilee Medal and an appointment in the Privy Council.

Richard Seddon was presented with the Honorary Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers on 8 August 1902.

Richard Seddon twice refused a knighthood, wanting to be seen as a man of the people.

Richard Seddon remained Prime Minister for 13 years, but gradually, calls for him to retire became more frequent.

Richard Seddon's funeral was held on 21 June 1906 and he was buried in Wellington's Bolton Street Cemetery, now Bolton Street Memorial Park.

Richard Seddon succeeded Seddon as Prime Minister nearly two months later, on 6 August 1906.

Richard Seddon married Louisa Jane Spotswood on 13 January 1869 in Trinity Church, Williamstown, Victoria, Australia.

Richard Seddon is considered by academics and historians to be one of New Zealand's greatest and most revered prime ministers.