"Playin' 'em like a Piana": Richard John Seddon and the Mastery of Public Performance

Abstract

In late 1904 Premier Richard John Seddon showed great physical courage by confronting shopkeepers furious at his government‘s efforts to shorten opening hours. In a public performance, of which this enduring politician bragged that he played the crowd "like a piana", Seddon was able to subdue a hostile audience. Newspaper reports suggest that he received much flack at both an afternoon and an evening meeting from Opposition Members of the House of Representatives [MHR] as well as angry crowds. Furthermore, after leaving the Druids‘ Hall in Cuba Street, Wellington. Seddon received sustained booing from 200 to 300 people gathered outside seemingly unimpressed by his suggestion that they "keep their hair on". The evening meeting proved even hotter. He almost lost his composure at one point, before restoring order by repeating his suggestion that the declaration of "combined districts" (that is, the suburbs that would be included with the central areas of the main centres where hours would be restricted) could be delayed and a test case organized with the Department of Labour to hold back the legislation‘s introduction by another year. Even though the fiery meeting went on until the early hours of the morning, this act of courage and populist genius swung the audience around, and they ended proceedings by singing "For He‘s a Jolly Good Fellow".