Richard Seddon

Richard John Seddon PC (22 June 1845 – 10 June 1906) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 15th premier (prime minister) of New Zealand from 1893 until his death. In office for thirteen years, he is to date New Zealand's longest-serving head of government.

Seddon was born in Eccleston, Lancashire, England. He arrived in New Zealand in 1866 and settled on the West Coast of the South Island, where he lived for the rest of his life. His prominence in local politics gained him a seat in the House of Representatives in 1879 for Hokitika. Seddon became a key member of the Liberal Party under the leadership of John Ballance. When the Liberal Government came to power in 1891 Seddon was appointed to several portfolios, including Minister of Public Works. 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 Seddon's opposition to it. Seddon's government achieved many social and economic changes, such as the introduction of old age pensions. His personal popularity, charisma and strength overcame dissent from within his cabinet. This has been described as firmly establishing "Seddonism", a colloquial term for Seddon's strand of nationalist conservatism, as New Zealand's dominant political ideology.

Seddon's Liberal government also purchased vast amounts of land from Māori, aided by his allies Alfred Cadman and James Carroll as the Ministers of Native Affairs. He 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. An imperialist in foreign policy, his attempt to incorporate Fiji into New Zealand failed, but he successfully annexed the Cook Islands in 1901. Seddon's government supported Britain with troops in the Second Boer War (1899–1902) and supported preferential trade between British colonies.

Seddon was regarded as deeply regionalist and cronyist, being biased towards his adopted region of the West Coast. He inspired serious and long-lasting loyalty among his cabinet members. Seddon led his party to win five consecutive elections, the most for any New Zealand party. Leading the Liberal Party until his death, the party afterwards struggled to recover. Despite being derisively known as "King Dick" for his autocratic style, he has nonetheless been named as one of the greatest prime ministers in New Zealand history.