Visit to Tonga, Fiji, Savage Island and the Cook Islands

8vo, pp. 445, foldout map bound in at rear. Patterned endpapers. Fading to spine, corners a little bumped, but a better than very good copy. Author's photographic frontispiece and b&w photographs throughout. First edition, INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR: 'To Mrs. A. Saunders with the compliments of the author R.J. Seddon 1902'. Richard John Seddon [1845-1906] was Prime Minister of New Zealand, leading a Liberal government, from 1893 until his death. His Old-Age Pensions Act of 1868 is regarded as the beginning of New Zealand's welfare state, and women's suffrage was won during his time in office (although his party had to drag him to it.) A colonialist, he believed New Zealand should play the role of 'the Britain of the South Pacific': a year after this book was published, the Cook Islands came under New Zealand control. British-born, there is a memorial to Seddon in St. Paul's cathedral. A nice copy, and scarce inscribed.