MR DION BOUCICAULT IN WELLINGTON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 265, 14 November 1885, Page 8

MR DION BOUCICAULT IN WELLINGTON.

(BY rniiEPRAPH- OY.'.'l CORKEstPONDUKT.)

Wellington, thia day. Sin Dion- Boccicaclt, the celebrated author actor, arrived in Wellington yesterday morning, by the as. Mrmapouri, and a lurge number of people gathered round the ...nj-iu-ay of the vcsml to catch a j/limpseof :i tn.iii «> faniuus. As goon ua hoand Mra Boiicicoult landed, tlicy wero driven to the Occidoiit.il Hotel, where apnrtrnonts had been flocured for them. At noon a number of leading citizen* proceeded to the hotel, with a viow to ullur a welcome to tho disliimuiahid vi-itor. Among iho«o -pcrotho Hon. Dr. Morgan S. (Jrnco, M.L.0., Messrs >'. S. tirahnn, J.P,, E. <>■ Gillon, .1 1., John Plimmor, J. .11 IJoaton, •). O'Shea, J. McDowell, E. Dovino, J. S. lload, T, McKenzie, K. J. Collins, Oarvcy Billing, and Chatfiold. Tho lions. P. A. Buckloy, W. J. M. Larnaob, and. 1". A. Tolo and others wero unable to bo present owing to otlior ongngemontp. Tho gentlemen having been presented to Mr Bouoicault by Messrs MoM. lion and Loitch, Ur. draco, addressing Mr Boucicault, .said : Wo aro horo to welcome you as a man distinguished in literature. Wo recognise that you havo dono an infinity for dramatic literal uro ; in particular that you havo perfected in a signal manner tho wedlock of humour and morality in your plays, and havo demonstrated tho valuo of lofty sentiment applied to the practical affairs of our work-a-day life. Wo foel that our language owos you this particular debt of gratitude - that you havo accustomed tho English stage to do without leaning on the Trench Btage for its comedy. Your unsullied moral teaching hag boon of such a character as to clovats tho modern stage, and you have lit up with wit and humour tho lesson you have imparted till each admirer has mado it, his own. Wo havo an ardent sympathy with geniu.s, and wo wish you to find wo know how to approciato its happy pos-

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Mr Boucicault, in reply, said ho thanked thorn very much for tho manner in which they had recoived him, though they had taken him somewhat by surprise. Ho had, however, received wherever he had been in Australasia, but parlicnlary in Now Zealand, so warm iv welcomo that ho could hardly find words to express his more than gratitude, Every man did tho best ho could in tho position in lifo to which ho had been callod ; that was, ho did tho best he could first for himself and his family, and if in doing that ho happened by tho blessing of God to do v little outnido for tho benefit of his fellow-countrymen, thon ho was doubly blessed. He (Mr Boucicault) had therefore boon so biossod, bocauao while doing tho best ho could for those who had claims upon him, ho had been ablo alao to do some little good in reconciling, if ho might say so, tho prejudices of outsiders with ilio htttge as a moral vehicle and moral in-,-tructor, and it was only by rendering tho drama decent, and convoying intellectual ploasuros of such a kind that they could bo indulged in without sensuality, that tho diatna could bo elevated. All could not bo^Shakespoaros, and " bestride tho narrow world like a collossus," and it was necoeenry for tho dramatist to be entirely on a level with his audience Ho thanked God they lived in republican times, when they were all morally, politically, and socially equal. Ho prided himself that ho was ablo to pay i hut during tho last 25 years his efforts had boon associated with, not what was termed tho independence of his count ry, for that \ra= tho worst thing that could happen to her, but with nn endeavour to havo her ruuoived into tho Itritfoh family on terms of greater equality, tie wan glad to boo that, as far an ho desired it should go (that vns to say, Unit Ireland should ha* .1 a littlo solf-guvernmont uit'.iout losingonei ita of hor loyalty), there was every probability of that coming about, and ho had, two diys ngo, received a telegram to tho effect ihat (ho English Parliament would cort.ni ily

ifiu<i!(!o -ill :-he w;i* entitled to hin'O. ((■hoors.) 110 had not tho smallest doubt thftti tho new Parliament which would usneniblo in February or March would m-.ko thnl. one of tho pilules of their platform, and that all Hint wi« nectary for liel nd would bo granted within tho next V 2. or 18 months. Ho was also satisfied that there would bo boforo long first-class colonial representation in tho English Parliament, instead of tho colonies being roproeontod.as at present, by agents having no authority to speak in tho 1 ogislaturo, Until tho neces sity for tliia was understood and granted, ho considered thoro would bo no truo federation. Mr Boucicault concluded by ngiin thanking tho gentlemen presont for tho welcome thoy had given.

Mr Boncicault was recoived tonight at tho Theatro Koyal by ono of the largest and moat onjoyablo audiences ever crowded within tun building. Among thoso presunt were tho Premier and tho Mimstorof Justice, besides many of tho loading professional and commercial gentlemen of thn city.