FAREWELL TO MR G.M. REED

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 59, 11 March 1889, Page 8

FAREWELL TO MR G.M. REED

SPEECH BY SIR GEORGE GREY.

Thekk was a large gathering at the Chamber of Commerce at 1.30 p.m. to-day, . when Mr (■>. M. Reed, for very many years connected with journalism in Auckland, was presented with a farewell address. Captain Colbeck, chairman of the Chamber, occupied the chair.

Captain Colbeck read the addre3s, as follows :—

"George McCulloch Reed, Esq., B.A. " DiiAii Sm, —We desire, on yonr leaving New Zealand, to express our deep regret at losing one for whom many of us feel the most sincere personal friendship and who is held by all in the highest esteem. We desire also to express our sense of the services you have rendered in your vocation as a journalist. Your brilliant and powerful pen has been used to support measures which you deemed calculated ,to promote the welfare of the colony. V"our generous sympathy has never failed whore tho cause of the weak or the oppressed called for action. You have, witli unflinching courage, upheld the right and exposed the wrong, and never was your aid asked in vain where the cause was worthy of your pen. That you should, as the independent journalist and thinker, bitvo pome; into collision with many of your fellow citizens was of course, unavoidable. You will, however", be gratified to learn that you now leave New Zealand with opponents disarmed, by. a recollection -of'1' the -kindliness- and sincerity 'ever perceptible when your opposition was moat keen, and with troops of friends who will not cease to wish you continued health and success in your new career. We beg you to accept the enclosed purse of sovereigns, and to appropriate it in such manner as may best remind you of the friends you leave behind. —VYibh best wishes ; for the happiness of yourself and family, we iarOj dear sir, sincerely yours." (Here follow the signatures)

' Captain Colbeck referred in a few kind ; words to his personal acquaintance with :Mr Reed, and then handed the address and ! a purse of sovereigns to Sir George Grey for 'presentation. Sir George Grey said that he had been requested by the committee which had taken the trouble to bring Mr Reed's merits before his fellow colonists, from whom he was taking his departure, to present this address and the accompanying purse. He could not say in the usual form that it was with tho greatest pleasure that he performed this duty, because on this occasion it was connected with the feeling that he was about to part with one whom he had known for many years. Therefore, glad as he was at what had been done, and proud as ho was to present these tokens of regard, a feeling. of sorrow, in spite of every .effort to the contrary, mingled with the pleasure he felt in performing a gracious act on. the-part of the gentlemen who had worked-to obtain these for him (Mr Reed). He was sura every one would agree with that part of the address which stated that " Your • generous sympathy has Hover failed to be exercised v/hen the cause oi ■ the weak or oppressed calls for action." He (3ir George) did riot believe any man had more successfully laboured \to obtain justice for all whom he believed to be wronged and {jet them righted, and in almost cverv instance, it j»u«t b^e admitted, Mr Reed had a bly and poweifully supported almost ©very pleasure fpr the got>l of tho

weak. He (Sir George) said " almost," because some oi us considered certain measures good for the country, but the fact that Mr Reed had only supported what he believed to be ri^ht rendered more valuable the support which he gave upon that occasion (applause), and also rendered his efforts much more valuable to the friends with whom he may have on some occasions differed. It was difficult for him to say more than there was in this address. He would generally remark that in the present state of the world it was'the duty of every citizen to do his best to recognise the merits of those journalists who did work for the public good. (Applause). In point of fact, if they: considered that every day the news of the whole world was known to us almost within a few hours of the time that it was known to the inhabitants of the. countries in which a particular event might take place, they would agree \vith him that the journalist had to possess ability of the very highest order (applause), that honesty of ths very highest class was also necessary, and integrity, so that no feeling of friendship, or party feeling may lead him, so to speak, from what was right. (Applause.) Those journalists who passed through trials of that kind, who laboured mentally every day to keep the public in the right, whose life was one continued source of mental labour from day to day, occupied a position somewhat similar to that occupied by the ancient orators in the Forum at Rome. Indeed the journalist of to-day occupied a greater position, because he directed public opinion upon everything that takes place throughout the world, not in his own city only. Therefore, when they parted from any man whom they believed had honestly and sincerely followed whab appeared to be the path of duty, when they knew that- he had, in all relations of private life, been most kindly to all, when they parted from him, and he wenb to.another country, they should send him forth with every expression of goodwill that would render his abilities as useful in that new field of action as they had been here. Whatthey did to-day foivMr Reed let them do on all occasions to every journalist in this city who fairly deserved the public applause by his integrity and ability, when they are about to proceed to another country. The position of journalists within the last few years had been a good deal changed. They had now become leading members in the community in which they laboured, and their power was greater than that of any single member of Parliament. If, therefore, they used their powers well—and they generally had a very small remuneration, he feared, compared with their merits, or that with which they would be entitled to iat the bar or many other walks of life — when they parted from us their merits should be recognised in the most open and decided manner. In Mr Reed's case they had also to .part with a lady (Mrs Reed) whom he was sure everybody would admit who was acquainted with her was amiable in the very highest degree. He therefore, on behalf of all those who had interested themselves in the movement in Mr Reed's favour, now wished him Gcd speed in the new path upon which he was about to enter, and said they had a firni reliance that this days proceedings would strengthen! him in proceeding on the path of duty, facing every obstacle thatmightbe made to the attempts he put forth to gain justice for the poor, mercy for the miserable, wealth and peace for 'tho community in which be was about to take up his abode. With those feelings they must part with Mr Reed, and he (Sir George) felt sure that he would maintain the credit he had gained Heie,- and do justice to'the-appiause~with which' they now greeted him. (Loud applause.) Mr A. Bell, President of the Industrial Association, in a few well-chosen words next presented an address to Mr Reed. Mr Reed expressed his acknowledgments for the kind addresses and many kind remarks that had been made. He said it was now nearly twenty years since he first came to New Zealand. During that time he had said many hard things, but done also, he thought, some kind things. With regard to the hard things he felt that he was impelled to give them utterance — sometimes by a power over which perhaps he had not sufficient control, but many a time no sooner had they met the public eye than he felt regret for having inadvertently wounded the feelings of some. The kind addresses now presented and the many kind'words spoken, however, he presumed might bo accepted as indicating that these hard things had been forgotten and forgiven. He had been in many places throughout the world, but he had never been in any place which he liked so well as the city of Auckland, no place where he liked the people so well, and there was no place which he would remember with such kindly feelings as Auckland. He was going away to a bigger place whore, no doubt, he would move in more stirring events, but his kindliest feelings would at all times return to Auckland, and if he ever had it itvhis power to serve New Zealand, more particularly Auckland, by speaking a good word for it, nothing would give him more sincere and heartfelt pleasure. He thanked the gentlemen who had arranged this kind farewell very cordially for the reception he had received, and for their kindly words, and he also desired to expi-ess his special acknowledgments to Sir George Grey for thekindly manner in whichhe had spoken of Mrs Reed. (Applause). He was indebted to Sir George Grey for many kindnesses, and he would endeavour to follow out in his future those principles which he knew to bo very dear to Sir George Grey's heart. (Loud applause.) ~A vote of t.hank3 to tho Chairman brought a very pleasant gathering to a close.