THE MAYOR'S DINNER.

Press, Volume XIII, Issue 1725, 12 September 1868, Page 2

THE MAYOR'S DINNER.

In the evening the Mayor of Christehurch gave a dinner at the Clarendon Hotel, in celebration of tbe first election of councillors under the Municipal Corporations Act. The company was composed of the Deputy Superintendent, the Provincial Secretary, the Provincial Solicitor, the Mayors of Lytteiton and Kaiapoi, the members of the Christehurch Borough Council, C. C. Bowen, Esq., B.M. Dr. Foster, W. Moorhouse, J. Ollivier, and H. E. Alport, Esqrs, Captain Wilson, and a few other gentlemen. The arrangements for the dinner were en- ' trusted to Mr Q. Oram, who put an elegant repast upon the table. The ohair was, as a matter of course, occupied by the host, Mr W. 1 Wilson,. who was supported on the right by Mr Montgomery, and on the left by Mr Bowen, while Mr Alport fulfilled the duties of vice-chairman. After dinner had been concluded, the usual loyal toasts were drunk. " The Army, Navy, and Volunteers," coupled with the name of Mr Moorhouse, was then given and responded to by that gentleman, and was followed by ,: The Governor." Mr Moorhouse, in proposing tho health of his Honor the Superintendent and tho Executive Council, expressed the gratification he felt at having the toast entrusted to him, and said he could understand that when Mr Rolleeton was chosen to fill the responsible office of Superintendent, the choice of tho electors could scarcely fall upon any other man, and there was no doubt that the responsibility would be ably borne and handsomely acknowledged. [Cheers.] He entirely concurred in the choioe of the electors ; but had he not done so, he should have supported the Superintendent, since it was the duty of every good citizen to acquiesce in the choice of the majority, and to support those entrusted with the fulfilment of important public duties. With regard to tho Executive, he had especial pleasure in bearing his testimony to the faithfulness with which those geptlomen who aided him in the administration of the affairs of the province addressed themselves to the discharge of their duties. On personal grounds, the Executive had great claims to his respect, and in the last public address which he would probably deliver in the province—on the occasion of his addressing the Provincial Council, on his retirement from ofßco—be> made a public recognition of this fact. These were somewhat difficult times; but he believed they would eventually result in good, in stimulating us to increase the commerce of the province, by producing goods in excess of our wants, and thus increasing our exports—a matter which had hitherto been neglected. He believed the Superintendent and Executive wore fully aware of tho necessity ot doing this, and he had much pleasure in proposing their healths. The toast was warmly received. Mr Montgomery, who rose amidst cheers, said he thanked those present very sincerely for tbe manner in which they had drunk His Honor's health. Tho toast came with peculiar ! good grace from Mr Moorhouse, and he would say, on the part of the Executive, that tho feelings of respect they entertained for that gentleman's great talents and high aenso of honor when he was in office, wonld remain long after he he had retired from active public affairs, [t.heers.] His Honor had been elected to a position which ho recognised as being ono of very considerable difficulty, but had brought to bear upon the duty given him to perform that official knowledge and aptitude for which he was so distinguished, and that clearness of intellect and singleness of purpose which in every instance was likely to ensure respect. Be (Mr Montgomery) did not think the people of the province would regret their ohoice, but believed that when the Superintendent retired from office, he would bo as dooply seated in their affections as he was to-day. As to the executive, any remarks which were likely to hurt the feelings of political opponents should at all times, but more especially on festive occa- i sions like the present, be avoided. Ho would, '. however, observe, that when the present cxc- i cutive took office, they were perfectly aware I that the period was one of very considerable < difficulty, and that the difficulties would re- i quire! their utmost care and attention to 6ur- I mount. The executive did not claim to have j any particular ability, but he thought the i public recognised that they possessed single- i ness of purpose to do whit they thought best i for the province. There had beeu very cliili-' i

cult questions to settle—quesliom nf , magnitude, that a false step on u,ei! BU ° h might havo plunged the province into I considerable difficulties. They had done tl 7 best to surmount those difficulties—with li ? measure of success the manner in w i,l f toast, just proposed had been received to J extent showod-[cheers] ,-but hTwo„, a °S T -and wished it to go forth to tho publS hat whatever merit of success mjgi/t bo "S o the executive for the advice they g J*2 Ins Honor on public questions ; WcU r satisfactory the results might havo proved thl i Government had had the generous confidence of the Provincial Council, which it was no« 8! sary for them to havo, tho support of tho press, and the equally necessary outside support ' in he trustful quiescence of the great body ;ot the peoplo of the provinco With thc4 » great supports the executive had gone or • steadily and without fear with tho groat «««,! . tions they had to deal with. Knowing their ) magnitude, they gave those questions <nrat ) attention, and used their best abilities • they ) took no step without great consideration, but . took it without hesitation ; never hulted p and went on as thoy thought to bo rightand if tho result had proved satisfactory, thoy - wished to recognise the great support they 1 had received from their fellow citizens, and i that they could not havo conducted public ) nffuirs so successfully without tho support of t the Provincial Council, tho press, and tho f body of the colonists. Thero had been nn ) almost total absence of hostile criticism in ti, o 1 public press. Tho good sense of tho public i and of the conductors of tho nowspapcrs, had > told them that it was absolutely necessary t this support should bo given to the Executivo s in order that tho latter might bo strong to t meet tho public difficulties. He heartily , thanked those present for the way in which a they had drunk the toast, and would say oa i behalf of himself and the other gontlemon f included in it, that they would endeavour i. with singleness of purpose to do the best a they could for tho province. [Cheers.] 1 Mr Ollivier proposed "The Members of f tho Provincial Council," to which Mr Buntj can responded. J" Mr C. C. Bowen, in proposing "Tho Major '» and Borough Council of Christehurch," said ho 0 thought ho might congratulate tho town, tho Mayor, and tho Council, on tho election ) that had taken place that day. [Cheers.] ' It was a great fact that ten good men had come forward to stand for tho honours of tho ' Borough. It was a good sign of the times. Things could not be going bo very wrong when public places of honor, not of omolur ment, wero Bought after so eagerly. It was ag woll that all members, and especially tha young members of the Council should know v - that they were expected to put every street in 5 tho town into perfect good order this year; » light up every street: have wator laid on to a every house in tho town ; and do all for a Id. rate. [Loud laughter.] The public would a not be satisfied with less. [Hoar, hoar.] Ho 1 had much pleasure in proposing tho toast. 8 The toast having boon drunk, The Mayor of Christehurch, in responding, 9 said the number of gentlemen of ability and high position there assembled was a proof of ■ the high position in which tho Borough Coun- > cil was held. It was a great pleasure to him 8 to see those gontlomen present, and he was r proud to hear the terms in which they spoko of 9 the Council. He was also equally proud to 3 think that such gontlomen as had contcstod tho J eloclion should have come forward as candidates ; and hoped that it proved that the 5 people of Christehurch considered that their representatives in the Council had endeavored to sustain the dignity of that body. Thero 3 had not only been a largo number* of candidates, but a largo number of ratepayers had ' voted. At tho last election, ho boli'orcd not » more than about 240 recorded their votes ; while that day 454 did so, thereby evidencing the interest which the people of Chriotchurch took in the Borough Council. Though he deeply regretted the loss of one very ablo member, Mr Henry Thomson, who through i illness was unable to be present that evening, i he was nevertheless glad to think thoy had i succeeded in securing tho olection by a" con- ) siderable .majority of ono of the oldest and ■ most respected membors then present, Mr - John Anderson—[cheers] —who was respected i in the Council as one of their most intelligent . members. If not one of thoir most frequent . spoakers, whenever he did speak; what he said I was always good, sound common sense. [Hear, , hear.] Ho was also glad to And that they » had secured, in addition, two gentlemen of ■ considerable intelligence and business ext perience ; and no doubt they would i work together with the other rcicmborii ,of tho Council in tho snme unanimity ' as had distinguished the last Council. Durisg ■ tho two years in which he had beoq chairman F of the Council, there had not been a single misunderstanding, and tho morabora had 1 always shown tho greatest consideration for , one another's opinions, and a courteous deairo r to meet one another's views; not a single meeting had lapsed for want of a quorum; and thero were seldom less than n full number of members present at a mooting. It had ' always been a pleasure to him to act with these gentlemen, and he should give up his i. office as Mayor in December with rogrot. Ho cordially thanked those present for tho manner in which the toast had been received. Mr W. Williams said ho felt that a very 1 great honor was conferred upon him when tho toast of "Tho health of tho Mayors of Lytteiton and Kaiapoi," was placed in his hands. It must be a sourco of groat gratification to the public of the various towns of the colony to know that we had arrived at ouch a state of advancement as to find Ourselves in a position to havo Borough Councils, and gentlemen occupying tho prominent and onerous position of mayor, and not only onerous but honorahle, because thoso gontlomen who occupied that positjon wero oloctod to fill it by a majority of thoir fellow townspeople, and it might bo*taken for granted in almost every case, that thoso elected wore tho best men who could bo found to occupy tho place. It must also be a so..rce of gratiGcation to think that the country was in audi a position as to induce the General Assembly to pass a Bill enabling the Government to ap« point mayors to the honourablo position ofjustices of tho peace. [Hear, hear.] Ifc was a very right and proper thing to make mayors justices of the peace, because thoy might fill aßpiro to that honourablo position. Mr Bowon had described vory graphically the difficulties besetting the Mayer - 1 and Borough Council of Christehurch, and no doubt the Mayors of liVt« teltun and Kaiapoi found tho sama ilifEcalties in thoso boroughs, and that thoy had not only to exercise their own judgment in considering what were the best things to bs done, but also found that evory one wished bis own particular wants to bo attendod to. Nevertheless, from the reports which had appeared in the newspapers, and in other ways, thoy knew that tho public in thoso towns were quite satisfied with the way in which the duties falling upon those gentlemen had been performed during tho last year or two; because, although individuals might bo dissatisfied that their particular wants had not been attended to, still the public felt that tho Mayors and Councils had done their best for tho towns at large. It was, however, better that Mayors and Councils should meet with difficulties ; speaking from his own experience, ho knew that. nothing stimulated a man to increased exertion so much as meeting with difficulties. Ho doubted whether any man had met with greater difficulties in tho colony than he had, and they had only stimulated him to greater exertion. He had lately met with difficulties, and they would stimulate him. [Choeia.'j Mr Williams concluded by repeating that ho felt it a great honour to be called upon to pro-* poso this toast. The toast was cordially received. Mr Merson, in responding, said ho fully endorsed Mr Williams's remarks about tho Municipal Corporations Act, and thought that municipal institutions, as established under that Act, would oa of groat advantage to tho country. But tho fact of a great number of candidates coming forward, and a largo number of burgesDos voting, was a proof of tho good effect of tlio ! no.tv Act. Considerable improvements had, however, been inact'e both in Lyttolton and Christehurch during tho lasS few years. He heartily thanked them for tho manner in which they had drunk his health.

] responding on his own behalf, ~L*i that ho could not say of the Kaiapoi "Pjt-Oounai what Mr Wilson had had ore of Baying with regard to the Council—tliat unanimity characmeeting. He trusted, however, jsf \? x's election would result in the Kai.ipoi $**"*• turning over a new leaf in that Sf^a/aBO , was glad the powers under the had been given, and believed they S* w f jj e beneficial, because, although some that the machinery of the Act was tfjjjjr k excess of the wants of a place like yet it was sometimes better to legisp.r^j raD c<fc Notwithstanding that the "*** was liable to the risk of being carried #** . overflow of tho river, he had «*?-X j as t gevtin or eight years noticed a vTOgress in it, and believed in its He felt it an honor to fSrfv the position of Mayor of Kaiapoi, OH!!; especially co, because seven or eight came out as a Government emifS* in vrliJoh the immigration agency at *ZT wse conducted, pointing out that under v nresent system, the best class of immino* obtained ; and also upon the i £S«to-of-*h«- railway, which he advo- ! tSlboald *» P Bl7 "* a northerly direci being the best for the interests of the Ifnrince though injurious to Kaiapoi itself. { to express his grateful thanks for ] i Z J£, which had bean done him. 1 "tSSuoceeeful Candidates," "Dr Foster," !, or two other toasts concluded the WDgs were given during the evening I fS&eeWP* 0 ? broke U P about-midnight.