THE SQUADRON.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7262, 23 January 1889, Page 5

THE SQUADRON.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION TELSSItAM.] ' ■ WELLINGTON, 'January; ..&.'

It is understood that when Admiral Fairfax has completed his excursion to tit@ West Coast Sounds he will be landed from H.M.S. Orlando at the Bluff and will pro. ceed to the Lakes district. The aagsMp will then go on to Akaroa, where -the Admiral wiU ultimately rejoin her.

Bis Worship the Mayor entertained a number of the principal officers of fcbfe squadron and prominent citizens ' s& luncheon at the Corporation offices to-day. The Mayor occupied the chair, supported on.the right by his Excellency the Governor and Sir Wilihra Mtshs&berfc, Speaker of the Legislative Council, on tha left byCaptain Hammill,.of H.M.S. Orlando, and Sir H.-Atkinson. Conspicuous amongst the company, in addition to officers\<tf..the warships, were Viscount Jouffray d'Abbaaa (French Consul), Mr G. J. Torward (Danish Consul), Hon. Mr Fortesette, A.8.0.i Hoes: Messrs T. HMopand P. A. Buckley, ■ *

At the Mayor's banquet the 'Vtmfcmi-, responding to the toast of-? Tho-tagfeal** tore," said that he waa mora at tow when he had a little fighting to do t&aft when addressing asympatlietac audience. Mr Blair had referred to the fact that the Legislature of this colony was practically the result of democracy in its extreme form. There could be ho doubt -afr'all about that. The franchise given -tdi New Zealand originally was an exceedingly liberal one, but now we practically ted universal suffrage. After a Parliamentary experience of over a quarter of a eastey he could venture to say that the present Parliament was as good a Parliament as the people of New Zeahmd had ever returned. He said this, knowing thft* tha difficulties of Government were increased because we were passing away froia the , oM party li»ie3 and not fighting ferpM,ciplea, but for men. Soj it was also at Home, for though there were the UnaasM and Separatist parties, he venttwsciio say that the Unionista were raaily the Separatists, and vice versa. There was ; no qtw#* tion that a legislature returned* by universal suffrage had but one object, before it, and that was the advancement of the colony. Parliament ; did a great work for the Smpire when it passedthe Naval Defence Bill, which was the first acknowledgment by the cedony of iea obligations as part of the British Empire. Though he was proud of being a. New ZeaJaader he was still an Englishman, and he rejoiced to look forward to a great union of all the people.speaking the English languages throughout the wosli, •which he ventured to say would corns in course of time. Whether England or AnM*ripfr was to be the centre & depend upon the statesmen of Eagisad. Ha aßafeesscfthat he did not sea.«iy:.sfew« It aft present, but if this; we» soft to Mm® caaelUen we must centee nation of .'America.' (WS«S.'SSS Councillor Williams *wjmf& of the "Army and Navy, HammuLß.N., responaed. the Consuls of New. P*gKff» by thenon, P.A. teaaea. by Viscount J&aSßaj-.fyj^m.