PRESENTATION TO CAPTAIN RUSSELL.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11108, 29 October 1901, Page 6

PRESENTATION TO CAPTAIN RUSSELL.

A PLEASANT REUNION. (special to "the press.") WELLINGTON, October 28. A memorable gathering was held within the precincts of Parliament to-day, when members of the past and present, met to rmtke a presentation to the Hon. Captain Rtiswll. The presentation took the form of three beautiful centrepieces in so.id silver, designed somewhat after the st.j4e of the famous Warwick vase. There was ono very large bowl and two smaller ones. The rim of each had a narrow design of figures in relief running round it. The vases, which , were real wo<;k.4 of an., came from JKikington's, the famous silversmith, and are valiK*d at over ft hundred guineas. On the ebony pedestal, on which th« largest vase rests, a band of siher bears t.ho following inscription:—"Presented to Captain Russell, M.H.R., as a mark of cfteetn, from friends associated with him while Leader ci «.»e Opposition in the Parliament of New ZeaJajid.' , Mr Ja««. Allen, who acted as chairman, read letters and telegrams of apology from the Hon. Jo-h'n Bryce, Mr James Green {W'iiiutti), the Hvn. 3h- Rollesfon, 3lr A. U. Wilson, Mv A. K. G. Rhodes, Mr Bruce, Mr Sligo, the Hon. 31 r .Stevens, ihe Hon. Mr Howen, Mr Mitcjielson. All Curson, tho Hon. C Johnston, the Hon. Mr OriTiMid, Mr Moore (Kaiapoi), Mr A. U. Jiell, -Mr and Mr Jiuchanan. Mr Massey, who made the presentation, said the end of the session wus approaching, and before they left for their homes the Opposition members in the -present Parliament and those gentlemen wtio had been Opposition membera in previous Parliaments, ami who had been associated with Captain JttiKsel! while leader of the Opposition, desired to tak<; tlie opportunity tit presenting him with a." slight, token of the esteem und appreciation of the many Kacri-fk-es he had made on behalf of what thV'y believed to be sound principles, and a. .sincere denim for \he welfare and good government of the country. The members fit a Parliamentary Oppos.tion were supposed to be the constitutional critics of public affairs. It was their business to criticise the policy and doings of the CJovernment, ;uid in doing that they fulfilled a most important function, bufc very few people knew how difficult it. wns, and what a-hard work it was for a numerically weak Opposition t-o properly criticise r.he proposa.s and finances of the Government when even-thing possible was done w cover up and conceal the real position. .He (Mr Maftfpy) had m ver known Captain Kussell to wit-ver from whut hn considered right, «,r in any way to allow hhnse.f to be swayed by personal ■consideration!', even when his mutita was no*so satisfactory as iwa friends might have liked, or when the illness of members of his family must have been causing him very serious anxiety. No cne cou d help admiring his consistency, the puck with which! he stuck to his post, and his desire to do his dirty in the position which he held. (Applause.) That the party of which he was the leader did good werk would bo acknowledged even now by their opponents, and as time went on, ami the resu.ts of the policy and legislation of the last ten year* made themselves felt, a' very much larger number would come to' the conclusion that the attitude nnd criti'cixms of t«ite Opposition were fully justified- In view, 'however, of the changes whim took place at, the last ek-rtion, those who were returned had, as Captain Russell knew, and with his approval, decided for the present not to do anything in the way of organisation, not to act together as an organised paity, but simply-each one in his ov,t\ way to do his duty to his com>+ituent« and the country. When, however, the constituencies indiT <«t.«l that another course of action was desirable the members who at present occupied the Opposition benches and others who might, ihe associated vttth them would honestly endeavour to give effect to the 'w.rthoAof the* people -whom t<hey repre-fpiitc-d, and on whichever*side of the House thn electors plarert them,they would, by <i policy round, honest, and progressive, eih-leavour to so guxdo the public affairs of this yoiihg country that prosperity and happiness niig-ht result to ifce people. Captain Rufwell, both in his capacity of memner of the House of Representatives for Hawked Bay and as leader of' the Opposition, had. acted up to, and endeavoured to maintain, the highest traditions ct Parliamentary life, and when the Opposition asked him to , accept these articles they hoped he would understand that it was m> empty compliment, but a heartfelt exprewion of regard. (Applause.) John Duthie, late member for Wellington, abo paid a tribute to Captain Rukspll, the presentation to be made represented tihe uoitr and goodwill ■which animated the Opposition, and they hoped the ftjrm. it had taken, would; nofc be im»ct'pptfible to the .leader* under whom they had worJcwJ. Rtecent rarliamentary history and the. renunciation of the reeponsibility of a« organised party were iuterestlng and its to the'future of Government in this country** It was, perhaps, sconce conceivable t&at democracy could in so short a time have made, such* havoc with the constitutional, rights banded down to its keeping-r-righte and control won for the people in the past by earnest men, after long year?* of Parliamentary stntggle. to vie House party not being ranged on principles had ceased to serve its purpose, and the blind following of a leader was now the ~ highest conception of duty. Mr Duthie here referred to several matters dealt with during tlie ]iresent session, and, passing on, said on behalf of ex-members he would thanfc Oaptain Rusaell for t>o ably keeping the flag tlfmg. They were fall etill individually imbued with aspkatione for )jodd of the country, and when the reign of comimm sense and constitutional Government wax re-established, such of them as were young enough to continue the good fight would yet find an honourable" place in their country's service. . *• Captain Russell, who was received with cheeni> said the flattering comments on bimvtelf did not, he assured them, leave him at all unmoved, for though he felt honestly thai much that bad been said of hdm was more than hts due, yet he thought he could claim, »s he believed might be churned for everyone of tlie members of the Opposition, that he, like all of them, had struggled under dmtmsUinee* of elmost unparalleled difficuity to <lo that which had been their r chjiy-—{Sear, *i«»c)-r-and it had been no light task that, had been put before them.. j|n his capanity 1 &a leader of the Opposition he felt tha* had it not been for the unwavering kindness and support which had been given him by every member of the party, his efforts would not have befn half so good a* they had been kind mough to •think they had been. Their diffi-, fuky had been almost insuperable, and for this reason: that they bad been placed in* the posjitiou of having to struggle continually asahint that which hat? besn put forward mistakenly a« in the interests of tire people. To believe for one instant that any member of the Opposition party had for one single inftt&nt wished to bar the road of progress, or to do anything which should keep their weaker brethren from rising to an enual tevel with theniselvw. was to mistake lutogether the attitude, the functioos, the hope? and rtwires of th« Oppoeition, <He«w, bear.) B»tt unfortunately they had bwn compelled continually to endeavour to resst that which they belkved would in reality he mimical t«. ;ke very people it was suppo.*?d the suggested lawii were to help, *na tims Had proved 5n almost even , in»t*nce the truth of tlw criticism which they had bestowed "upor. * measures brought forward by tbo Government. took the- measures now on the Statute Book" it would be found that many of them originally emanated from the people who now represented the Opposition, and that at any rate they all had Wn licked into Khape by the very men who had been charge.! with the to obstruct their j>e*Kage, %nd it wa* quite certain that had it n«»t Iwn for the uns*lfi»h de«r« of the Opposition to endeavour to perfect 4h* cniditjes which had been pufc before th*m, th« success of the Government party would not have been half f>, great as it. ha» bt&v. There wa* one thing | which ifc was very pleasant to think about. *nd that vnm that, though they had struggle* aow for a period ot t«n yeaii* against

1 adverse ciicumstances, there had been no j secessions in any instance w-batooerer from / the ranks of the Opposition, Ttme had swept many of them out of the active ranks of J l>>litical fighters, but it had aiwaye been m ith the flag flying that men had gone down Tlivre had Been no surrender, no faltering, no truckling to miscalled public favour, but there bad been a desire always to do that which was right. It wa» pleasant aJso to remember what unanimity ©/feeling, what good fellowship, had prevailed amongst them alt and that they were still a band of brothers as they bad been in the past. Also, this might be said, that the very opposite had been the fa*e of the Government party. Several gentlemen had come actually and actively on to their side, and were fighting under tho banner with them, having been elected under a misconception of so-called Lhberpltem. They came and fought for a time under that banner, but they had now realised that the constitutional party were the true friend*! .of the country, and they came over to the Opposition and were as gooa fellows with them ns any person could be. Ihe Government party could not claim that such luul been (he case with any of tie Opposition. They (the Opposition) had stuck j loyally and faithfully to the ideas which, hud I animated them. He believed the day would come, though it had been a long time coming, when the Opposition would receive that meed of praise which was their due for having fought an uphill fight with great difficulty. J hen came the question: Uould tbev liave done more? That was a question he often asked himself, from having had responsibility placed upon his shoulders. Whether he could have done more or not he would not say, bufc as an organised body he unhesitatingly said they could not have done more than they had done to achieve success. Hβ ' believed they had neglected no opportunity, always remembering that they had refused to sacrifice principle. They had refused to lend themselves to opportunism; they had gone on that which they believed to be right, and lie djd not believe that any other system of tactics than that which they had pursued would have achieved success.. A politician, concluded Captain Russell, might be called a member of the Order of the Ephemera; he fluttered his wings for a short time in the sunshine,, and then unfortunately too often he fluttered into oblivion. Hβ felt that that would not be so in his own ca*e—not on account of any merits of his own, but on account of the kindness of his friends, and long after lie was dead and gone the beautiful and handsome present they had given him wouM remain to his children to prove w<hat at any rate his fellow members thought of him. (T/ou'l cheers.) ?

Captain Russpll's health was drunk with enthusiasm in bumpers of champagne. Mr Duthiu vras also toasted, and thus ended a very pleasant reunion.