YORKSHIRE SOCIETY'S DINNER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 290, 1 September 1908, Page 8

YORKSHIRE SOCIETY'S DINNER.

MINISTERS AND M.P.'S AS CUESTB. INTERESTING SPEECHES. Yorkshiremen filled the largo diningroom at Godber's, in Cuba Street, last evening. Yorkshiro mottoes welcomed them from the walls, and a dinner ill which Yorkshiro dishes and delicacies predominated was spread upon the tables. It was tho thirteenth annual banquet of tho Yorkshire Society of New Zealand. Tho president (Mr. J. H. Halliwell) had tho Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (Prima Minister) on his right hand, and tho Hon. T. W. Hislop (Mayor of Wellington) on his left. Other guests woro tho Hon. Dr. Findlay (Attorney-General), ■ Messrs. W. H. Horries, M.P., T. M. Wilford, M.P., and John Duthie. It was announced that apologies for absence had been received fropi His Excellency tho Governor, tho Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Mr. W. F. Massey, M.P., tho presidents of various Yorkshiro societies, and other gentlemen. , ' THE TOASTS. In proposing " Tho King," tho president referred to the warm welcome accorded by Yorkshire people to His Majesty and Queen Alexandra on their recent visit to Leeds. ,"Tho Governor" was noxt toasted with musical honours. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., proposed "Tho Dominion." He declared that tho name signified responsibility, growing up, tho leaving off of knickerbockers and getting into long trousers. The speaker eulogised tho freo Constitution and liberal franchise of the Dominion, with tho Upper and Lower Houses as the twin guardians of our liberties. Wo woro, perhaps, in this country a littlo too individualistic, and ought to become nioro altruistic, yet ho was convinced that every member of tho Legislature was striving to uplift and advance the country. There was much to bo dono yet, and there were few prizes to bo won in the political life. Those who had won thoso prizes were not unworthy. Tho future of this country was agricultural rather than industrial. Tile products of our soil would always bo welcomed in tho markets of tho world, but the leagues of ocean that separated us from other lands was the answer to those who expected us to' become great exporters of manufactured goods. He hoped tho futuro would bring industrial peace, and not industrial strifo. (Applause.)

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER. The Prime Minister (Sir -Joseph Ward), in reply, congratulated the Yorkshire Socicty upon its happy reunion. Nature had conferred so many exceptional gifts upon this country that New Zealanders could not . but speak of them. Ho intended to speak ou the present occasion, however, of tile material advanco of tho country. AVo had now, with the Island inhabitants, a population of about a million—small perhaps, but tho forerunner, lie hoped, of great things. We could not go on providing money for railways, roads, land settlement, and other means of developing tho country unless wo had a more rapid increase of tho population. (Hear, hear.) Whatever some might say as to too many coming here from abroad, ;t was necessary to see that tho population was keeping pace with the requirements, and unless this was tho cuse it appeared to him that thoro was very groat danger ahead. Manufactures were being built up in tlio towns, and it was apparent that unless population increased faster than tho present rate there would not be a sufficiency o[ peoplo to keep those manufactures goiug in tho not very distant future. Tho men who, with the best intentions and tho most honost motives, 'were publicly proclaiming that too many people were coming into the country from -aDroad could not have gone into the question statistically. During tho last fivo or ten years wo had had nothing in the shapo of a wido system of immigration. None of them wanted to, see a great rush of people into the country withm a short period, but ( they did want to' see the avenues for tho development of tho interior and tho needs of the centres filled, if not by natural increase, then by immigration. Tho development of tho country would take a great step forward with tho linking of tho seat of Government to tho great Northern city by means of tho Main Trunk'railway. Ho hoped that this, aiid tho future completion of the South Island Trunk railway and other lines of communication, would lead to more business competition, more intermarrying and visiting between all parts of tho country, so that all might realise that Now Zealand was one country.

LABOUR AND COMMERCE. Ho agreed with what Mr. Wilford had said of tho importance of industrial peace. There ought not to bo any attempt mado by anyone in or out of Parliament to cause dissension between employer and employed. They should realise that under tho Industrial Arbitration Act a very • prosperous condition of affairs had been built up. Unless thoy believed that' it would be better, to go back to) tho edge of barbarism, as it were, when tho strong arm of the men struggled against the strong arm of money, they should unite to improve tho present law, and ..to onsure tho maintenance of good feeling between employers and employed. In this effort, thoy ought to forget that there was such a thing as party in oxistenco, and bring all their intelligence to bear upon the task of putting on tho Statute Book such a measure as ho had indicated, before the Houso adjourned for tho recess. Turning next to Imperial questions, tha Premier, asserted that the wars of the futuro would bo caused not by territorial aggrandisement, but' by commercial motives. New Zealand and tho other self-governing dominions of tho Empire should, therefore, seek to knit closer tho commercial tics between themselves and the Motherland, so as to make tho Empiro strong against all possible combinations. In this and other efforts for tho good of Now Zealand there should be a union of all thoso who wore proved to bo citizens of this happy Dominion. (Applause.)

SPEECH BY MR. HERMES. Mr. W. H. Horries, M.P., said ho was glad to bo ablo to take Mr, Massey's placo in the proceedings, as there was nothing ho enjoyed more during tho session than an evoning with the "good old Yorkics." While he agreed with Sir Joseph Ward that pro- . vincial jealousy should be cast out like a . viper, lie felt that the healthy emulation be- ;• tween 0110 district and another was a good . and useful thing. Something like tho feeli mg they all had for Yorkshire, tho bonniest j and best of English counties, which 1 ■~ kn ?, w , from end to end, > might well be encouraged in New Zealand i Mr. Hernes evoked considerable enthusiasm 'v, ?• eul °sy of the ancient ministers of j Yorkshire, and still moro with an enumora- : tion of somo of tho famous Yorkshire i comestibles, such as Tadcaster ale, York , hams, Pomfret cakes, and Doucaster buttcr- ■ scotch \ nor did the laughter and applause I grow less when he talked of Yorkshire fairs l and race meetings. Finally ho touched upon i tho less attractive aspects of the/shire—tho ! "long, unlovely strcots," tho slums and I "mucky air" of Leeds and tho other great i West Hiding towns—and declared that poli- ■ ticians of all parties in this country were I trying not to lot such things be reproduced in New Zealand. (Applause.) MORE ABOUT YORKSHIRE. Mr. C. Wilson, in proposing "Our Native Country," referred to individualism as ouo of the strong points of tho Yorkshire character, and a trait that should bo valuablo in those days of too much bogus altruism. Ho believed also in tho local pride of Yorkshiremen and other people. Vorksliiro qualities were illustrated in a number of stories with which Mr. Wilson proceeded to set all tho tables in a roar. Tho Rov. J. Sykes, in responding, reminded his "brother Itykes" that ho camo from Leeds, _ which, after all, was "practically Yorkshire." _ (Laughter.) Statistics and pleasant stories wero mingled in tho speech, which concluded on a sadder noto with a reference to the death, since the last annual dinner, of the Rov. J. C. Andrew, long a prominent mombec pf tho society..

. THE GUESTS. The toast of "Our Guests" was proposed by Mr. G. T. Hall. - ■ Tho Hon. Dr. Findlay said lie had scon that night that Yorkshiremcn, like Scotsmen, could enjoy a joko at their own expense, as only a fino people could do. Ho would always bear very kindly recollections of his first dinner with tho Yorkshire Society. (Applause.) "WELLINGTON TOWN AND TRADE." Mr. J. Trevor proposed "Wellington Town and Trade." Tho Mayor (Hon. T. W. Hislop), in responding, gratefully acknowledged the valuo to the City Council of the letters written by Mr. Trevor whilo in Yorkshire, and said it was largely due to the information and advice given by him that tho final decision was made as to the new destructor. Ho hoped tho Council would ho .iblo to extend its policy of providing rccrcation grounds for tho people. (Applauso.) Mr. John Dutliio reviewed tho progress of Wellington sincc the time, 42 years ago, when ho first camo here. It was an era of small ships, but now wo had shipping facilities unequalled in any port of tho size. Wellington people wero not boastful, but their city had progressed more rapidly than any other in Now Zealand, and would become the leading manufacturing centre. ' Already its business quarters, were in all respects of tho most modern character. (Applause.) During the evening songs were contributed by the following Messrs'. J. Searle, T. Allan, W. Naismith, J. Dykes, and G. Watkins, and a recitation bv' Mr. S. Tingey. Mr. J. Allen was tho accompanist.,