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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 224, 20 November 1888, Page 3

Speaking at the Lirnach banquet at Dunedin the other day, Professor Black said : With reference to Air Larn-ch’s doings on the goldfields, he could tell them that he had seen Mr Larnach plunging his charger into the quicksands of rivers where not one min of his escort dare follow him ; he had seen him plunge into the roaring flood of a river when those on the bank stood gazing on him expecting to see him go down momentarily —and su ’denly there was a cry, “ Larnach’s down —good God 1” But no ; Larnach appeared again, and reached shore in safety. (Loud applause.) Oh I he had seen Mr Larnach with the diggers in a way they appreciated—he had seen him drinking whiskey with the miners ; he had seen him dancing with them, he had seen him singing with them “till daylight did appear!”— (Loud laughter and app'ause.) His social proclivities were enormous, and his success among the miners was therefore not to be wondered at. Larnach was a name to con-ju-e with among the miners—one had only to Fiy “Ln-rnach’s coming,” and the miners would pour in from the ranges and gullies from thirty miles distant, and when he left they would accompany him in crowds for forty or fifty miles on his journey to the next place. They used to say, “ Before Larnach came we never had a member of Government or of Parliament to take an interest in us.” Money cou’d not buy a member to go where Mr Larnach used to go, and the good that he did among the mining element was incalculable.