DINNER TO DR. MONRO.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 77, 25 September 1858, Page 2

DINNER TO DR. MONRO.

Cn Thursday evening a dinner was given by the electors of the Wairaea Districts to Dr. Monro, their representative in the General Assembly. The dinner was held in the room of the Literary Institution, and about fifty or sixty persons were present, including several from Nelson.

The chair was taken by J. W. Barnicoat, Esq., Speaker of the Provincial Council ; the vice-chair by F. Kelling, Esq., M.P.C.

The dinner, which was. prepared by Mr. Disher, of the Star and Garter, was served in such a manner as to be worthy of especial commendation.

After the usual loyal toasts had been disposed of, The Chaikman rose a*nd said : Mr. Vice-Chairman and gentleman, I now rise to propose the toast of the evening — the* health of Dr. Monro, and in so doing shall not detain you long. In the first place, I wish to make room for one you will be much more desirous to hear ; and in the second place, I wish to relieve Dr. Monro from a position I know he feels to be a painful one, that of " sitting attentive to his own applause." Of the conduct of our members in the General Assembly we do not know much ; at least those who, like myself, depend for their information on the local press : that press having latterly paid about as much attention to Californian politics as to our own — to Sydney horse-racing as to Auckland debates. However, wo have learnt this much, that Dr. Monro has, in one instance at least, earned the gratitude of the people of this province. A.nd I have heard it suggested, that it would have been better had the acknowledgment been as extended as the service ; had this been a Provincial instead of a District dinner. .But Dr. Monro's own constituency having waited awhile, and not finding the town as the centre and head of the province moving hi the matter, determined to delay no longer in acknowledging a service so signal and unprecedented. You will at once understand, gentlemen, that the service to which I allude is the bringing about the re-adjustment of the debt of this province to the New Zealand Company, by means of which a sum of £1,300 a-year has been added to our provincial income for the period of thirty years. I will not now, of course, go into the origin of this debt. It is sufficient to remind you, that the New Zealand Company, after having earned for itself a conspicuous place in the annals of swindling, and after having deceived and more or le9s deeply injured, every individual, of all clashes with whom it came in contact, found itself the creditor of tho province to the extent of £4,000 a-year for thirty years— a debt which, while it lasted is about equal, in proportion to the population, to half the national debt of England. However, Dr. Monro has long and frequently agitated the question of the New Zealand Company's debt. On referring to the proceedings of the Provincial Council, I find that, as long agoas the early part of 1855, Dr. Monro brought up a reptot of a committee of that body, which was adopted B^the Provincial Council, strongly insisting on the undle burden thrown on the colony. And since the appokionrnent of that debt among the provinces of this ftlaud, Dr. Monro has, on every occasion, drawn attention to the very unfair share saddled on this province. And it was Dr. Monro who dr^sv up the very clear, able, and elaborate memorial from this province to the General Assembly, which, in connection with his efforts there (aided by the other members\pf this province), has been the means of reducing the\burden to something more just and more bearable. I Yecollect that Mr. Kelling, our worthy vice-chairman, in the session of 1857, in his place in the Provincial Council, asked the Provincial Solicitor, whether it was the; intention of the local Government to take any steps towards relieving the province of a portion of the debt to the New Zealand Company ; to which the reply was, that the local Government had no power to interfere in the matter. So that, what with no power to interfere in one quarter and no will in others, the whole question has been long given up to Dr. Monro to bring to a successful issue ; and there can be no doubt but that for the labours of Dr. Monro, with all the monstrous unfairness clinging to the appropriation of the General Assembly, we should have staggered hopelessly and helplessly on under the burden. But we trusted to Dr. Monro to bring about a ebange. He -vras, as ifc ■were, sent to the General Assembly for that special purpose, and most nobly he has fulfilled his mission. We knew that a readjustment, if at all brought about, could only be through his instrumentality. We knew that he would deserve success ; we hoped he would command it ; and he has not disappointed the highest expectation of his constituency. Not that this province is now exactly where it ought be 5 but when we recollect that any reduction of our own debt involves the addition to that of other provinces to a similar amount, ifc speaks highly for the sense of justice pervading the General Assembly that the question was ever reopened at all. But this sense of justice, unspurred and unaided, could have availed us but little. Being usually as politicians in a dormant condition, it requires an able and pushing agent to spur it into activity. And it would have required no ordinary activity, zeal, influence, and ability, to induce the Government to assent to the rescinding of its own resolutions, and to have combated the keen interest in the preservation of the late unequal division. I believe lam correct in saying, that we are the more indebted to Dr. Monro, inasmuch as he went to the General Assembly at considerable personal sacrifice and inconvenience, and that to serve a people as none other ever has served or could serve them, who have not in every instance, perhaps, conducted themselves towards him in a manner best calculated to stimulate exertion on their behalf. Gentlemen, I always avoid attending public dinners where the demands of duty or of gratitude are not imperative. There are many disagreeables in connexion with them. Not the least is, that they often pretty severely tax one's powers of simulation ; one has often to shout without joy and applaud without approbation. But here is a toast which will command all our sympathies ; which will elicit no faint cheers, no forced applause ; but which all will, whether as men or as politicians, drink with the most unfeigned enthusiasm.

Dr. Moneo, in returning thanks, said that it was about four years ago since he had received the similar compliment of a dinner from the constituency of the Wainiea j he had on that occasion been at the General Assembly, but had not then been able to effect much good. Unlike the Chairman, he highly approved of public dinners as a means of the interchange of thought and friendly feeling ; and on this second occasion of being honoured by the Richmond people, he thought he might almost call his constituency the Richmond dinner party, which certainly took the shine out of the "Nelson Supper Party" [laughter]. But, joking apart, he felt extremely grateful for the honour thus done him [hear, hear]. The late session of the General Assembly had been remarkable for the number of bills introduced j not less than about 72 having been assented to by the Governor, and a great many more being lost or withdrawn during their passage through the houses. Tin's was very different from the residt of a former session, when only one bill, facetiously called the "Tippling Act," was passed. This change was in some measure owing to the absence of any organized opposition ; the Ministers worked hard and brought the bills down, and the house set to business and discussed them. He did not, however, say that this state of things was generally a wholesome one in a representative body. Where certain persons were banded together to carry out certain views, it was necessary that there should be an organized opposition to watch over the public interests ; and in any future session he hoped to see a stronger opposition, to exercise more control over the Ministry. Another reason why so much business had been done was that the members were better up to their work. In the former session most of tho members were only learning their work— getting a set of reins to drive the team, and, maybe, a whip also [laughter] ; and in the last session they had reaped the advantoge of so doing, When elected by the Waimea constituency, he had said that it was quite uncertain "what would bo done in tho Assembly, but that, if a reasonable opportunity

offered, he would go to Auckland. Shortly afterwards, a vessel called the Gil Bias came hi, and although she might not be considered a reasonable opportunity, he, nevertheless, went in her, and alter a good deal of annoyance, he arrived in Auckland. He arrived, fortunately, in time to take part in several matters of great interest to the province ; in particular, the apportionment of the New Zealand Company's debt, which, if left to another year, would have become positively and legally fixed. This was provided for by the Territorial Revenue Bill, by which Nelson would have had to contribute £4,000 per annum ; and nothing short of a repealing act could have upset this arrangement, if this bill had passed in a shape conformable to the resolutions of 1856. Were he not afraid of boring the meeting, he would trace the whole proceedings connected with the re-adjustment of the debt from their commencement ; how they met the Canterbury and Otago members on various occasions, and endeavoured to negotiate with them ; and how, at last, the negotiations were successful: the matter was referred to arbitration, and the result was that Nelson was relieved of an annual payment of £1,300. At the arbitration he appeared on the part of Nelson, and it would be but affectation to deny that he was the principal mover in the matter ; in fact, that it had been his hobby. Captain Cargill represented Otago, and Mr. Hall Canterbury, and it was most amusing to observe the efforts of each to represent the resources of bio own province as most pitiful, and those of the other provinces in the opposite degree. Had there not been so much said of the mineral wealth of. thiß province, most likely £200 or £300 more might have been taken off our share of the debt. The Province of Nelson had been estimated to contain 18,000,000 of acres, -whereas, on accurate measurement, it was found to contain only 9,600,000. Had it not been for that fact, the relief given would probably have been very small. He was of opinion that Nelson was still entitled to further relief, but the Nelson public had every reason to be satisfied with what they had got, as the question might now be considered as finally disposed of. He had done his best hi the matter, and it was no fault of his that greater concessions had not been made. The settlement of this question had been his hobby, and this dinner was the verdict of his constituency that the hobby had proved a pretty good nag [hear, hear]. He illustrated the mistake in the measurement of the province by an amusing anecdote of the arguments of an Englishman and a Scotchman as to the relative merits of the two countries, and he could only imagine that; to produce 18,000,000 of acres this province must have been rolled out flat [laughter]. Other measures affecting Nelson had been passed by the Assembly, particularly one to amend -the Nelson Trust Funds Act, and an Incorporation Act for the Nelson College, which he trusted would prove of great advantage to the educational institutions of the province. But the most important act of the session was probably the New Provinces Act, which had his cordial support. It was a source of the greatest gratification to him that his conduct in the General Assembly had been satisfactory to them. He could only say, that if they were satisfied with him, he was equally so with them, and returned them many thanks for the honour they had done him [loud cheers], Mr. A. Saundees proposed the health of the other members from the province to the General Assembly. He presumed, from the toast being placed in his hands, that those members were not to be praised too highly. He considered it fortunate for Nelson that none of the members had suffered themselves to be led from their duty by any false notions, for, without the unanimous support of the other Nelson members, Dr. Monro's exertions wonld probably have been without avail [hear]. He concurred with Dr. Monro in the marked difference and improvement between the late and former sessions. It had been said that this good effect was partly owing to the absence of the Wellington members ; if so, he hoped that they always would bo absent. He drew comparison between the state of public feeling in Nelson and Wellington ; and he concluded by proposing the toast, and stated that as none of the second fiddles were present, Mr. Travers would probably return thanks [cheers]. Mr. Tbavebs said that it was a very Jesuitical toast, for he did not at first consider himself included in it, and he now was called on to reply io it. He felt sure that the second fiddles, as they had been called, had done all they could to assist Dr. Monro in" effecting his object. He still adhered to his opinion, that it' would have been better if the legislation of the last session had not taken place, but had been simply confined to a vote of supply, and that further legislation had been postponed until it could be carried on in a more central place. He looked with suspicion on the amount of legislation that htfd taken place, and thought that this addition to our statute laws would not be productive of much good. He referred at some length to the reasons which had induced himself, with j the other members of the Assembly, to agree to the apportionment of the New Zealand Company's debt in 1856 j and said that the present was not an adjustment of the debts of the colony, but merely the adjustment between the three provinces of the Middle Island. He agreed with Mr. Saunders in censuring the extent to which political feeling was carried in Wellington, and he considered that their province was indebted to their squabbles for any injury which it may have sustained by the legislation of the last session. On behalf of those whose health had really been drunk, he returned thanks, and, had he been present at the Assembly, he should certainly have supported Dr. Monro in his efforts, which had proved so successful.

Mr. Denckeb proposed the health of his Honour the Superintendent and the members of the Provincial Council.

Mr. Keeling M.P.C., returned thanks and alluded at Borne length to the provisions of the New Provinces Act, censuring, however, the great expense -which the multiplication of Provincial Governments would entail.

Mr. D. Sinclaib, M. -P. C.,' proposed ** The Agricultural Interest." It was about fifteen years since he first put foot on this soil, then an impassable swamp, and the contrast which the place now presented was very satisfactory. His sincere wish was that under judicious legislation the agricultural interest might prosper [hear, hear], Mr. Keek, senior, returned thanks, and said that he did not go about the country and tell what he did, but he went into the work as sharp as possible. He strongly censured the plan of taking all out of the land, and putting nothing in. Let the farmers plough well and dung well and they would get a good crop [cheers].

Mr. Habkness proposed "The Mercantile Interest of Nelson," and considered that the merchants of Nelson had done great good, although ac the same time they had put money in their pockets. Mr. D. Moobe returned thanks.

Mr. Kelling- proposed the "Mineral Interest," and said that this was the only province of New Zealand that was entitled to propose such a toast. He went at some length" into the subject of mineral leases, and he looked with great expectations to the future of our gold-fields.

Mr. Sinclair returned thanks, and referred to the great good which the development of the coal-fields on Mr. Jenkins's property would confer on the town and neighbourhood.

Mr. Butleb proposed " The Pastoral Interest." Mr. Saundebs (by request) returned thanks in a humorous speech. Mr. Kelling, proposed "The Press," and remarked that freemen had obtained their liberty to a great extent owing to the press. Mr. Bailey briefly replied. Mr. C. Selling, proposed "The Sister Settlements of New Zealand," and he trusted all jealousies would be done away with. Dr. Gbeenwood, proposed "Prosperity to Richmond." -_

Mr. Habkness returned thanks. Mr. D. Moobb proposed "The Ladies," coupled with -the health of Mrs. Monro.

Dr. Moneo returned thanks on behalf of Mrs. Monro, and Mr. A. Kebr on behalf of the ladies of Nelson. Dr. Monro proposed the health of the Chairman, who replied in an appropriate speech. " Success to the Richmond Mechanica'lnstitute " wx« proposed by Mr. Bailey and replied to by Mr. Baigent; and after some other toasts and a few songs, the company (who had spent a most interesting and convivial evening) dispersed at a late hour.