DINNER to Mb. GUYTON.

New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume V, Issue 362, 18 September 1844, Page 3

DINNER to Mb. GUYTON.

A dinner was given to William Guyton,

Esq., on the 7th August, at Barrett's Hotel, at which nearly eighty persons were present, and many more would have attended had there been room for them. Amongst the company were the Chairman, Mr. St. Hill (the sheriff,) Captain Eyton (commanding the detachment of the 96th regiment,) Mr. Servantes, Mr. Petre, Mr. Smith (manager of the bank,) Mr. Halsewell, Mr. Kelham, Mr. Earl, Mr. Partridge, Mr. M'Donogh, C.P.M., Mr. Skipwith, Mr. Ludlam, Mr. Hanson, Mr. Holroyd, Mr. Hart, Mr. Hort, Mr. Levin, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Moore, Mr. Chapman, Mr. Carter, Mr. Machattie, Dr. Dorset, Dr. I'eatherstone, Mr. Hoggard, Mr. C. Hoggard, Mr. Barnes, Mr. Asher, Mr. J. B. Wakefield, Mr. E. Chetham, Mr. Murnin ; Mr. Fitzherbert and Mr. D. Wakefield, croupiers, and many others. It was the largest party ever assembled to dinner since the settlement has been established. The dinner and wines were excellent : and after the usual loyal toasts had been duly honoured —

The Chairman proposed the liealtk of William Guyton, Esq., who was about to proceed to England, which was received in the most enthusiastic manner, every body rising and cheering for many minutes. The Chairman said that the entertainment was given to Mr. Guyton as a mark of the cordial attachment, esteem, and respect felt by the community of the settlement for a liberal, highminded British merchant [tremendous cheering; ] that no one acquainted with Mr. Guyton, and at the same time versed in the history of the settlement, could refrain from paying him the tribute due to his upright and manly conduct, not only as a merchant, but in every public capacity, and many present \vere aware of his numerous acts of charity and munificence in private life [great applause.] Mr. Guyton had been the main support of the mercantile interest in Wellington ; and in all his transactions he had conducted himself in such an enlightened manner as to show that he had been actuated by that genuine English spirit that had made English commerce preeminent amongst the nations and redounded so much to the honor and glory of Great Britain [applause.] He was glad to say that Mr. Guyton's absence would be only for a time ; that he intended to return to the colony, when, no doubt, he would again contribute to their welfare by displaying undiminished zeal, liberality, and intelligence in discharging the duties of his station. He wished him health snd prosperity. [The whole company rose and cheered for a long time, the toast was drunk with musical honours, and altogether a display of enthusiasm prevailed which must have been highjy gratifying to Mr. Guyton's feelings.]

Mr. Guyton returned thanks for the honor done him, in a speech full of good feeling. He disclaimed any pretension to the signal mark, of favour conferred on him by the public entertainment that day ; and said that he had only acted according to the dictates of his conscience in every transaction, and was delighted beyond his power of expression that his conduct had met with the approbation of his fellow-citizens. He intended to return to New Zealand ; and all he could say was, that he would be found unchanged on iiis return [raptuous cheering].

Mr. Petre proposed the mercantile interest of the colony in a short speech.

Mr. Smith returned thanks.

Mr. D. Wakefiekd proposed the agricultural interest of New Zealand, and said that it was under great obligation to the merchants of Wellington, who had been and must always be its main support. That there was another point connected with the agricultural interest that must not be omitted, and that was the acquisition of land, on which the people might employ their capital and display their energies ; and that his advice was — insist upon having possession of the land ; petition, remonstrate, never cease from pressing your rights upon the Local Government, the Government at home, upon every public functionary, till justice had been done and sufficient land obtained [great applause].

Many other toasts were given during the evening, and the party separated at a late hour. The most perfect unity and harmony prevailed, and the greatest enthusiasm was expressed for the character of Mr. Guyton, coupled with ardent wishes for his speedy return to New Zealand. — Nelson Examiner, - ■ ■»

what was seen by the expedition, I should wish to point out, in the formation of the New Edinburgh settlement, the introduction, for the first time, of a principle of the plainest and utmost importance, the neglect of which, as I need not remind any one at all conversant with the history of this country, has been productive of the most serious mischief, confusion, and distress ; and has certainly brought to the door of some party or other a most heavy load of responsibility. I allude to this, that the site of a settlement about to be formed, should be carefully looked for and examined before it is determined on. And yet, in the case of New Edinburgh, notwithstanding all that had gone before, had it not been for the remonstrance of Mr. Tuckett, the same fatal error was on the point of being again committed, and the New Zealand Company was once more on the point of landing a large body of immigrants on a part of New Zealand, with regard to the nature and capabilities of which neither it nor any of its agents had anything like accurate information. It would be difficult to overrate the importance of the service which Mr. Tuckett has rendered to the future settlement ; and, indeed, to the colonisation of the country in general — for the one follows from the other. Whatever may be the opinion of the future settlers about New Zealand as a conntry — however they may be pleased or displeased with its climate and powers of production — of this at all events, they may rest assured, that their location at Otago has not been dictated by a body of men 16,000 miles distant, who know almost nothing about the country, and equally so that it has not been stumbled on by accident ; but, on the contrary, they will learn that Otago was fixed upon after a deliberate survey of all the available land in New Munster, and partly also in Stewart's Island ; and a comparison of the merits of different places : and that this was accomplished by means of- a personal examination of them, not merely the harbours, but also the interior country ; and at the expense of an amount of physical exertion and exposure, which, in my opinion, few men in New Zealand, besides Mr. Tuckett, would have encountered. For these and other reasons, I am of opinion that the New Edinburgh settlement is much indebted to that gentleman ; and that all of us, particularly we who are settled on the Middle Island, are indebted to him also ; for it is owing to his exertions that the site has beeu chosen which is best calculated to meet the wishes cf the settlers, and consequently to raise the character of New Zealand in the mother-country. On another important point, New Edinburgh enjoys an advantage of which has been a very serious drawback to the settlements already formed, viz., the sanction and co-opera-tion of Govcrnmentt We, of Nelson and Port Nicholson, should be now pretty well aware of the value of this.

Having made these preliminary remarks, I shall now proceed to tell you shortly, and as clearly and impartially as I can, what we - saw, and partly, also, what we heard from Cape Campbell, to Stewart's Island. We left Port Nicholson late on the night of the 2nd of April ; and, having a fine northerly breeze, next morning we were abrest of the mountains commonly called the Kaikoras, bowling along to the southward at a speed of about eight knots. The coast here has anything but an available or inviting appearance. At the distance from which we saw it, about fifteen miles, it appears to rise at once from the sea with bold and rugged -slopes, densely. covered with forest. The upper part of the mountains, which tower to a stupendous height, were hidden in clouds, but showed in glimpses bare and broken ravines, white with snow. On our return, we again passed under the Kaikoras ; but this * time,' by the light of a full moon shining in a cloudless sky. The two upper thirds, at least, of the mountains, were purely white with snow ; and their appearance, under such • circumstances, was beautiful and picturesque hv the highest degree. ■ I estimate the snow line at this season of the year at 3,000 feet in ordinary weather, by which standard I feel certain that the height of this group of mountains cannot be less than nine or ten thousand feet. The next morning again, we saw the Kaikoras under a very different, but an almost equally beautiful aspect. We were near the entrance of Fort Nicholson when the sun rose. The part of the mountains not covered with snow was nearly below the horizon, but the first red beams of the morning b truck upon their summits, and lighted them with 3. rich fiery amethist tint, which was beautifully relieved against the cold gray ,of a clear frosty morning. To the south of the Kaikoras, the. coast 1 line sinks, though still high and broken. .From the distance at which .we passed,, it was impossible to say whether a belt of level country skirted the shore, -aa I have heard is the case, but I should think it very doubtful. I distinguished, on returning, the indention which is marked on the charts as " Lookers-on — appearance

of a fine harbour." There is a small extent of level land here, but though there is partial shelter, I am informed upon very good authority that there is no harbour. I very much fear that the large extent of country which Captain Daniell and Mr. Duppa heard of from the Captain of the Ville de Paris will turn out to be fabulous. Proceeding southward, the coast becomes more lofty and of a less rugged character, but it was impossible to affirm anything of it with precision, for a good deal of hazy mist hung over the land. About sunset we sighted Banks' Peninsula ahead of us, having the appearance of an island of moderate height. The main land on our right seemed, comparatively speaking, low, while the connecting neck of the Peninsula was invisible. But, after sunset, a red glare in the sky pointed out to us that there was land in that direction, and that the process of burning the herbage was going on.

(To be continued.)