FAREWELL DINNER TO MR. G. M. REED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4461, 1 March 1876, Page 3

FAREWELL DINNER TO MR. G. M. REED.

A tarewell dinner was given on Mondayevening, in the Albert Hotel, to Mr. G-. M. Reed, the late editor and part-proprietor of the Auckland Evening Star. Win. Leys, the editor of tbe Star, occupied the chair, ard there were preaent, tbe guest (Mr. G. M. Heed), Mr. Brett (the proprietor), and the members of the literary, printing, and commer2ial departments of that journal, and the representatives of its morning contemporaries. An excellent dinner was provided. After dinner, the Chairman proposed the toast of " The Queen, and all constituted authorities." Drank with cheers. In proposing the next toast—the toast of the evening—the Chairman" said that Mr. Heed had been known to them for many years in a connection which must have brought out all the prominent features of any man's character. Mr. Reed was known not only on the stage, but behind the scenes, and far from a more intimate knowledge having destroyed their esteem and respeefc for him, and true friendship, it had tended to create and deepen those feelings. (Cheers.) There were some people who had boundless confidence in their ability to judge men's characters by their writings, and it had often afforded him great amusement to listen to the varied opinions formed in this way of their guest, for no newspaper man was better known in .New Zealand, and probably of none had opinions: been formed to such an extent, in the way he spoke of. Some of these opinions might be compared to a child's idea of an ogre in a pantomime. Take a child whose mi-d was filled with horror at what he had seen from the front of the stage, lead him to the green-room,, and there he will probably see some mildfaced old chap, tenderly, washing the paint off his little girl's face, and then say, there is the ogre, and there the little fairy he was eating up. What a different impression is made upon the boy, and how different the sensations to those he felt during the performance. There* were some in Auckland who would modify their views similrrly after a peep into their green-room, and they would esteem Mr. Reed, not simply as the avenger of "wrongs that need resistance," but as a liberal-minded, liberal-hearted employer, and as a genial friend. He was convinced that the mistakes had been the few, and the genuine acts the many, so that Mr. Reed's name had become familiar in many homes as a tower of strength to the wronged and oppressed, and that his editorial sanctum had been the first and last resort of the poor in purse, and the broken in I spirit. He was sure that Mr. Reed would carry with him, not only their good wishes, , of which he was assured by their presence, I but the good feelings of a vast majority of | the people of Auckland. Mr. Reed had heard the cry fromDunedin, which, like the | Macedonian prayer, was "Come over and | help us." The Press there was banded i against them. Mr. Reed went to their as- I sistance, and now they had stolen him from I Auckland. That there were abuses to be j checked there, there was no doubt, and they | would have the report of this meeting to go j forward as a protest against the action of the | Dunedin Typographical Society. The deal- I ings of Messrs., Reed and Brett had been liberal, and at any rate satisfactory to those | who had the right to judge. (Loud cheers.) i The people of Dunedin had secured Mr. Reed, and he would do them good, but they I had left Mr. Brett, who had been associated with the early career aud development of j the Star, and who had always entered with spirit into everything that had been done, so that the spirit of the Star would not'depart from it. The people would not permit it to go, for if the policy of the Star was other than the cause of the people, it could not hold its position for a single month. Mr. Leys then presented Mr. Reed with a set of valuable silver-plated dishes from Mr. Brett, as "a memento of the early days of the Evening Star" and a very handsome frosted silver epergne from the staff, companionship, and commercial department of the Star.

Mr. G. M. Reed replied in a very entertaining and interesting speeel), in which he briefly reviewed the career of the Evening Star, and spoke in very eulogistic terms of his late partner, and of the staff of the paper. He referred to his conduct with the Typographical Society of Dunedir, and said that such a meeting as 3 the preseit, and the expressions which had been us" d, would demonstrate that he was not the Ogre ho had been represented. He believed the Star would, at all times, be true to the cause of the people, and true to the protection of the weak against the strong. He thanked them most cordially, and reciprocated their good wishes for his success and happiness. Mr. Reed then proposed Mr. Brett's health, which was drunk with three times three.

In reply, Mr. Brett returned thanks for the proposal and reception of the toast, and also reviewed briefly the history of the Evening Star. In speaking of his late partner, he said that there was not the slightest doubt that the manly and fearless way in which he had attacked persons, irrespective of their positions in society, when there was reason to believe them to be in the wrong, had won the sympathy and support of the public generally. The remainder of the toasts were as follows :— Mr. Barton proposed the health of the literary'department of the Star ; responded to by Messrs. Leys, King, and Blackman. Mr. Blackman proposed the printing department, coupled with the names of Messrs. Barton, Pollock, and Brame, who replic d to the toast. In reply Mr. Pollock said that, in the Star office, the relations between the employers and employed had always been satisfactory, and he believed the same state of things would continue. Mr. Brett had always been willing to do' his utmost to further the interests of the men in his employ. Mr. Pollock proposed "The Commercial Department" coupled with the names of Messrs. Beaumont, Witherford, and Lepine, who replied at length to the toast. Mr. Bakewell proposed "The Ladies," which was responded to by Mr. Lepine; and Mr. A. King proposed "The Press of Auckland," coupled with the names . of Messrs. Plunkett and Spragg, who briefly returned their thanks, for the compliment. The health of Mr. George Sibbiii was also drunk, and having been responded to, the remainder of the evening was given to conviviality.