RETURN OF MR. J. BRYCE, M.H.R., FROM ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7645, 24 May 1886, Page 3 (Supplement)

RETURN OF MR. J. BRYCE, M.H.R., FROM ENGLAND.

Mr. John Bryce, M.H.R., was a passenger by the s.s, Taiuui, which arrived here from England on the 9th of May. Messrs. E. Mitchtlson, T. Peacock, and F. J. Moss, M.H.R.'s, proceeded on board the Tainui as soon as she anchored, cordially welcomed Mr. Bryce back to the colony, and offered their congratulations on the result of the legal action in which Mr. Bryce went home to bring to an issue. Mr. Bryce, on lauding, drove to tho Northern Club. lie is looking remarkably well after his long voyage, and is in excellent spirits.' He spent last evening in the company of Sir Frederick Whitaker, • who has been his legal adviser in the colony since the commencement of the proceedings againat Mr. Rusden. PRESENTATION TO MR. J. BRYCE. Mr. J. Bryce. M.H.R., was presented with an address at the Chamber of Commerce on the 10th of May. There was a largo and influential gathering. Amongst thoso present were : — The Hon. J. Williamson, M.L.C. Hon. W. Swanaon, M.L.C. ; E. Mitchelson, M.H.R.; T. Peacock, M.H.R. ; G. Fisher, M.H.R. ; the Mayor of Auckland (Mr, W. R. VVaddel), the Mayor of Parncll (Mr. J. Winks), Dr. Campbell, Messrs. J. M. Clark, W. S. Wilson, R. C- Barstow, G. P. Pierce, P. Comiskey, A. G. Horton, E. A. Mackechuie, J. Newman, James Husscll, J. B. Russell, J. Ross, G. Aickin, D. J. JWcLeod, Waymouth, W. Berry, H. Brett, 'Harper, F. Jeune, Ring, J. Chadwick, S. Vaile, K. Monk, D. B. McDonald, Brewster, C. Alexander, Saunders, T. McMaster, Home, J. M. McLachlan, J. B. Morpeth, J. McElwain, W, Crowther, P. A. Philips?, Rev. R. Bavin, Rev, D. Bruce, and Dr. Kenderdine. His Worship the Mayor, addressing Mr, Bryce, said : In welcoming you back to Auckland, and to New Zealand, a largo number of our citizens—leading citizens, I may say, judging front* the gathering here day and looking over tho names appended to tho address—thought it desirable that on your arrival an address of welcome should be presented to you. It is not an address of a pretentious character, but I hope that its spirit, and not the manner in which the document is got up, will meet with your approval. No higher award can possibly be received by a public man than the approval of his fellow-citizens and fellow-colonists. You. as a public Ulan, were wrongfully accused of certain act 3. Those accusations you might have left to time, to those who knew you, and to some future historian to set right, but you pursued the more manly course of going home and meeting your accusers face to face before a judge and jury. Tho result of your action has been not only to clear your own name, but also to remove reflections against your fellowcolonists. our determination to overcome the dilfijulties and obstacles has been more fully placed before the public to-day in the further account which has been published in the morning paper. The address is as follows ; — To the Hon. John Erjce, M H.E.": Tho undersigned inhabitants of Anckluml have much pleasure in welcoming you on your return to New Zealand. The success which has attended your efforts to vindicate your character against the malignant aspersions cast upon it lias afforded us the greatest satisfaction. Wo admiKi the fixed determination with which you havo mot and overcome tho many difficulties aud obstacles which you have had to encounter id effect this object. Wo feci that the colonists of .Now Zealand are deeply indebted to you for demonstrating the untruthfulness of some of the rncltUss calumnies which have affected not yuur»elf alone as an individual, but througti you, as a public man, and a member of tho colonial Louislnturp and Government, tho colonists generally of New Zealand. I Mere follow the signatures.! 1 have milch pleasure, on behalf those signing the address, in presenting it to you, and I hope that you may long be spared to occupy the high position you have dono —quite irrespective of party politics—and that as a colonist and politician you may be long scared to the bosom of your family and to the service of the colony. (Cheers.) Mr. Bhyce, in receiving the address, said : Mr. Mayor, and gentlemen—l know of nothing by any possibility which can be more gratifying than a cordial welcome ; but to me, on this occasion, coming as I am from a period of deep anxiety, and from an absence, unwonted to me at any rate, from this colony, it is peculiarly gratifying. I will not take tho credit to myself that has been ascribed to me in some quarters, and perhaps iuferentially by yourself, of saying that my motives in this matter have altogether been publio motives. The first duty 1 conceived I owed to my family, and I could not in my .conscience permit a heritage of shame to go 1 down from me to my children. (Cheers.) But beyond that, gentlemen, I was once associated with a volunteer cavalry corps, which, in its day, diet some service to the colony, and I

felt it incumbent on me to do what in me lay to relieve my comrades in that corps—dead and alive—from the imputations which were cast upon them. (Cheers.) I may Bay, also, perhaps, without any undue egotism, that there was a public motive superadded to this. I had been for many years consistently elected by the electors substantially who return me now, and I felt it was due to them to relievo them from the implied imputation which was also oast upon them in having elected me. Also, I may say, I felt there was a duty due to the colony which had treated me so well, and placed me in positions far higher thau I deserved or ever aspired to. I felt it a duty to them to show to the British public that they were not the base people they were represented in having deliberately elected so vilo a person as their representative. (Cheers.) I nope I have succeeded—l think I have succeeded. (Loud cheers.) I should be difficult to please if I am not tolerably well satisfied with the position which now in factexists on the subject. Gentlemen, I assure you that I feel and appreciate very highly the cordiality with which I have been received here, and tho general satisfaction which the result of the trial appears to have given throughout the colony ; but I feel especially proud of this : that whilst my opponents appeared to be relying on the prejudices of an English jury, I relied upon the impartiality and justice of an English judge and an English jury, and tho result justified me. (Loud cheers.) Gentlemen, —I am sure you will not expect a long speech from me on this occasion ; and I can only, Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, repeat my assurances-of the extreme gratification with which 1 have received this mark of your great interest in tho trial ; ami I will only add this, that I never doubted that your sympathies wore with me, and the manner in which you have appreciated the result has been of the highest gratification to me. (Loud cheers.) Mr. T. Peacock, M.H.R., said: I rise to proposo* that a vote of thanks be given to the Mayor for presiding on this occasion, and representing tho citizens of Auckland in presenting this address to Mr. Bryce. I may perhaps be allowed to add my own opinion as to tho strength of feeling which exists amongst tho people of Auckland at the result of the trial to which Mr. Bryce has alluded. Tho gratification, I believe, is universal— (cheers) —and, as having had charge of this testimonial, I wish it should be made known that I have novcr seen any testimonial signed with greater cordiality of feeling than this one has been. I wish to state that the number of signatures is not indicative of tho strength of feeling which exists, as the opportunity of signing the testimonial has only beon since Saturday, and we could have got tenfold more names if time had permitted an effort to be made. I am sure we all admire the determination which Mr. Bryce showed in going home—with all the feeling of the uncertainly of the law —and endeavouring to vindicate his character. Wo all know this, that public men generally are subject to harsh and ungenerous criticism, that they frequently have their motives misjudged and their actions misrepresented ; but in a case like this, when such shameful imputations were made on Mr. Bryce's character, it was a matter which roused the just indignation of the colony generally. We have every reason to be proud of Mr. Bryce. I feel sure that it not only showed that he possessed that trait of character we all gave him the credit of possessing, namely—a great amount of determination, but it also shows that he has that feeling described by Shakapere ;— Who steals my purse steals trash ; But ha that filches from mo my gcoJ name, Hobs me of that which not enriches him, Ami makes me poor indeed. [Cheers.) The MAYOR returned thanks. Four hearty cheers were given for Mr. Bryce, and the gathering dispersed,