FAREWELL BANQUET TO THE HON. J. BRYCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8668, 10 September 1891, Page 6

FAREWELL BANQUET TO THE HON. J. BRYCE.

The Hon. John Bryce, who recently resigned his seat in the House of Representatives under circumstances which are now noted throughout the colony, was entertained at a farewell banquet by members of the Opposition in the Joint Committee Room of the Parliamentary Buildings on Saturday evening. Sir John Hall was in the chair, and was supported oil his right by the guest of the evening. . The members present were:—Messrs. Fergus, Mitchelson, Newman, Rolleston, J. W. Thompson, Swan, Moore, Scobie Mackenzie, Harkness, Buckland, Rhodes, Russell, T. Mackenzie, Mills, Duthie, G. F. Richardson, Valentine, Taipua, and Kapa. The following gentlemen, ex-members of the present Opposition, were present by invitation : —Messrs. Ross, Beetham, Bruce, Hislop, Allen, Menteath, and Izard. Apologies were received from Messrs. Wright, Macarthur, and Wilson.

, TOASTS. The usual loyal and patriotic toasts were honoured, that of _ " The Governor'' being proposed by Captain Russell. Sir John Hall; Gentlemen,—l now propose to you a toast which, fortunately for me, will require very little recommendation. (Loud applause.) We have met to-night to testify our esteem and regard for our late leader, the Hon. John -(renewed applause)—and our sympathy with him in what we believe to be the unjust and harsh treatment which he has received at the hands of, not the House of Representatives, but of a majority of that House. (Hear, hear, and applause.) We wish to protest against that proceeding, and we can do so, I believe, without showing any want of appreciation of the necessity of Parliamentary discipline — (hear, hear); because we believe'that an indignity has been put upon him, not by the free will of the majority, but by means of party pressure and for a party purpose. (Hear, hear, and applause.) It may be well that . I should endeavour in , a few words to v recall the facts of this unfortunate chapter in our Parliamentary history. I must do so briefly, aud if I am in any respect incorrect or incomplete, I hope my hon. friend, Mr. Bryce, with his retentive memory, will set me right. The first verse in this unfortunate chapter was the shameful attack on the character of our friend on my left, Mr. Richardson, late Minister of Lands,— an attack upon his character and his public conduct, which is now universally admitted to have been entirely groundless. (Hear, hear.) When Mr. Richardson claimed, as it was not only his just right but I think his bounden duty to claim, from Parliament such an investigation as would enable him to clear his character, how was he met? I could not have believed that lie would have been met by the Prime Minister with anything but an offer of assistance to secure such an enquiry as would enable the colony to know whether that crave charge was true or whether it was false. (Hear, hear.) Unfortunately, the very - opposite course was taken by the Minister. Our friend actually had various obstacles thrown _ in his way, mere technicalities, with the view of preventing a tree enquiry being instituted. (Hear, hear.) Is it surprising, gentlemen.

that under such circumstances, the soul of our guest of to-night should have burned with righteous indignation? (Applause.) Is it surprising, or was it wrong that under such circumstances Mr. Bryce should have made use of strong language? (Renewed applause.) I think it would have been most strange if lie had not done so. (Continued applause.) He complained bitterly of the conduct of the Prime Minister, and said he ought to be ashamed of himself. He was not allowed to complete his sentence. Incomplete, I think the sentence is not incorrect—(Hear, hear)— but no doubt if he had been allowed to complete it, it would have been more satisfactory. (Applause.) Before he could complete his sentence the Prin\e Minister jumped up and moved that the words already uttered be taken down. Now, is it not the case that even during the present session, and certainly in the course of previous Parliaments, language such as this, aye, and even more strong, has frequently been used by lion, members? (Applause.) Mr. Scobie Mackexiie: You used the words. I believe, yourself. Sir John. Sir John Hall: I think it exceedingly likely. Frequently such language has been rsed", and although I am not prepared to dispute the propriety of the ruling which the Speaker gave that the words were unparliamentary, we should not forget this fact which I have just mentioned, that they have been frequently used before, and that this is the first time they have been ruled out of order. How was a similar case dealt with in the House of Commons? Two occasions have been brought to our.- notice on which, within the last four years, these same words were used in the House of Commons. On those

occasions the Speaker ruled them to be unparliamentary. They had not been previously ho declared. But was it thought necessary for the Prime Minister at once on the first occasion upon which such words were condemned to move that the words be taken down and further measures resorted to ? Certainly not. (Applause.) They were ruled to be unparliamentary, and there was an end of it. The member who was called to order did not persist in using such language, and I cannot doubt that if the Speaker had been allowed to inform our guest of to-night that his words were unparliamentary, and must not be used in future, there would have been an end to the matter. (Applause.) But, sir, in New Zealand, with a so called Liberal party in power, under the leadarship of a so-called Liberal leader, more stringent measures were thought necessary. It was ordered that the words be taken down, and the words were taken down; and without Mr. Bryce having been afforded an opportunity to give a full explanation of his meaning and what he intended to say, he had to leave the House. Now, if even then it had been left to the majority of the House to deal with the matter as they thought right, I cannot believe things would have reached the pass which they have done. Or, if the Prime Minister, whose precipitancy created the difficulty in the first instance, had not in the second instance failed to do his duty—if he had done what the leader of the House within my experience has always done—if he himself had taken such steps as might be thought necessary to maintain the order of the House— 1 cannot believe that this difficulty would have arisen. (Loud applause.) But, sir, lie entirely failed in the second instance to do his duty. He left to first one outsider and then another the task which properly belongs to the leader of the House. (Renewed applause.) But although the head of the Government did not propose any resolution condemning Mr. Bryce, when it had been proposed by one of his followers, the Government whips were set to work, and under the lash, I may say, of the Government whips, a majority was induced to pass a vote of censure on our guest of this evening. After the censure had been imposed, Air. Bryce returned to the House, and then was able to give a statement of the full sentence which had been cut short, . and an explanation of the sense in which _ his words had been used. I cannot help thinking that when that explanation was heard, and still more now, when there has been time to calmly think over the whole circumstances, there is hardly one man in the House who does not regret the otcps which have been taken. (Applause.) The Speaker himself has stated that if he had been informed of the complete statement of which Mr. Bryce had only uttered a part, he would not have thought it a case which called for any interference. All parties I say, therefore, are now placed in a false position by the precipitancy of the Premier in tlie first instance, by his failure in the second to take up the. task which devolved upon him; thirdly, by the strict party character which was given to the vote. We are now kept in that false position by the want ol candour and of manliness which prevent.' the Government from acknowledging thai they made a false step—a step which has driven from the New Zealand Parliament oik of New Zealand's best public servants (Applause.) Gentlemen, some friends saj Mr. Bryce has been over sensitive in tin matter; that he should have disregarded ; party vote, and been satisfied with the al-nosl universal sympathy —so far as I have gatherc< public opinionwhich he has received froir the country at large. Those who say so are, nc doubt, entitled to their opinion ; but everj man must be guardian of his own honour every man must judge for himself what is din to his own character and his own reputation (Applause.) We are not all equally consti tuted. The lash of a whip, which would no' be felt on the thick hide of a cart-horse, ma] be intolerable to a thin-skinned thorough bred ; and a censure or reproof, which woulr be disregarded by a coarse-minded, coarse mannered individual, may be unendurable t< a sensitive and high-minded man. (Ap plause.) Those, gentlemen. I believe, are tin simple facts of the case, which' I think it de sirable, on an occasion of this kind, should bi summarised and put 011 record. I will onl< add my belief that the impression has grown and is growing, that the action which wa taken was a party action, that it wasiinprope —I might almost say tyrannical—(applause at any. rate, unjustifiable. (Applause. Now, I may be allowed to say a few word upon the past career of the man who ha been practically driven from the House 0 Representatives. It has been my fate to b cognizant of nearly the whole of his publi career. I recollect well when I was a in em ber of the Stafford Ministry, Mr. Bryce firs entering Parliament as member lor Wanga iiui. He came to the struggle for the right 5 of an outlying district which complained tha

its interests were being sacrificed to the centralising tendencies of the Provincial centre. Mr. Bryce at once, by his manly, sensible, moderate and intelligent conduct, won regard and respect from all sides, and took a high position in the then House of Representatives. (Applause.) His judgment m native affairs was so conspicuous that he was soon appointed Chairman of the Native Affairs Committee, and from that time forward lie was looked upon as the indispensable head of that committee. (Applause.) Before the end of that Parliament serious distill bailees broke out on the West Coast of this island. The Titokowaru campaign became a source of serious danger and difficulty, and then in another capacity our friend did excellent service. There are some here who can tell us battel 1 than I can hat invaluable services were rendered by the Wanganui Volunteer Cavalry at that time. How when the rebel natives had driven the settlers from their homesteads down to nearly the suburbs of Wanganui, the Volunteer Cavalry, under the leadership of our friend, by their activity, their gallantry, and judgment, helped very greatly to turn the tide, to put a successful end to the war, and replace the settlers in their homes. In 1579, when it bccame mv duty to form a Ministry, I esteemed myself fortunate in obtaining the assistance of Mr. Bryce as Native Minister. He undertook a most "difficult task. Those who are not familiar with the circumstances of that time can form very little idea of the Augean stable which the Native Office then constituted, of the squandering and extravagance of which that office was the hotbed. Our friend undertook and carried out the Herculean task of thoroughly cleansing the Native Department. He reduced the native expenditure to a traction of what it had been; he put an end for ever to the scandals and abuses of which it was the centre; lie did . immense service to the colony. (Applause.) Before our term of Ministerial office expired, the unfortunate fanaticism of To Whiti and his followers threatened the colony with a great calamity and threatened the native' raceat any rate iu that part of the colony—with ruinous disaster. We were fortunate enough to obtain the services of my lion, friend in that time of difficulty, and it was largely owing to his cool courage, his foresight and judgment, assisted by Mr. Rolleston, who shared the responsibility of the occasion, that a serious calamity for the colony was averted, and from the native race a war which must have been ruinous for them. The time at last arrived when the changes and chances of political life sent my lion, friend out of office, but it was not long before lie found other enemies of the colony to contend with. They were not at this end of the world. Ho had to traverse 13,000 miles of ocean to expose a slander of New Zealand. A conceited shallow individual wrote a book which he called a history. (A voice : Which nobody ever read.) Well, unfortunately for my peace of mind I did read it, and mv friend on my right read some of it. (Laughter.) The writer who had partaken of our hospitality and enjoyed our confidence went to England and published cruel calumnies upon New Zealand and her public

men, especially on Mr. Bryce. Our friend of to-night was not satisfied until lie had crossed the sea at great personal sacrifice and pecuniary risk and placed his case and that of the New Zealand settlers before a British jury. It was my fortune to be in Court during the time Mr. Bryce gave his evidence, and I feel convinced that it was largely owing to the clear, straightforward, and evidently accurate manner in which that evidence was given that we are indebted for the eminently satisfactory result of the trial, a result which cleared the character of New Zealand in the eyes of the British public. We all know what the result was, but perhaps we do not know, or we do not sufficiently think of the risks which our friend ran before such result could be obtained. Now, lastly, to come

down to our own time when, owing to what I may call a temporary aberration of the electoral intellect, men were driven from office who had done excellent work for New Zealand, and were consigned to the cold shades of opposition, when ill-health deprived the colony of Sir 11. Atkinson's services, and when the Opposition had to choose a leader, there was but one voice as to who that leader should be. You gentlemen know us well as I, if not better, how onerous was the task which our friend has had .to discharge. It was no easy matter to lead a small band like ours against an overwhelming, and not very tolerant majority. (Hear, hear.) But you know how, as leader, lie has been vigilant, patient, courteous, and painstaking, realising the true functions of an Opposition leader, watching and critising the conduct of the Government, protesting against, and resisting it when protest was required ; and 011 the other hand, not forgetting that it is the duty of the Opposition to assist the Minister to carry on Her Majesty's Government when lie can fairly do so. Gentlemen, I think not only we, but our opponents and the whole country, will bear testimony to the manner in which .those duties have been discharged. (Loud applause). I have trespassed too long upon your time, and last words must be spoken. Our friend, under painful circumstances, seeks retirement from public life. I am quite sure he will take with him into that retirement an unabated interest in the welfare of New Zealand, and in the fortunes of the political party which he has so ably led. I am quite certain he will take with him the esteem ot all parties for his public and private character. (Loud applause). I am quite certain he will take with him from his own party, not only their esteem, but their warm affectionate attachment and regard. (Cheers). I am quite sure he will take with him our heart-felt sympathy for the wrong which has been done to him. (Cheers). I hope and believe that his leisure will be a very enjoyable one — (applause)but I cannot hope, and I do not think you will hope, that that leisure will be a long one. (Cheers). I cannot believe that the resolution of which we complain will long sully the Journals of the House of Representatives. (Cheers). The day, L believe, is not distant when New Zealand will again require the services of some of her best men, when the eyes of the people will be opened to the folly and evil consequences of harassing and worrying those interests which have so largely conduced to her progress and prosperity, that a turn in the political tide will take place when New Zealand will require some of her oldest and best public men to again come to her service. (Cheers). When that day shall arrive the sound of the conflict will reach our friend, the thunder of political artillery and the clash of Parliamentary swords will reach his retreat, and will stir in him the spirit of the old war-horse. (Cheers). He will 'ere long find himself again in our ranks,

carrying dismay into the ranks of our opponents, and gladness to the hearts of all true friends of New Zealand. (Cheers.) My last word shall not be farewell—no, we will not say the word—the word which would express our feeling in the German " auf wiederwhen." I know of no English equivalent. It means " To the next seeing of each other." With this sentiment, looking forward to the day on which we shall see each each other again in the political arena, I propose the health of our late leader, the Hon. Mr. John Bryce. (Loud cheers.) Hon. John Bryce,—Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, —Nobody can he more conscious than I am that a very great deal of the praise that has fallen from my lion, friend and old leader is due more to the kindness of his own feelings than to any deserving# of mine. (No.) I should like to return you my thanks in something like adequate terms for what has been said and so well listened to, but my voice is not very well under my own control. I may say, however, this, that Sir John Hall, who presides to-night, is looked upon by me in a very special light, lie it was who was my godfather in official life, and he made, as lie knows very well, and as I have occasion to know, certain vows and promises on my behalf. I can only regret that I have not more completely justified those vows, and those promises. If I have done so to any extent at all, it is my reward and satisfaction to-night. Gentlemen, if a dead man might by any poetic imagination be supposed to take any interest in his own funeral, I would say I am glad to-night it is my lion, friend who has to read the funeral service over mo. He, at any rate, has known how to do it, because, from the kindness of his heart and of his feelings towards me, lie lias done it by mentioning, as is usual, the good qualities of the dead man, and carefully refraining from describing those that are bad. Speak 110 evil of the dead. However, I am sure, he lias found me in many respects somewhat of a wayward child. I am not sure even that he has not had to suffer himself from my wayward humours, but I believe whatever tension existed was more a tension of the nerve than a question of intellect, and at any rate I will say this, there never was one single moment at which I would not have been ready and glad to have borne testimony to the integrity/personal honour, and strong public spirit of my lion, friend. (Loud applause.) Sir, looking now to the party which I lately had the honour to lead, I say that man for man in that party, it is as good an Opposition as ever sat in the House of Representatives; and gentlemen, let line say this, that I believe that party will still do its duty to the country. (Hear, hear.) It is not because a soldier falls in the ranks his comrades are therefore to show the craven spirit. No, they will do their duty, I am sure, to the country, and themselves, and will act with the energy and ability I know they possess. I should like to thank you, gentlemen, in something like adequate terms, for the extremely generous manner in which you have supported me in this unhappy business, and the extremely handsome manner in which you adhered to me whilst! had the honour of being youy leader.

I know very well that some, at any rate, muse have regarded my. acceptance of that office with some slight degree of apprehension, for it is certain I had a character for somewhat unreasonable obstinacy— but I hope you will allow me to say that during the period in which we were connected, not very much of that could have been visible. (Laughter and applause.) And gentlemen, I wish to say—and partly, in reference to a statement which lias appeared in a leading newspaper of this colony wish to say I recognise in tho fullest manner that 110 party could have been more loyal to its leader than every member of that party was to me during the time I had the honour to lead it. It would be too much for me to say that no leader was more loyal to that party —(110)— you will give me the credit, I believe, that I was loyal to the party to the very best of my ability—(cheers)—and that I am loyal to that party still. (Renewed cheers.) It is true, gentlemen, that, ill respect of my resignation, a different opinion from my own was expressed by a number of members of tho party. That is true, but, as my lion, friend has observed, no man can safely hand over the custody of his honour to other people whilst lie has the intelligence and judgment at his command which God has giveu him. (Loud applause.) Sir, it was my deliberate judgment that I ought to resign. That judgment may have been wrong—perhaps. it was—but, at any rate, being mv judgment, I was bound to act upon it, and do what, my honour dictated to me. (Applause.) lam sure it will require no assurance on my part to tell you that I-have been very unhappy over this matter, that I have felt too surely that, not only did I incur tho certain censure of my opponents, but that I ran the risk of incurring the loss of affection on the part of my friends, because we differed in judgment 011 that matter. (No.) That I have not lost that affection I am perfectly confident to-night—(ap-plause)—and it is a great pleasure to me in my trouble to be so confident. (Applause.) But, gentlemen, even if it can be supposed that 1 was wrong in my judgment—l do not think I was—but if I was wrong in my judgment, do not suppose for one moment that I have escaped punishment. The suffering which I have ; gone through, and tho distress of mind which it lias involved, has been enough, i. venture to say, to satisfy the most exacting of my friends, and the most vindictive of my opponents. Sir, it may be weakness in me to wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at, but at any rate I have the consolation of knowing that there are no daws amongst my friends. (Applause.) My heart from them, at any rate, will be tolerably safe. (Renewed applause and laughter.) Sir, that the matter has been painful to me is certain enough. lam an old member of the House— I entered the House in ISGG, a quarter of a century ago. I have always done my best— I say it with great confidence—to uphold the honour and dignity of the House. (Loud applause.) It has been a painful thing to me that at the end of the chapter—at the end of that quarter of a centurythe House, on what everyone must acknowledge to be trifling grounds, should have deliberately degraded me as far as it could. Sir, it is an excecdceedingly painful thing to me. and I have no intention of denying it. If, after that

resolution had been passed— after the degradation had been inflicted—the House had shown the least disposition to reciprocate my feelings towards itself, if it had shown any consideration for me in my distress, 1 would have gone half way to meet it—what do I say? halt way to meet it! I declare to you I would have gone more than half way, I would have gone the whole way to meet it, and perhaps a step beyond. (Loud applause.) It is unfortunate it did nothing of the kind. I am more sorry for it than I can tell you— sorry for the House and sorry for myself. I notice an expression in an article of censure upon myself that appeared in the local press in which, amongst other things, I was accused of selfishness. Surely such an accusation as that cannot _ lie against me. (No.) Look at my position. I. was a member of tho House of Representatives, a thing that a selfish man might be supposed to aim at. I was the leader of a first-class Opposition as far as .its numbers go; I had the Premiership of the colony in reversion ; a selfish man might endeavour to retain these advantages, but by no means could it have been the act of a selfish man to abandon them all. (Loud applause.) Sir, whatever reproaches may be made against me I think the reproach of selfishness will not lie. (No, and renewed applause.) Let me look now, sir, at the circumstances of the case which you have sketched ; and I wish, as this has been the only opportunity afforded me, to put them as plainly as I can. Acting under the provocation described by my hon. friend—acting under very great provocation— although not selfish provocation, but the provocation which was aroused by a gross private ■and public injury to a friend of mine

and a member of the House—(applause)— acting under that provocation, I said— be it marked that 1 was speaking; and was under interruption from the Premier (renewed applause)l said then that the Premier ought to be ashamed of himself for relying upon a technicality. As soon as I got to the word "ashamed," a great clamour, in the shape of exclamations from hon. members, arose, and although I uttered the words as far as " technicality," it is very possible that these latter words would not have been heard. I wish to point out this—that the concluding words of the sentence after technicality," which I wished to speak at that time, could not have been heard, because they were not uttered, and could not have been known to the Speaker, because they were never used until I was sentenced and condemned. (Loud applause.) But, sir, I had got as far as the word " technicality," and then what was the position of the Speaker in respect to it ? He had intimated, as I understood him, in faltering phrase, that the words, "ho ought to be ashamed of himself," were unparliamentary, but when he read the additional words, as far as I had uttered them, with which I supplied him up to the word "technicality,"he said that qualified the original words—qualified them to such an extent that it left an impression

plainly upon my mind, and forcibly upon my mind, that lie 110 longer considered them unparliamentary at all. (Loud applause.) It is true indeed, sir, that Mr. Ballance and Mr. Seddon called upon me to withdraw the words. That is true, sir, but they had no right to call upon inc. (Renewed applause.) As a point of order, as they know very well, or ought to know, they had no right to address me directly at all. It was the Speaker they should have addressed on the point of order, and it was for the Speaker to rule upon the point. (Further applause.) Mr. Seddon is in the habit of usurping the functions of the Speaker. (Hear, hear.) It is a matter of almost daily occurrence. (Hear, hear.) But . who shall say I was bound to regard those usurped functions ? (Certainly not! and applause.) I was not bound, and I did not regard them—(Applause)—and when he called upon me m direct terms, and Mr. Ballance also, to withdraw my words, I said at once I would not withdraw them, and I would take the consequences.' (Renewed applause.) The consequences were not obscure to my mind. I knew very well all majorities in the House could expel their opponents man by man, or make the position of their opponents so disagreeable that they would expel themselves. I knew very well no other majority that ever was in this colony before would have thought of exercising such a power (applause)—but I had felt unable to give the present majority credit for any such forbearance—(renewed applause)—and when I said I would take the consequences I knew very well that they could, and not unlikely would, expel me from the House. Those were the consequences I refer to, and I would them again rather than give obedience to Mr. Seddon or Mr. Ballance when usurping the functions of the Speaker and calling upon mo for the withdrawal of words winch the Speaker himself, as was evident to me, did not himself believe to he unparliamentary. (Cheers.) And, gentlemen, up to the time 1 left the House I had not offered a word of explanation. (Applause.) I had assisted in getting down the words correctly—they thought to refuse me that privilege—and the Government would have refused even that privilege if they could —but the words which I had spoken, and which I gave my honour two minutes after I used them that I had spoken— ultimately taken down, although the Government would rather have disputed my word. (Hear, hear.) And when these words were completed, the sentence as far as I had uttered it, as far as I had uttered the sentence in these completed words—l say the Speaker left the impression clearly upon my mind, and upon the mind of everyone who was listening, that the words as qualified by my additional words were not unparliamentary —(hear, hear, and applause)—and if they were unparliamentary, in so slight a sense they were, that he would not have felt called upon to notice them. (Loud applause.) And that was the particular moment at which I left the House, in what was supposed to be obedience to the Standing Orders. As to the words themselves, J. have given every attention, as may be supposed, to the position of the circumstances of the case, and I say thathaving heard, everything that can be said, having heard all that the Speaker has to —to the best of my knowledge and belief, those words, those bold words, that the Premier ought to be ashamed of himself, are not regarded as unparliamentary in England. (Loud applause.) It is true, indeed, that Mr. Speaker Steward quotes two cases in which Mr. Speaker Peel, a very able man and. good Speaker, called them unparliamentary. Mr. .Scobie Mackenzie: Not the same words. The Hon. John Buyce : Substantially the same. I do hot want to split straws for one moment, The wordy tyre substantially the

same, but the words were used in both cases in connection with the question asked in the House ■of Commons which could not be debated. A question was put and answered upon which no debate could arise, and when his attention was called to the words it was particularly directed to them because a debate could not arise. I believe that when these words are used in an argumentative manner they; were Parliamentary, then and are Parliamentary now. (Applause.) ,It is true in the second case, which was also a question asked and answered, that Mr. Speaker Peel said in future lie would notice them. They had been used, he said, to such an extent that he would have to notice them as unparliamentary in future. Why, of course, the Speaker was right. (Applause.) Any words may become unparliamentary according to the way in which they are used. (Renewed applause.) Even the ordinary words " hear, hear," may be used in such a way as to become disorderly, and to be called to order by the Speaker. (Continued applause). But let me refer you to this particular circumstance—and it is a remarkable and curious circumstance—that although Mr. Speaker Peel on that occasion declared that in future he would notice the words as unparliamentary lie has never done so. (Loud applause). From , that time to this the words have been allowed to pass, have been used scores of times, hundreds of times, and perhaps thousands, and have apparently never since been noticed. - (Renewed applause). And I say in my belief, when these words are used in an argumentative manner, and not as a manner of disorder, they will never bo noticed. (Renewed applause). I believe they are perfectly Parliamentary words, and are so regarded at the present moment in England. (Further applause). Well, it has been remarked by my lion, friend they have never been called unparliamentary in New Zealand before, except perhaps on one occasion. I ought to remind vou, by-the-way, that when Air. Speaker Peel declared those words in that limited sense to be unparliamentary lie did not think them serious enough to ask for their withdrawal. It is said, and, I believe, alleged, by the Speaker, in the case of Mr. Macdonald,.one of the members for Wellington, that he was called to order for using the same expression as I did, the Speaker remarking that the words _ were unparliamentary, and ought to be withdrawn, 1 am not quite sure I am referring to the cxact circumstances, but I think I am, and this is what I remember Mr. Macdonald to have said : "If you consider, sir, they, are unparliamentary, I will withdraw them, but I can only express my regret that the English language is so poor that I cannot find any other words to express my meaning." If Mr. Speaker Steward calls that a withdrawal, I say it is not. (Loud applause.) It was a re-assertion of the words, and a reassertion in the worst possible form, because it played with and evaded the ruling of the Speaker. (Hear, hear, and continued applause.) It comes, then, to this : For the first time in the history of the country those words, as used by me, were suddenly taken objection to. When qualified by the succeeding words which I had used, the Speaker himself did not appear to regard them as unparliamentary; but at that stage Mr. Ballance, the Prime Minister, intervened, and he moved, as he had a right to move, that the words be taken down. Of course he had a right to move that. He might move that any words be taken down, however harmless. lie exercised that privilege, and then he appeared to hesitate as to what he should do. I recall the fact again to you that up to the time that I left the House, I

eft the House without having been called ipon by the Speaker to withdraw the words -(applause)—without having been called ipon by the Speaker to explain the wordsrenewed applause)— I left it under the :omplete impression that the Speaker hiiniclf believed my completed words to be in jarliamentary form, or, if trangressing at all, ,o be trangressing so slightly as not to reinire notice. (Loud and continued apjlause.) I have said that the Speaker did lot think the words unparliamentary, or :ery slightly so, and that he did not ask me ;o withdraw or explain : I left, in fact, withnit having been in conflict with the Speaker it all. But, gentlemen, if the words were jroper, why should he have asked me to withdraw or explain? (Applause.) There ,vas nothing to explain, and therefore it was ipon my mind that the Sneaker, believing ;hese words to bo not unparliamentary, at my rate in a strong sense, saw no /x----:use for asking me to withdraw or explain them. It is true that Mr. Steward las since said, as I understand _ from ;he newspapers, that he was thinking if asking me to withdraw them, but he foresaw a refusal. I know nothing about that, nit I know lie did say that my subsequent ivords qualified the former words, and he loubted whether they were unparliamentary it all. (Applause.) I know as a matter of •act he did not ask me to explain, lie did lot ask me to withdraw—(renewed applause) —up to the time I had to leave the House. [ know also that in my absence I was tried md condemned, and only re-called to receive sentence. (Loud and continued apilause.) Well, gentlemen, I say I left the House at that stage—and I want to repeat it, because I want to make it particularly plain—l left the House at that stage feeling convinced that the Speaker did not believe that my words, as qualified by the subsequent few words up to "technicality," to be unparliamentary. I left, knowing as a matter of fact, I had not not been asked by the Speaker to withdraw them, and I left knowing that I had not been asked For an explanation. (Applause.) I know is a matter of fact, although I had assisted in getting the correct words down, I did not use one word of explanation. (Renewed applause.) I came back, as I said, to find myself tried and condemned. Now, there is one curious thing that will occur to everybody—if that was the Speaker's opinion that the words used were, if unparliamentary at all, so slight as not to require notice, how came he to allow a resolution like this to pass without making emphatic protest against its impropriety? • (Applause.) That is a most perplexing question(renewed applause)—and I must admit Ido not know how to explain it or to account for his conduct, except indeed that he may have been under a peculiar psychological condition of mind of which I have little or no knowledge. I free Mr. Steward, as I feel bound to free him, from any deliberate intention of (loins me injury. I wish indeed that I could say as much for the Government. (Loud applause.) I cannot, I cannot. (Renewed applause.) Sir, they sprung to the charge. (Continued applause.) They found that I did something that sounded something like a breach of. order, although never challenged before in New Zealand. (Further loud applause.) Immediately a motion was made that tho words be taken down, and they were taken down, and this has been the result. I can easily understand that public motives on the part of Mr. Ballance and the Government — i use Mr. Ballance as typifying the Government— can easily understand that he may haye considered it desirable in what he considered public interests—that is to say the interests of his party—that I should be degraded or removed from the House. Sir, it looked as if he had it in his mind to move that the words be taken down, and they were taken down, aud he or his colleague endeavoured to prevent my qualifying wordp being added to them. Then what did he do He accepted a motion proposed by a member ol his party —one of the last men in the House whose

judgment on such a subject he should have accepted(applanso)— lie whipped up and used the full force of his organisation, strained the allegiance of his party, in order to get that motion carried. Sir, was there no design there? (Loud applause.). Mr. Ballence is an old acquaintance of mine, and he knows me well, and he felt therefore in his own mind, I am convinced, if lie could carry that motion, it would have the effect of expelling me from the House. He struggled to the utmost to have it carried, and lie succeeded. I do not give the Government, as I give Mr. Steward, the credit of acting unconsciously in this matter. In my opinion, it was conscious design(applause) —and a design which would be unworthy of ■ the poorest Government that ever existed or ever will exist. There is no doubt that Mr. Ballance, typifying the Government, temporised and negotiated with my friends —no doubt at all about that. He felt his position was bad with the public, and although he was fully determined that 1 should not be allowed to recede from my position — fully determined that I should retire from < Parliament—lie was willing to lead my friends on, to lead me from one humiliation to another humiliation, and to compel me to resign at last in sheer despair. Sir, I would not have (loud applause)— and it was not a likely programme to be put into effect whilst I had the power of stopping it any stage. ; - (Renewed applause). If I have been humiliated, the humiliation is not in any degree of my own making. (Applause). It is a humiliation over which I have no control myself. If I had gone before him and humbled myself and afterwards been compelled to resign, I should have felt then 1 should have ceased to be a member of the House, but I should have felt I deserved my vote of censure, a feeling which I have not now. (Loud applause.) Mr. Ballance, and, I presume, the Government with him, are not free from human vanity, and had his programme been carried out, he not only perhaps would have succeeded in placing himself better with the public by this manoeuvring of his, but I suppose he would have fed his vanity by seeing me grovelling at his feet;. It was not likely that his vanity would be fed by mo in any such way. . (Cheers.) I hope I do Mr. Ballance and the Government no wrong I should be sorry indeed to do him any wrong in my thoughts, but what else am I to suppose ? Jtlw av.tioiw. were .evidently designed

md strongly carried out to the bitter end ; can i [ believe otherwise ? The Government had to i jxert its power to the utmost to reach i that bitter end, but a single nod from j the Premier would have undone the i ;vil; he pretended every desire to make i tilings pleasant again, but what did lie do? ! riiere were half-a-dozen courses open, and : honourable courses, that might ' have been taken by a generous man, and he took none af them. : Am • I to suppose his professions ire correct, that he desired to ; be generous, when the fact staves us in the face that he took none of them,, and persisted in the resolution, knowing well that the resolution would expel me from Parliament? I declare to you' before ; God and man my full belief that I believe that I have been treated unjustly in this matter—(loud Applause)—and that the procedure has' been taken reflects neither, dignity nor honour upon the House. ((Continued applause.) I cannot help thinking it. I am sorry to say that, because I. have esteemed the House of Re- , presentatives; and I have . considered it a credit to belong to it; to the best of my ability I have striven to support its dignity and its interests; I have devoted the best years of my life to the purpose, and this is the end for me. And I should be more than human if, after what has passed, I could possibly view the House of Representatives in the same manner in the future as I have viewt J it in the past. (Applause.) It is impossible. I am exceedingly sorry for it, but it is another idol of mine shattered. Life, I am afraid, is made up of such experiences. And I say this, that I look upon the manner in which I was treated by the House— will not qualify it, as has been done, by calling it the majority of the House, it was a resolution of the House of Representatives—and I say that I look upon that as having been so unjust that I do fully believe that the strong protest I have made—the strongest protest in my power—has been altogether too weak to express my sense of the injustice which has been done me. (Loud applause.) I regret it exceedingly. Now, gentlemen, let me for one moment, and, in conclusion, try and lift myself for one moment above these temporary troubles of my own and try to lift ■ myself above party. I would enjoin upon you as a party to use your energies and your devotions in the interests of the country, and not in a narrow sense. Treat the claims of every class in the community with the utmost consideration and the utmost justice, treat the weak with generosity, the strong with courage, and so you will be doing your duty to , the , country, to vour constituents, and yourselves, (Applause). I go back now, as you suggest, to 'my home— I have said, not alas ! with the same feeling as regards the House of Representatives that I hitherto had; but although I have changed my mind in that respect I have not ceased to remember that I am a New Zealand colonist (Cheers). And, gentlemen, I ask you to remember that you too as New Zealand colonists have high trusts committed to you. I entreat you to do your duty as a matter of conscience; do it fairly to all men and to all classes in the broadest possible spirit, and the colony will reap the fruit of your endeavours, and you will have your reward. (Cheers). I wish I could have been able to have replied in more adequate terms to the extremely kind expressions which my lion, friend has used. It would be too trying for me to attempt it, and I know very well you will believe me when I simply say I thank you. (Cheers). Mr. Hislop said that he had not expected to be called upon to speak, and therefore he had difficulty in adequately expressing himself after listening to the account of the painful circumstances which they had heard detailed, and which had brought them together that evening. On such an occasion as this lie could not help recalling the different position of parties which existed when he first knew Mr. Bryce, and comparing the present with past methods of political rule. In 1575, when the great question which divided politicians in the country was that of Provincialism against one Government, and before he (the speaker) entered Parliament or knew Mr. Bryce personally, ho was struck by the clear, logical and intellectual speeches which he delivered on the subject. Though, being a Provincialist, he was opposed to Mr. Bryce's views, he formed a high opinion of his powers, and was prepared to find in him a gentleman worthy of being a leader of the people. On becoming personally acquainted with Mr. Bryce during his first session (in 3870) his expectations were more than realised, and during his subsequent years in Parliament, whether he was opposed to him or not, his respect for his character and ability went on increasing, and at the liresent moment it was higher than ever. The toast lie had to propose was that of the Opposition. He unhesitatingly asserted that they ought to have the sympathy of all prudent and liberty-loving colonists. Personally, he sympathised with the party in their attempt to preveut, and when they failed in this, in their struggles to mitigate the uncalled for, unjust, and disturbing interference by the present dominant party with the finances and business of the colony —an interference which already had had its effects in curbing enterprise and therefore the labour-employing capacity of the colony. The sympathy, however, of every colonist who has had inbred in him, or has by his training and surroundings had instilled in him the desire for equal rights to all, must be principally evoked on behalf of the Opposition in their protests against the conduct of the . pseudo Liberal Government, who seemed to him to trample under foot the best traditions of Liberalism. The conduct of Ministers forcibly reminded him of an incident which occurred at an agricultural show in his former constituency. He and two friends were on one occasion walking round the grounds when they came to a notice asking visitors not to pass in front of the stand. They immediately stopped and were walking round by a permitted path when a gentleman—then a representative, but now a Minister, came up, looked at the notice, but disregarding it, walked leisurely in front of the stand. One of his friends asked, " What does that fellow mean?" The other friend said, "Oh, that is a New Zealand Liberal; that is iNew Zealand Liberalism." Well, it seemed to him that this sort of conduct had become New Zealand Liberalism, if the present Government were the embodiment of it. Their own wishes alone regulated their conduct, and they arrogated to themselves special privileges and immunities. While it was lawful for the dominant party to characterise members' conduct as disgraceful and -shameful and themselves as ignoble, contemptible and discreditable, the leader of the Opposition was not permitted to use the language by which he inadequately charactised the Premier's subterfuge for preventing an inquiry the result of which would have been to vindicate his friend Mr. Richardson, and to prove that the Minister of Lands had uttered an unworthy slander, lie {Mr. Hislop) had never had any fear but that when the prejudices and passions which had been raised by false prophets calling themselves friends of the people had been subdued and their shams had been exposed the country would recognise that true liberalism as well as prudence were represented by the Opposition. This change of view was now rapidly taking place, and Jic believed a majority of the public now recognised that the Opposition had been struggling not only to * prevent disaster to our finances but also to do what is more important, to preserve the fundamentals of true political life. A great loss had fallen upon the party through the temporary withdrawal of its leader, but his successor, whoever ho might be, would be encouraged by the conviction that they would before long find approval from the people at large. He would couple with the toast the name of one who had been the parent of reforms, especially in the land laws, the credit for which the present dominant party endeavoured to filch from him, and who in his political and private conduct was always actuated by high principlehe meant Mr. Rolleston. Mr. Roixtcstox : Our minds and hearts are so full of what has just fallen from our guest this evening, and of the feelings which we entertain towards him, that you will excuse my making any lengthy reply to the toast which has just been proposed by Mr. Hislop. < The predominant feeling ill our minds is a sense of recent loss, in tho presence of which we are disinclined to discuss political questions. (Applause.) I should not, however, be doing ''justice to the party to which I am proud to belong if I did not endeavour, in a few words, to express the satisfaction which it has given us to be able to gather once more round our leader, and listen to the very able speech lie has made. (Applause.) To-night, indeed, wo realise, to the full what it has been to belong to a party properly organised, under a leader respected by everv one of his followers. (Applause.) We realise the position which we hope to hold in promoting the good government of tho country —as crities and censors of the administration and the legislative body. . I have no sympathy with those who would have us believe that party government is responsible for all the evils under which we suffer. Our troubles arise, not from party government, but from not giving fair play to our existing institutions. (Applause.) I have ever been a strong party man, and I believe party organisation to be of the very essence of efficient parliamentary government. It has been well said _ that government without party is absolutism, and that rulers without opposition may be despots. (Applause.) I think the experience of this session goes far to show the truth of the last proposition. Never in the history of _ the country has there been such a determined attempt as that of the present Government under Mr. Ballance to ride rough-shod over the representatives of the people in Parliament. (Applause.) Never " has an Opposition had to fight against such fearful odds in-support of their rights and liberties. X

am glad to think that, few as we are in numbers, we have been able to make ourselves felt in the cause of order and good government. It is only by party that we can hope to maintain the conflict of great principles by which freedom is secured. It is out of party organisation that 'generous friendships arise, such as those .which exist among members of the party here present, and between all of us and our leader, Mr. Bryce. Coining back as I have, after r.n interval of four years, to political life, I cannot describe the pleasure it has been to me to mix again in the society of men who are personal friends—men with the " idem velle" and the "idem nolle,", working together for a common object, and that object the highest that men can be associated to promote. It is 'by party, that the great qualities of loyalty and fidelity are fostered and strengthened. It is by this that a spirit of self-abnegation and self-sacrifice is cultivated and grows. On the present occasion .we celebrate the chivalrous conduct of one

:;I ; >.' Who never sold the truth to serve the hour, Nor paltered with Paternal God for power." "A still strong man" holding his own selfrespect and the respect of the whole colony firm in the belief that no good can ever come of compromise with evil and wrongdoing. (Applause.) Ido not wish to go through the details of the matterthey are very painful, and have been stated completely and accurately by Sir John Hall and Mr. Bryce-— I may say I have come firmly to the conviction that the action ot Mr. Bryce has been that of an honourable man—(applause),—and the only course which a man of his character could take to enter the strongest protest against injustice and wrong. We have every reason to feel proud of the action he has taken. (Applause.) His name will be a watchword throughout the country, and will be a guarantee that the party is a party that respects honour, that respects chivalry, that respects honesty. (Applause.) He is a gentleman that lias been true to himself, and, as we know, a man that is true to himself cannot be false to anyone. (Applause.) He has been true to himself, true to his principles, true to his party, and has thereby been true, to the best interests of the country. (Applause.) Gentlemen, we have felt that in the past we have been fighting against great odds as a party under his leadership. What may be the future, I do not know, but I am satisfied of this, this meeting to-night will tend to make this party feel that they have a great example to live up to, and they will do it. Let us as a party not feel discouraged ; let us, as a party, feel that we have had that faith in the past which will influence us in the future, and we shall, no doubt, rise from the beginning that we have made under circumsances of great difficulty, under the leadership of Mr. Bryce, to, I hope, a better future full of benefit to the colony. (Applause.) I have in the past attended the funerals of those I have loved and regarded, and I have often gone back home thanking God that they left this life in His faith and fear, and with a feeling of gladness that they have gone with untarnished name and fame. This is my feeling to-night in > respect to our friend. He is gone, but we hope to meet again an fight together again at no distant period. (Applause.) Whoever may be our leader, I shall be proud to follow him, if he will only follow in the footsteps of him who has been our leader in the past. (Cheers.) Mr. Scor,ik Mackenzie said : The toast which lias been allotted to me is that of the ex-members of the party, and in rising to propose it I need not dwell on the fact that we are very glad to see so many of them among us to-night, though we could well wish that we had met together on a happier occasion. I dare say the thought passing in their minds is the same as that which is passing in namely, that their lot in being outside the House is better than ours, since they have escaned witnessing a scene which is not only a politically bad and distressing one in itself, but which has been from first to last an outrage on the very spirit of manliness and generosity. They have been saved that scene—all connection with it, and all responsibility for it. And that brings me to the question—on whom does the responsibility for Mr. Bryce's expulsion from Parliament that is what it amounts rest? Primarily, it rests with the Government, but I greatly regret to say a large amount is due to the Speaker. I do not propose to make an attack on the Government, for that can be better reserved for the House, but will confine myself to saying that the spectacle ol the Government — Messrs. Ballance, Seddon, and Reeves— pressing forward with gluttonous eagerness to heap humiliation and disgrace upon a high-minded generous foe,, was surely, the most ignoble ever witnessed in any Legislature. I can imagine persons committing themselves to conduct of the kind while under the influence of violent political or other passion, but it is a deplorable thing to see the conduct sustained after the passion has subsided. As for the Speaker, 1 would care little for errors of judgment, tor these are common _ to all. But I have no hesitation in saying that in connection with the closing scene of Mr. Bryce's resignation the, Speaker lost the opportunity of his life. It is pretty well known to us that there were very serious irregularities committed throughout the condemnation of Mr. Bryce. To some of them Mr. Bryce himself lias alluded. But one was so serious that I cannot avoid mentioning it, and my authority for it is the Speaker himself. He declared from the chair that lie was bound to take the sense of the House as to whether the offending words should be taken down, and that a single dissentient voice would have prevented it, in which case it would then have gone to the vote. The Speaker knows, the whole House admits that the sense of the House was never so taken. Had it been done we would all have dissented, the question would then have been put from the chair, we could all have spoken, and among lis Mr. Bryce himself, _ and the explanation which was considered so satisfactory would have been jjiven before condemnation instead of after it. There would have been no condemnation at all. I attach no blame to the Speaker for the error, but it was after committing it that he lost his great opportunity. It was when the motion for rescinding the censure was before us that his opportunity came, and it found him wanting. His clear course was to say to the House : " The procedure which culminated in Mr. Bryce's condemnation was so irregulai that I should suggest the propriety of rescinding the vote." A word from him would have done it, and that word, unhappily, was not spoken. For any error, for mere intellectual failure, I do not blame him ; the hour of trial requires high qualities of those in 'lush places. Then the Speaker, who had the sole right to do so, never asked Mr. Bryce to withdraw the word?, and excused himself for the omission by saying that he did not ask him because lie anticipated refusal. Let us hope the defence was a mere afterthought. Fancy a judge neglecting to ask even the vilest of criminals if he had anything to say why the penalty of the law should not be imposed on him, because lie anticipated a refusal ! I do not care to dwell any longer on the unhappy business, and- will, with permission, say a word about myself. A paragraph was pointed out to me in the Lyttelton Times, to the effect that Mr. Bryce was glad to resign, owing to the trouble he had with his party, chief among the malcontents being ; (Laughter). Perhaps I should not notice _ the statement, for you all know how ridiculous it is. After " all it was . but the poisonous emanation of a private enemy, and -a not very scrupulous one. But in case there may be someone in the colony disposed to believe it, I shall only say that there was never from first to last even the shadow of foundation to it. I have been among the warmest, perhaps the wannest, personal friend Mr. Bryce had—(Mr. Bryce: Hear, hear.) —and you all know that I have been the most docile, careless, and easy-going of followers. Now, a word ill conclusion about our guest himself. Ido not know whether my friend has done wright or wrong in resigning his seat. I have been _ inclined to think he was wrong, but my opinion has been somewhat modified by what he has said tonight. But the truth of what Mr. Rolleston has well said must be admitted. " Mr. Bryce lias been true to himself, true to his own lofty instincts, true to his past career. _ No man bettei{illustrates the advice of Polonius— To thine own self ho true, - And it shall follow as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Mr. Bryce never has been, never could be, false to anyone. Loyalty is part of his nature. Let us hope, as I believe, that his mantle will fall upon his successor, the mantle of truth, loyalty, and high purpose, and that the whole party will profit by the example he has shown. It . only remains for me to propose the toast of the late members of the party, coupled _ with the name of my good and loyal friend, Mr. Bruce. , . ~ ' Air. Bruce, in reply, thanked his old comrades, for the generous manner in which the toast had been received. He expressed grief and indignation at the event which had caused their meeting and the circumstances which had led up to it. Ihere were many in the colony who felt some degree ui alarm at the whole situation in view ot recent events, but he took no pessimistic view. He regarded the upheaval, of which this Government and its legislation was the result, as an episode in our national lite, merely something calculated to casualty deflect the course of its current, He eulogised Mr. Bryce, and on behalf of the bona He. colonists thanked the Opposition for their gallant defence of the principles 01 true Liberalism. . „ , , " Our worthy Chairman' was proposed j by Mr. J. W. Thomson, and suitably responded to. '