RECEPTION OF MR. MICHAEL DAVITT, M.P., FOR MAYO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9990, 29 November 1895, Page 5

RECEPTION OF MR. MICHAEL DAVITT, M.P., FOR MAYO.

When the: s.s. .'Manapouri arrived last evening from Gisborne, there were about a , thousand''people 'on the Quean-streefa Wharf, who had , been waiting . there for an Hour,! in order s, to ; accord ' Mr. Michael Davitb, St P. for Mayo, a hearty welcome. ' Among these were the representatives of the Irish National Federation Society, of various political organisations, and a number of prominenb citizens. The assemblage included a number of ladies, among them being Mrs. Kerr (president) and Mrs. Hendre, hon. sec., and other members of the Auckland Women's Liberal League, who were. there in their representative character. On the vessel making fast to the wharf, the representatives of the above societies and others wenb on board, and were Introduced to Mr. Davitb, by Mr. Sheahan, tho secretary of the Irish National Federation Society, after which Mr. Davito was driven off to the Star Hotel, where he intended to pub, up, In the carriage with Mr. Davifcb were Mr. Csllnan (vice-president of tho Irish National Federation Society), and Messrs. G. M. Reed and T. W. LeysSome five or six carriages followed in procession, containing delegates of tho Societies and prominent citizens. Among thorn were!. Hon. W. Jennings, M.L.C., Revs. Father Lenihan, Very Rev. Joseph O'Reilly, Fathor Joseph (Christian Brothers), Messrs. J. Sheahan, McAlister, W. J. Speight), J. Fawcus, J. J. Davy, T. Tudehope, E. F. Garlick, D. Flynn, J, Campbell.

On leaving the Manapouri for the Star Hotel, a number of Mr. Davitb's fellow.passengers gave him a parting cheor, and on arrival at the Star Hotel the crowd assembled there gavo him another cheer as he lefb the carriage and entered that establishment. An adjournment was made to one of the largo rooms, where the more formal proceedings took place. Among those present were: Mr. J. D. Connolly (American Consul), Messrs, D. Lundon, P, Lanigan, J. Beehan, W. Tole, G. Leahy, Mahoney, Dervan, and Sullivan (Onahunga), Kavanugh, P. Kearney, W. Kane, Patterson, and a number of ladies. Mr. Callnan (vice-president of tho Irish National Federation Society), addressing Mr. Davitt, said it devolved upon him to accord their guest a wolcomo, owing to the absence through official duty of the Don. J. A. Tole, President of the Society. It was known to them all that Mr. Davitt was ono of tho foremost of Irish patriots. Those who had followed tho course of British , politics know that he had not confined his efforts, for local. self government to Iroland, but had worked for the same boon being accorded to England and Scotland. In good report and evil report ho had laboured for Home Rule, and for the protection of the interests of the tenantry, but his sympathies were nob confined to his own land and his own people. Therefore thoy gave him a hearty welcome, nob merely as an Irish patriot, but friend of suffering humanity. When the history of the Homo Rulo movement came to bo written, there would be found no more unselfish patriot than Michael Davitb, (Cheers). Mr, Fawcus (president of Trades and Labour Council), Mr. Staunton (of Knights of Labour), Mr. G. Fowlda (of Ground ReVib Revenue League), and Mrs. Collins, on behalf of the Liberal Women of Auckland, in brief speeches welcomed Mr. Davitb to Auckland. Mr. W. Kane (District Presidenb of H-A.C.B, Society) also welcomed Mr. Davitb. After which Mr. P. Kearney, District Secretary of tho District Executive of the H.A.C.B. Societies of New Zealand, road and presented Mr. Davitt with the following address (which was printed on satin with green ink, and tastefully mounted) To Michael Davitt, Esq., member of Parliament for County Mayo, Ireland. Address from the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society in New Zealand, to Ireland's tried and truest champion : We, the executive officers of the abovo Society, desire to offer to you a " cead mille failtho," and earnestly hope your sojourn under the Southern Cross has benefited your health. We consider it a source of pride that one who has won such a distinguished place on tho roll of illustrious Irishmen should pay a visit to these remote colonies, and we are pleased to see you. We congratulate you on your election to the British Parliament, where your undoubted talents will be of incalculable service in furtherance of that . cause for which you have already suffered so much. The manly courage with which you have avowed the opinions _ you hold respecting your native land, which 00 ail occasions flow from your lips an emblem of your patriotic zeal, and the noble way you have upheld the character of Irishmen, have won a place in our hearts and in the hearts of all lovers of freedom. And, now that you have seen our self-governing colonies one by one, happy, prosperous, and contented, we feel sure you will urge with renewed vigour the claim of Ireland to this God-given boon—Home Rule— being the only solution of the problem for the betterment of your unfortunate country. Tp our countrymen at home may wo ask you to tako this message from us: "'We cherish the memory of Ireland, rejoicing in its prosperity and condoling in its sufferings; that we watch over its destinies with unflagging solicitude and grieve at the disunion and dissension ol her sons, when unity and peace should be the watchword; that we long to hear of better days and so pray them to unite, fell them, too, that we have still an abiding faith that as Ireland has survived the terrible penal laws, the cruel land laws and the direct effect of bad government, so a merciful Providence will yet interpose and ransom the people who still cling to the soil from the miseries that for over seven hundred years have afflicted their beloved country. In bidding adieu to you, we wish you a safe return to the bosom of your devoted family and to dear old Ireland, that we all yearn to see prosperous and happy. Praying that God may bless you with health and strength, and that your efforts in Ireland's cause may soon be crowned with complete success—We are, yours faithfully,'Willi Aitf Kane, District President; James Smith, District Vice-President; P. J. Nkiiheny, District Past President; James Flynn, District Treasurer; Patrick Kearney, District Secretary. Auckland, New Zealand, 28th November, 1895. Mr. Davitt, in reply, said he felb ib difficult to put into words all he felt in roplying to thoir welcome to this beautiful city. Ib was unexpected on his part, and ho folt deeply the honour thoy had paid him, and above all their hearty words of welcome, fie would have been better pleased if they had kept to vulgar fact, and nob indulged in exaggerated praise. They might take 99 per cent, oubof what had bean saidaboub his labours for Home Rule and in the cause of Industrial Labour.' Thab sort of thing injured public men. Some men in tho ranks of the Nationalists had their heads turned with such eulogy. Ho hoped in New Zealand they did not deal with their public men after thab style. At the same time he tried to do what he could for Homo Rule. He had also done whab he could for labour, not only in Ireland but in Englani and Scotland and in the Unitod States—in faob for all who suffered and were downtrodden. As he was to address them on tho following night (this evening) in the City Hall on "Ireland in Westminster," they would excuse him from dealing further with these topics. Ho thanked the ladies and gentlemen present for the honour they had done him, for their hospitality, and their kind words of welcome.

This closed thu formal proceedings, and the assemblage broke up. At a later stage, tha Hon. J. A. Tole (president of the Irish National Federation Society) arrived, having been detained at) the Supreme Court through his du ties thora as Crown Prosocutor, mid had an interview with Mr. Davitt. Mr. Davitt is above the medium heighb, of dark complexion, with black beard and moustache.. Although only in the prime of life (50) he is partly bald, _ Owing to his having lived, while young, in Lancashire, lie has almost wholly lost the Irish accent, and would nob be taken as beiug of Irish extraction. His countenance is very striking and expressivo, and he has a pleasant, easy, and forcible way of expressing himself. In conversation with a Hkkald representative last evening, he stated that he was very much plonaod with what he had seen of the colony, and ho had seen a good deal of it, having been in Otago, through the West Coasb settlements, Canterbury, and from Wellington to Napier. He intended to havo come overland from Napier to Auckland, via the Lake country, but the storm of Monday night, which pub rivers in, flood, made him abandon the -intention. He expressed regreb ab not having seen the Lake country, and could have pub in another month in the colony usefully, bub his ongngemcnts 'forbade. Mr. John Dillon, who never ceased sounding 1 the praises of

New Zealand, asked him'to give the doublo time to New Zealand as to each of the other colonies, bub when in Sydnoy he received a request from a' London editor to go to Coolgardie.and that took a month off ins available time. ! He had been travelling for eight months ; incessantly in the seven colonies of the Australasian Group, and had acquired r a mais lof useful information about the colonies, including how Zealand, of which he thought most highly. During 24 days in New Zealand he had addressed 15 meetings, s bo he had nob been idle. Mr. Davitb leaven by the outgoing steamer for San Francisco, in order to visit airs. Davibt's relatives in Oakland, and his own relatives in the States, and is duo in London early in the new year. Referring to home politics Mr. Davitb said he expected the coming session of the House of Commons would be "a fighting one," Justin McCarthy was contemplating giving up the leadership of the party, and there would bo new combinations nnd new developments.