BANQUET AT KAWAKAWA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10046, 5 February 1896, Page 6

BANQUET AT KAWAKAWA.

Ok Friday evening last a public banquet was given in tho large hall of the Star Hotel, at Kawakawa, to Mr. J. R, Reed, on the occasion of his leaving the Bay of Islands to enter into partnership with a legal firm in Auokland. .The event was primarily organised by .the miners of the Bay of Islands Coal Company, of which Mr. Reed iB chairman of directors, but was participated in by a large number of the residents of the district, as well as representatives of the various local institutions, in which during his residence Mr. Reed has beon an active member—as president of the Acclimatisation Society, chairman of the School Committee, president of the Publio Library, and president or vice-president of the various Athletio Clubs of the district. There waa- a large attendance, and the proceedings were of an enthusiastio kind, evidencing tho widespread popularity enjoyed by Mr. Reed during his eight years' residence in the Bay of Islands. The chair was occupied by Mr. John Cully, havint; on his right the guest of the evening, and supported by the Rev. Philip Walsh, Anjjll. can clergyman, Mr. R. Willis, of Omapere etc,, and on the left by Mr. 6. M. Reed, of tho Hkrald, Auckland, Mr. Guy Williams, of Pakaraka, Mr. D. J. Kirkpatcick, and others. After a substantial and rtcherchi repast had been disposed of,and the usual loyal toasts had been proposed and responded to with musical honours, the Chairman in proposing " The Guest of the evening " spoke of the cordial relations that had always existed between Mr. Reed and the miuerg, and the services he had rendered in the co-operative working of the mine. He stated that for about seven years he had been associated with Mr. Reed in mining for coal and gold and silver, and had never had to do with a better employer They were all sorry to lose their guest from the district, and when it hid bocorus known that he was going, a spontaneous movement was at once started by the miners, evory one of whom eagerly united in rendering this tribute of honour and esteem to Mr. Reed, in whom they felt assured they would always have a staunch friend wherever he lived. Mr. Rskd, in rising to respond, was received with prolonged applause, and expressed hour deeply ho fait the spontaneous and cordial manifestation of goodwill which they had rendored to him. _ Ha had spent the happiest years of his lifo at Kawakawa, and would carry away with him the kindliest recollections of every resident in the district with whom he had come in oontact. Mr. Reed reviewod at some length the various efforts in which they had been jointly engaged in promoting the interests of the district, from which hn was not going to sever himself wholly, as he had made arrangements for coming up regularly to attend the courts, and generally for having his business conducted as before, though having Auckland iu future for his headquarters. Hecoucluded by assuring them that he would always cherish the deepest iuterest in the district, and that it would bo a special pleasure to him to promote its welfare in every way ho could. (Applause.) The toast of "The Local Governing Bodies" was pronosed by Mr. H. S. Ludbrook, and responded to by Messrs. Hall and Stewart. Special compliment was rendered to " The Press" on the toast being placed at this early stage in the proceedings. It was proposed by Mr. J. Russell, and responded to by Mr. Mackenzie of the "Northern Luminary," and by Mr. G. M, Reed, who expressed the pleasure he naturally felt in seeing the respect and esteem in which his son was held by the residents in the district, and the high honour that had been conferred on him at leaving. Referring at some length to the resources aud possibilities of the Northern districts, aud the unwarrantable uogleot with which thev had been treated to, the speaker ooncluded oy expressing his hope that the tribute of respect rendered to their guest would be a stimulus to him to the end of his life to eudoavour in the future as in the past to make himself useful to his fellowmeu. The "Acclimatisation Society" was proposed by Mr. R. Hulme, and responded to by Mr. K. Willis; "Co-operation, proposed by Mr. D. J. Kirkpatrick, was responded to by Mr. R. Hislap in an excellent speech, iu which he referred to the success of the principle as carried out in the working of the local coal mine—tho only mine, with ono exception, worked on this principlo in the colonv, and the success of which, he said, woula prove an example and a stimulus to the extension of the principle to coal mining generally. The "Mining Industry" was proposed bv Mr. J. R. Reed and responded to by Mr. E. Lee; the " Farming Industry," proposed by Mr. James McKeown, and responded to by Mr. H. S.. Ludbrook; the "Ladies,' 1 proposed by Mr. K. Jackson, responded to by Mr. Guy Williams; the " Cricketers," proposed by Mr. W. Ludbrook, responded to by Mr. G. A. Davidson; tho " Footballers," proposed by Mr. A. T. Bennett, responded to by Mr. R. A. Hall; the " Kawakawa Racing Club," proposed by Mr. E. C. Blomfield, solicitor, responded to by Mr. V. H. Reed. The Rev. Philip Walsh without proposing a toast, availed himself of the opportunity of making a speech, in whioh he expressod himself as to the social and beneficial influence their guest had exeroised over the wide district in which thoy were both accustomed to travel in the perfortasnce of their duty, and stated that he was expressly requested by the Hokianga people to represent them on the occasion, and to tell of their hearty sympathy aud co-oparation with the people of the Bay of Islands in rendering thin tribute of respeot to Mr. Reed. The proceedings were enlivened throughout by songs and recitations, and altogether the event was the most enthusiastio and successful of its kind that had ever taken placo in the Bay. On the following afternoon (Saturday) a match was played betweon the Kawakawa Cricket Cluu, captained by Mr. Reed, and that of Ohaoawai, captained by Mr. Willis, resulting in a victory for the former by an innings and seven runs. In an interval iu the proceedings, a cricket bat, with silver shield engraven, and an illuminated address, were presented to Mr. Reed, by Mr. Kirkpatriot, on behalf of the orickelers and footballers of the Bay of Islands, iu recognition of the services rendered by Mr. Roed in organising and promoting tne various aWiktic sports of the distriot.