DINNER TO DR. EVANS. POST-MASTER GENERAL OF VICTORIA.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XIII, Issue 1372, 25 September 1858, Page 3

DINNER TO DR. EVANS. POST-MASTER GENERAL OF VICTORIA.

A Dinner was given on Tuesday evening at Swinbourne’s Hotel, to the hon. the Postmaster General of Victoria, Dr. Evans, on the occasion of his visit to Wellington, and in acknowledgement of his efforts to establish steam communication between Melbourne and Wellington. It was intended that the dinner should have taken place on' Monday, but oat of respect to the memory of Air. M’Donald. the Manager of the Union Bank, whose sudden death occurred on that day, the dinner was postponed to the day following. The arrangements for the dinner were most excellent, and reflected the greatest credit on Mr. Swinbourne, and Mr. Laing, under whose management the entertainment was provided. Between forty and fifty gentlemen sat down'to dinner, Mr. Clifford presiding as Chairman, and Messrs. Hickson and Hunter acting as Vice-chairmen. On the right of the Chairman sat Dr. Evans, the guest of the evening, on the left Mr. J. C. Crawford ; there were besides several of the merchants and principal inhabitants of Wellington. After the healths of the Queen, the Prince Consort and Royal Family, the Governor, and the Army and Navy, had been drank. The Chairman explained that Col. Gold and Mr. Justice Gresson who had been invited, were prevented from attending, the former owing to Airs.. Gold’s indisposition, the latter from a previous engagement, Dr. Featherston and' Air. St. Hill also sent their excuses as Directors of the Union Bank of Australia, owing to Air. Al’Donnld’s sudden death. A letter from Air. E. J. Wakefield was also read regretting his inability to attend, from the change of the day, owing to a previous engagement. Ho then feelingly alluded to the sad event which had taken from them one of their most estimable settlers, and had cast a gloom over the whole community. If time had permitted a longer postponement of this evening’s entertainment would have taken place, but this owing to the early departure of the Queen had been impossible ; and it was generally desired that Dr. Evans should not take his departure without meeting in this manner the merchants and inhabitants of Wellington. He had come to them as a Alinister of the Crown from the important Colony of Victoria, with a view to add the last link which would complete the iron chain of steam communication, and had come to Wellington especially, because the far sighted Alinistry of which he was a member, saw that the communication by the Isthmus of Panama would shortly be established, and that this communication would inevitably take place through Cook’s Strait instead of in a more northerly direction. This had been clearly seen by Dr. Evans mastermind, and he had advocated the importance of steam communication between Melbourne and Wellington, both by means of the press,and in his official position as Alinister, and had shewn this communication to be so advantageous thut A'lclbournc had offered to contribute two thirds of the subsidy. To the old settlers it was easy to account for the interest which Dr. Evans had taken in the matter* but it might not be known to many of those

present the important and influential part 1 which Dr. Evans had played in the coloniza- I tion of New Zealand, and which deserved cvcrv recognition it was in the power of New Zealand colonists to bestowfeheers). 11 is exertions mainly led to the formation of the New Zealand So ciety and the New Zealand Company, and the establishment of a British Colonv on these shores. When on the arrival of the first lettiers in Wellington, it was found that without some higher authority than their own they could do nothing. Dr. Evans formed one of a deputation to Sydney to try to obtain from the Governor of that colony the protection of British authority. After the lamentable massacre of the Wairau, Dr. Erans was one of those who were deputed to go to the acting Governor at Auckland on the part of the scttiers in Cook’s Straits in that pressing emergency. In 1849 Dr. Evans, who was then in England, had exerted himself to the utmost in obtaining our present Constitution. And in going to another and more important Colony, he was found to be one of the few who were capable of directing the energies of that Colony (cheers). In carrying out the scheme of intercolonial Steam Communication, he was sure that Dr. Evans would meet wiih the support of this community, as he would be forwarding the best interests of both colonies (cheers). Dr. Evans in returning thanks said, he could not help acknowledging that this was was one of (he proudest days of his life, and he should make an unworihy return for their kindness if he were to occupy’ their time by’ expressing even a small portion of the emotions of gratitude which he felt on the present occasion. He would, therefore, abstain from matters merely personal, and dwell on those public objects in which iheir welfare was concerned as well as that of the great community he had the honor to represent. He feared he should fall under their censure for egotism, but he could not help recurring to a former period, a period now about 20 j ears back, when the project of colonizing New Zealand was considered to be hopeless, and the scheme was ridiculed as an insane delusion, fie remembered returning home on one occasion with a relative of his now present who was growing grey w ith bis labours both pastoral and paternal (laugh-er), but who was then a mere boy, and he desned him nnt to forget that he carried home the whole New Zealand Colony in a one horse cab (cheers). 'Through those days of darkness they had persevered, and the result had proved a ‘ l }U justification of their zeal and a reward of their labours (cheers). History would recount the years of toil and patient exertion which they had passed through. He looked around him, and ’hough he sought in vain for many of those who had formed that band of pilgrim fathers that had founded this settlement, he saw at the other end (turning to Mr. Hunter) the face of the representative of one of their earliest settlers ; he still saw some remaining of that little band. He would earnestly impress upon them the duty of exercisIn ». . a Laternal charity; of infusing into those political struggles which were a consequence of their present form of Government, a love of couna sense of justice, and toleration, without which progress would be impossible, and liberty’ itself instead of being a blessing would prove a curse (cheers). He had now visited Wellington for the third time since its foundation, and he was in some degree therefore qualified to judge of the progress which had been made. It would be idle for him to say that their progress was the same as those Colonies which hq.d been enriched by fortuitous discoveries of gold. But when the marvellous discouragements and drawbacks under which they had suffered, were considered—a hostile Colonial Office, a Parliament unfnenuly, and a British Public indifferent or inattentive ; when every thing had been done to thwai-t their onward course, when they had in turn suffered from barbarian wars, from earthquakes, and fires—they had biavely bared their breasts against the calamities of man.and of Nature ; they had planted the tree of independence which had grown the more, the more that storms had assailed and rocked its weakness (cheers). The city o f Melbourne was the centre and Emporium of the Australian Colonies, and its inhabitants had fixed upon n ellsngton as the centre and Emporium of iliese islands with which they desired to connect theinse.ves by means of steam communication. Nature had made it so, and any effort which was made to prevent it would be laughed at as absurd, (cheers), lie hoped this question would not be considered as a question of party politics. On his return to Melbourne he should represent the setters of Wellington as feeling as deeply interested m the result as they themselves were. He would not now enter at length into a statement of his views with regaid to Steam Communication since he had made the fullest explanations on this subject at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce a report of which had appeared in the local papers. He hoped soon to see rhe resuk of their negotiations in the arrival amongst them of a large number of persons of intellect and capital, who tfould be induced to invest their money here. He should not fail to make a good report of their Province. Their magnificent country and harbour spoke for themselves. 1 he character of the peopie was essentially British, and they would go on in the path they had so nobly trod. It was something to boast of to have assisted at the birth of the youngest and finest, as it would probable prove thfe most prolific in the family of nations. (Cheers). He begged to thank them most sincerely for the honor they had done him ndividually, and as a member of the Victorian Government. (Dr. Evans resumed his seat amidst continued cheering). Dr. Evans said he had trespassed so long on their patience on a foimer occasion, that he would refrain from any lengthened observations in discharging the duty that had devolved upon him. In order to do justice to the toast he was about to propose, lie wou’d make ro political allusions, as he was incapable of understanding the mass of questions that divided the community. In proposing the health of the Superintendent of the Piovince, he should very much regret if any political differences should interfere to prevent them from doing justice to the talent and virtues which had been admitted by his election as head of the Province by a large portion of the community. In proposing Dr. Featherston’s health, he would talk with the garrulity of old age of his friendship for him in the times antecedent to these Institutions. He wou d disinter the relics of a Pro-adamite and produce before them the mastodon and megatherium of Antediluvian times (laughter). Without understanding the controversies that existed among them he would call upon them to drink the health of Dr. Featherston, as one who fi led the highest place in the government of the Province. He viewed these disputes as a stranger and a travelling philosopher. In one of their local publications, the Superintendent was painted in glowing colours as a Nero, a Caligula, a Robespierre ; while in the other he was described as a Solon, a Lycurgus, a Numa Pompilius (laughter). He felt disposed to strike an average. He was sorry bis excellent friend would not accompany him in the Queen, and regretted that he was not then present, as be should be disposed to say more than in his absence. He should have said something on the democratic tendencies of a community, and how at Melbourne they dealt with the extremes of society. There .was something in the Australian colonics of the American go-ahead principle,—something by which they tried to make a small village a large city. If two or three of the Wellington settlers could accompany him in the Queen, the} would form something like a conference in which they could satisfactorily arrange the question of steam communication (cheers). He hoped he should do no injustice to their feelings in asking them to drink the health of Dr. Featherston. The Vice-Chairman (Mr. Hickson) proposed the health of M r. J ustice Gresson. Mr. Johnston in proposing the health of Colonel Gold and the Officers of the 65th Regt, said, this was not the ordinaly routine of compliment since it carried with it the sad word firewell. The 65ih Regt, had now befcn several years amongs them, and he only expressed the feelings of the community when he bore testimony to t ! e cordial manner in which Col. Gold and the Officers had always joined in the recreations of their social life, nor could they forget the exertions of Col. Gold, the officers and the soldiers of that gallant regimimt at thejlre which occurred some yeais ago, and which their exertions alone prevented from becoming a general conflagration. (Cheers). Captain Turner in suitable terms aknow edged the compliment paid to Col. Gold and the Officers of the regiment. In teferring to the fire lie said the piece of plate which had been presented by the inhabitants of Wellington, would be handed down I

Wc4 n Him had lived 8( , | on g in its inhabit ’W ''\ be id ? ntifietl wiih alwnvs l><> l"i 3 i l' c heped the regiment would at the m"m: n 7.°(Ch:er" I ! ,iOn ° S WBr ° toria l ” a "| 1 t lt l"°i ni:S l’ ,o J ,osc<l ’ha “ Colony of Vicsame’ time n star , ted u j t 0 existence about the more ranid l,nn rS n V ! 9 ’ Ut its BUCCCSS hild b °en Colonv Since It 1 ’a- " any otller Australian h.. 1 y ’t b c , e I,le discovery of gold no colonv \n'nisuv in ‘ P A rlant ol’ic’si’nthe .M inistry of that Colony. (Cheers). But if tho cieam bad departed from them, they had still saflic'ent talent in the community, and they might make use of this chance not only to secure steam communication but eventually the Electric telegraph between tins place and Melbourne. If steam were m reduced by way ..f Panama, new., from I.PKland would be received in this colony six days sooner than mthe Australian colonies However slow our progress had been hitherto, he should be glad o follow Hi the wake of the Colony of Victoria. (Cheers).

Dr hvANssatd, in rising once more to return thanks, il it were not for their kind manner he should begin to suspect they were practising upon him the same tactics which were sometimes resorted to in Victoria. When they got hold of some very troublesome slump orator, by a little flat'cry they induced him to speak every evening on every possible subI r y . tl,,B P r 'Cess they speedily consigned him to oblmon (laughter). lie spoke as a colonist or Victoria, though formerly a settler in New Zealand, and he stil* cherished hopes that at some future period lie might spend the remainder of his days in philosophic, not to say bucolic, retirement (laughter), in this colony, and like the sage in Lucretius, he might look out from some elevated position on the angry storms that were raging beneath him (cheers). As the only representative of V icloua he begged to return thanks for the honor done thatcolony and for ihe handsome terms in which the toaut had been proposed, and sincerely thanked them for their good wishes. The Electric tele?v a !r’ as a medium of communication between » ellington and Melbourne, was not so visionary as it appeared at first sight. One of his first acts on coming into office was to inquire into the possibility of extending the electric telegraph to Wellington to place that community in communication with Victoria. Ihe estimate had been formed from the dat a furinshed-by the line now in progress between Melbourne and Van Diemen’s Land. The exat , “PPeared startling. But the sum of 1-1/4 OJO, the amount of the estimate, though startling was nothing to the advantages to be derived from ii. There were now two rival Companies in England who were petitioning to connect Sydney and Melbourne by way of India by means of the electric telegraph ; when this was done, the line to New Zealand would be so small an addition to it that" there would be no difficulty in raising the capital required, especially when it might be the m?ans of securing to the Australian colonies from six to eight days priority of intelligence. They would then be brought into connection with London, New York, and New Orleans. 7he poetry of Science was thus reduced to stern matters of fact, and realized the poet’s dream of placing a g»rdle round the Earth in forty minutes (cheers). Perhaps the same good fortune might occur to them as to the Australian colonies in the discovery of gold fields at Wairarapa, which eclipse those of Victoria ; but if not they might rest content in the solid advances of commerce, and he believed that Melbourne and Wellington would become twin sisters, and march to glory in the career before them. With the best wishes for their future advancement he would now bid them farewell.(cheers). Captain Turner proposed “Prosperity to Wellington.” Mf* Stokes proposed the Sister Provinces of Wellington. Captain Rhodes returned thanks. Mr. Moore proposed Mrs. Evans and the Ladies. Dr. Evans in eloquent terms acknowledged the compliment paid to Mrs. Evans. h ea lflt ol Mr. Chapman, Attorney-General ot X ictoria, by Mr. Duncan, of the Chairman by Mr. J. C. Crawford, and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce by Mr. Brandon concluded the list of toasts and the company broke up shortly after 11 o clock.