WEST COASTERS IN WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2691, 14 December 1895, Page 2

WEST COASTERS IN WELLINGTON.

A largo number of the West Coasters assembled in Wellington, together .with a few of the citizens of Wellington, spent a very pleasant social evening at Thomas’ Hall last night. Mr Martin Kennedy, presided, and the vice-chair was, in the! dbaonoe; of Mr T. G. Macarthy, occupied by' Mr R 7 H. J. Reeves, who was referred to by the Chairman as tho “Honourable,” in: view of the announcement!, of his appointment to 1 “the Legislative Council, Tfie suggestion conveyed by tho title was received with loud applause, and Mr Reeves; in reply, said he had been requested by the Premier (Hqn R. J. Seddon) to apologise for bis unavoidable absence, which ho deeply regretted. The Chairman road a telegram from Mr George Onrson, of Feilding, sending his hear ty good wishes to afi West .Coasters, aud My ,W. Ross, captain of,! thb 1 Wellington Rowing Club, aufi an old 4V6st’-p6astQr, aRo wrote regretting that he was' unable to 'bo present. “ ' ‘ ‘ '‘ ‘ ’ The usual loyal toasts haying been proposed from tho chair, ' Mr E. Wickes proposed the toast of “The Empire City,” the pioneers of which he heartily congratulated on tho manner in which! they ;had overcome Vthe‘Tdifflcultlos which stood in. tho way of" building a city here. The toast was drunk with musical honours, ‘tone more ” boing‘givoh'foi‘ ’tho'suburbs. Mr L. L. Harris responded, and referred to tho good feeling which hud always existed between WollingLouians and tho West Coast, aud to tho benefits Wellington had received from,the mining,operations oa.tho.Coast. ... Mr Walter E. Hall also replied. and spoke qfthe*Wo3t Coasters avhom he had mob as jolly good follows, from’whom ho had always reO 'iVbd t|ie greatest, kindness. •« '* l f. -f .j Tho Chairman at!this;point tenderedvtlio West Coaster’s a hearty woloomo to Woffing-ton,■•and-said it gave him-voty great pleasure indeed to moot so many, friends from that part of the world whore he had spent so many years. Ho also spoke of flio benefit which had accrued to the Colony from tho discoveries' of gold and .coal.on the West Coast, and, in regard to the arbitration proceedings in connection .witfi^the Midland Railway, ho hoped that tfio West Cqast raihyay would be completed,' because if'would no doubt be. of great advantage to tho-West Coast and the whole of the Colony.. ~ ... Mr W. H. Jones apologised to .the Welliimtonians for not having invited them'to act on the committee, and took advantage of the occasion to wish all West Coasters good-bye previous to his .approaching, departure for Perth, "Western Australia. ‘, i . The Hon’J. ’Carroll’'joined .tho gathering at this juncture, ahd v wa9'reobivbd with loud applause. .-7 J,. Maginnity proposed toast’ of '‘The inhabitants of the West’ Coaufc ; past, present and to come.” ;Tho toast was drunk with much and MrR. It. J. Reeves responded. Mi: J!. 3B.,Hayes alsq acknowledged the toast; ' ‘ Mr P. -F.- —Daniels- proposed the-toast “ Rumava .yinegar,” and coupled with the name of Mr f A. McKay, who responfiefi. The Ohairmaa congratulated Mr It. If. J. Reeves on his appointment to the Legislative Council. (Applause.)- Ho had, he said, known him for ,ovor .30 years,.aud ho was sure that during hia politibal career he had made hosts of. friends, and-“that. tho appointment, which reflected great, credit on, thp Government, would be welcomed by all wh6 knew him. Ho proposed the health -of the Hon R. H. J. Reeves (Applause.), , • ,- t The toast was drunk with musical honours.

. Mr Reeves, in replying, said the result of his sticking to his party was that ho had been taken away from the wicked who trouble us and put into a place of rest. (Laughter). Although ho was relegated ,to the Old-Men’s Home, ho would always bo to the fore where tho interests of the West;Coast were, concerned. (Applause:) The Hon J. Carroll proposed the toast of *■ The West 'Coast Industries,” 'remarking that’ he was convinced, the Coast was on tile threshold of*a hew era of prosperity. ’ The toast was drunk with musical honours, and Messrs Eariitt, Maguire and Hargraves responded. x .rMr Jones proposed, in feeling The We*t Coast Absentees.’ 4 The Chairman proposed the ; health of the Premier (Hon R. J. Soddon), whose name and,good qualities, he said, were well known to/ and highly appreciated by, everyone on the West Coast. Mr Seddon’s position was one which was highly, honourable to himself and the Wcsfc.Cpact;? (Applause.) ; - . The toast was drunk with much heartiness, accompanied by the singing of “ For Uc’fl. a Jolly Good Fellow/’ f: V ; f Mr 11. H. J. Reeves proposed tho health of tho ‘‘ Honourable - ipijl,” otherwise.known as Mr W. H. Jones, whom he described as one of tho most-fitorling men they bad ever, had on tHe : West C6asti‘ ! ' 1 L * 1 ’

Mr Jones brieflyresponded. Thetoast“ofThe Ladies” was -proposed by .the Hon -J. Carroll and replied to : by .Mr Oscar Egdeh. . ' • Mr P. P. Daniels proposed the'health of Mr Martin Kennedy.; That gentleman, was,.he said,', one of . whom all iWeat Coasters .were pVdud/ He had 'developed,'the resourpos of the Coast aud brought it to the front, and tfie. people of .Wellington. were, 'to v ba.. epugfatulated on' having such" a* marf iq -their, ’midst. (Applaqse.l Thp‘ toast wis drunk with “ throe times throe,” and one more for Mrs Kennedy and family. ' s ' ’ - ■ ’ r •, Mr-Kennedy returned thanks,, and, hoped lie would be able to rpiiutain ib’e honour of the West Coast in-Wellington. : - Tho toast of Messrs Card and McFarlane, formerly of the West Coast, was proposed by Mr Parfitt and responded to by those gentlemen. ... . •*Mr: Fenton proposed the toast 'of'-the ,f . which -was responded to by' the representatives of the Evening Post and New Zbahand Times. •

'. iTho health of the Hon James Carroll was heortily drunk at tho instance of Mr R. II J. Peeves, and was replied to by Mr Carroll. Mr. J. Maginnifey proposed the health of Mr Daniels,- which • was responded to Mr Daniels, who hoped the outcome of the iqeot* ing- would -bo the formatiop* of a West Coast 4-ssooiatioh in Wellington.’ • . ■ • An excellent light repast was provided by

Mr J. Godbor. A plra-ant cvoniu? wa,s spent, eaiiiinl uiul rotations briutr contributed by the ilon .1. Carroll ami Messrs Oscar Iv'tlcn, Hope. J. .Maffiimity. Fraser, A. MeKe.v and \V. K. Hal!. The" prooceiliu-s coiioluJed witii tlio sinsinenf " Auld Hang Sync” and “ God Save tliu Queen."