BANQUET AT WANGANUI

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4132, 21 August 1900, Page 5

BANQUET AT WANGANUI

At the banquet at Wanganui on Saturday night in connection with tho opening of the Cosmopolitan Club the Mayor, Mr Hatlrick, presided. "The Queen” was honoured in silence as a mark of sympathy with the Royal family. Dr Hatherley. then proposed tho toast of the ‘"‘Army, Navy and Volunteers,” which was acknowledged by Mr McKenna, a New Zealand veteran, wearing the Victoria Cross. The toast "Parliament of New Zealand” was proposed by Mr E. V/. Andrews. In replying, Mr AVard said the Parliament of this country was'one of which the people might well be proud. Tic had visited Parliaments in England, TtVdy, France, Canada and all the Australian colonies, and he said deliberately that the average member of the New Zealand Legislature compared more than favourably, with, those iof any Parliament he had visited. He remarked upon the heavy responsibility resting upon , Ministers, which . was made more onerous bv the existence of a party with a large "tail” embracing many men of high intelligence. He cor.dlnriod by enlarging upon the railway and Customs concessions and upon the fact of New-Zealand leading the way in adoption of universal penny postage. Mr" T. Mackenzie, who was asked to reply "as a gentleman who was not in the Ministry as yet/"’ spoke at some length on the necessity for an Imperial policy of reciprocal tariffs for the encouragement of trade. He hoped that the- political parly with a long tail would never be known as the "kangaroo party” and "go on the wallaby. Messrs .Ins. Allen,- Guinness, and Fisher also replied on behalf of the House, Air Cilfcdder as "lender of the Boxers/ and Major Harris and Mr .Tenkinson for the Legislative Council. The last-named sneaker contended iltat had tho most progressive Upper House in the world; for the Minister in. charge of Governmrnt measures. liad to warn ir.cvnbers not to make these too liberal or Hie House

■would not pass them. Mr Carroll proposed “Prosperity to the Cosmopolitan Club.” ' which was acknowledged by the chairman. Air Hattrick then proposed Prosperity to New Zealand.” to which Major Steward and Mr W'illi? responded. _ The latter, referring to Wanganui's wants said the (own hm 1 . goi no more, than its due in being promised a. new post office and railway station. Native lands required to be opened upl large estates in the, district should be re-purebased I.'.y the Government and with harbour improvements the town would go ahead The toast of “Kindred Chibs” was proposed hr the chairman, and acknowledged !iv representatives of the Wellington and Napier Working Men's Clubs, who both acknowledged that' .1 ho Cosmopolitan Club cast their buildings in,the shade. Tim other toasts were “Ladies," pro-nimr-d bv the chairman, and responded to Mr Henan, of Invercargill; “The Caterer and “The Press.” In the course of (he evening songs were given by Messrs Pinches and Mok". and 1 recitations by Mr Swan, which added much 1 to the general enjoyment.