CONGRATULATING THE SPEAKER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 291, 29 March 1877, Page 2

CONGRATULATING THE SPEAKER.

The Wellington correspondent of the Dunedin Star sends that journal the following : " A number of leading merchants and other influential citizens, including several members of both Houses of Parliament, assembled this afternoon at the Provincial' Buildings to congratulate Sir William Fitzherbert on the honour of Knighthood being conferred on him by her MajesMHj Between forty and fifty gentlemen we: |1 present. Mr. Hunter, M H.R, called c || all present to drink the health of S 11 William Fitzherbert, who was essentially 1 a Colonist; one who had gone through al' 1 the ups and downs of Colonial life, an ; done his part most thoroughly in estal ~ lishing a Colony that was destined ult mately to become one of the greate nations of the earth. It always was gratf fying to see the services of our public m& ; . recognised as in this instance. It pleasant feature in connection with tiie"* Mother Country that those distinctions, were awarded so worthily. The toast was| received with tremendous cheering. Sir' William Fitzherbert said he was quits taken by surprise by this most unexampled demonstration. He had been identi fied from the first with Wellington in al its varying fortunes, and there was no onj whose heart could glow with warmer gra 1 titude than his own to see that the heroiif efforts of that band who founded this set tlement had been crowned with such sue cess in the present prosperity of Welling ton, The honours conferred on him ha never been sought or "touted" for b him, and he was sure those he now sa around him would recognise that this \vs the case, and that any honours conferre on him had been justly earned and coi ferred in recognition of public service He felt convinced that this remote corn* of the empire was destined to become 01 of the greatest nations on the earth, ai ,g it was a source of just pride to those wh B H had founded New Zealand to know tbjjH their British pluck h?d add.ed' cna of WM brightest jewels to f 13,11 British EmpuW

I Lift Jw* Martin then proposed tne health L| tally Fitssherbwt,, which war..- cnthrtU»ti«ttliy received. Sir William next Reported the htsa&tk of Mr. HunttT, MUM.B-—ft true sterling Colonist in all tli» vicissitudes of the- Colony—and Mr. MuntoC briefly returned thanks, and the meeting then separated.