Banquet to the Governor.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 5206, 12 February 1892, Page 3

Banquet to the Governor.

(by telegraph. ) GiIMSTCHUB.cn, February 11. On rising to respond to the toast of his health at the farewell banquet to-day, the Governor was received with loud and continued applause. He said his first duty was to offer an apology. When they had been good enough to extend to himself and Lady Onslow an invitation, he never contemplated the possibility of breaking his engagement. It was a lesson in humility that, it is possible from time to time to be unable to fulfil one's engagements. He did his best to combat with the elements, but they were one too many for him. He fully appreciated the kindness shown to him and the Countess, and which had been carried out so excellently. The form of the invitation led him to think that the people of Christchurch agreed with him, as he had said elsewhere, that when the new Governor is appointed they would not be curious to know his antecedents, but they would want to know what his wife was like. (Loud applause.) The duties of a Governor carried great responsibilities. He represented the Queen and the Imperial Government, and he was the Ambassador—he was the envoy —of the whole of the British Parliament, and people, the interpreter of their thought and action, and the guest of one of the branches of the Imperial tree. Speaking of the founder of Canterbury, he said Mr Godley was one of the pioneers, of whom few remained, and a debt of gratitude was owed to them for every step taken in their interests. All honor to those who had made it clear that to render the lands of this colony productive is more than wealth—l.s.d. to capitalists. Here was a flourishing community, exporting meat and so forth and importing from England, merely taking the liberty to impose duties on the imports, which, were made heavy to meet expenses necessary. Speaking of the relations between the Old Country and the colonies, he said that the Home Government made a failure when they wanted to place a duty on exports, and it was found necessary to abandon it. Of the successes of the Home Government nothing was more auspicious than the International Conference, and no proposal attracted greater attention than that of Mr Hoffmeyer, to place, for common purposes of defence, duties imposed for the purpose. But that was not discussed, and the other side had yet to be heard. He believed that a reciprocal tariff with the colonies would no doubt do good, but looking at the position of the imports and exports, it meant that if England was not to suffer, the exports and imports from the colony must materially increase. He said there was a necessary desire on the part of the English people to make a sacrifice for the coionies, and were it not the state of things for one party to propose it, and the other to discuss it, he would have more faith in the consummation of that desire. But if that were not possible, he had hopes something would be done in other ways, and an opportunity ivas about to arise when the voice of the colonies should be heard in making a wise, equitable basis. In respect of the foreign treaties, they had reason to feel proud that there was such a sagacious politician at the head of the Foreign Office as Lord Salisbury, in whose hands the welfare of the colonies and the Old Country might well be left. Much had been heard of the detractors of Australia ; but, when all had been said and done, was much said against New Zealand 1 Who, then, were these detractors who had to be answered 1 They were to be found amongst the Antipodeans themselves. He received a large number of letters in which he said there was au expression of doubt as to the colony. He would be misleading them if this uneasiness was explained by the fact that people had not much time to carefully read the colonial papers, and the doubts were raised by one or another saying they had received letters stating so-and-so. It was not only damaging to a country, but it was damaging to their own individual interests. To the correspondence he had received he always answered to the effect that the people of New Zealand had not the slightest desire to drive away capital, and they had made it pretty clear that the land of New Zealand should belong to the people of New Zealand. The people were justified in discouraging the accumulation of large areas. In tlie future all that was necessary to re-assure capital was to show that it was intended to throw the burdens on the shoulders of those best able to bear them ; that there should be no accumulation of areas ; and leaving internal causes to work out the cures of present diseases. Referring to his departure he said " farewell" was always hard to say, and more especially after three yearsof pleasantsecurity —(loud applause); but there was one consolation, that if it pleased God that trouble should befall them they would remember that they had sympathetic friends in the colony, and on their part they would always wish the colonies success and that never might be snapped the stout cable which joined New Zealand to the great and glorious British Empire.