PRESENATION TO THE HON-J M'KENZIE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11395, 12 April 1899, Page 3

PRESENATION TO THE HONJ M'KENZIE.

SOCIAL AT PALMERSTON. (Br Our Svhoial Rkpoeter.)

PALMERSTON. March 28.,!

A social gathering was hold in the Town Hall, Palmcrston, to-night; for tho purpose of presenting a testimonial to the Hon. J. M'Kenzie, Minister for- Lands, and wishing him good-bye prior to Ins departure from the district on a visit to the old country. Mr..James Arkle presided, and there were ovor 200 persons present, including a considerable number of ladies. Among those in attendance were: Tho Hona. A. Lee Smith and J. M. Twomey, M.L.L. a, tho Hons. W. .). Steward and .1. G. Vvard, Messrs Jl A. Millar, E.G. Allen, T. Pratt, and T. Y. Duncan, M.H.11.5, I°. D. Kicn (tho original proprietor of Bushy Park), N. Flemingß (Oamaru), W. Milne (Oamaru) D. M Findlay, W.- Mureolt (Hampden)^ W. Craig, 0.- J. Hodge, James Dutlne (Dunodin) J. F. M. Eraser, 0. Mewhinney, John Dutliie (Duneclin), and It. Mill (mayor of Hawksbury). . , Tho ' Chairman said they were mot that night to do ■honour and to -wish God speed to Mr and Mrs M'Kenzie,. who were taking a .trip Homo: Mr 'and Mrs M'Kenzie had resided in the district for nearly 40 years. They had been very good neighbours, and Sir M'Kenzie had been their representative : almost from the timo they wanted one.— (Applause.) He had been- a member of the local bodies, of. the Provincial Council, and of the.General (Assembly, and lor. the last six or eight years lie had been in the Ministry. They were ,all .aware that his.arduous duties had impaired, his health, which .he was going Home .to recruit. As he had said, they were there, to wish Mr M'Kenzie God speed, and he had no doubt they would have a very successful and pleasant social. Ho was very glad to see so many present,, and he might mention, that apologies had been received from the following:—l tie Hons. T. Thompson (Minister for. Justico), W. C. Walker (Minister for Education), \V\ Hall-Jones (Mmister ;for Public Works), Mr J. P. Armstrong'.(a, colleague 01. Mr M'h.enzie's in' the Provincial Council long ago), Mr Ewing (St. Balhans), Mr Gufhe (Naseby), tho mayor and three or four leading citizens of .iSasaby, the Hon. U. Jones (Oamaru), Messrs Watman and R. M'Nab, M.H.K.'s. Mr W. H. Williams, Dr Gordon Macdonald; and the Premier (Mr Seddon) wrote: "I regret very much my inability to be present at the presentation of a testimonial to my colleague to-night; but, as one of the original, seven devils of Socialism, aa the Ballance Ministry wero termed, it will not bo out of; place for me to join in spirit, if not in body, with you all in expressing my appreciation of the worth and actions of the Hon. the Minister for Lands, who in my'opinion stands' unrivalled over all others in what ho has done in connection with land legislation and the advancement of the settlers of the.colony."

The toast of ■'.' Tho Queen " was then proposed by tho Chairman, and drunk with musical honours. Mr Arkle': also proposed "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers," coupling the,toast with the names.of Major Murcott and .Captain-Ward. .■ .. The Hqn,. J. (i-, Ward, who was received, with appiause, also replied. He said 'io hoped at no distant date to sea the important parts of this colony better defended than they were at present, and to see the ships that'guarded,these waters'manned by the sons of colonists.—(Applause.)

The Chairman proposed the toast of "The Ministry," and in doing so spoke of tho beneficial acts passed by the present Government. ■ '. ' ■

The Hon. J. M'Kenzie, replying on be-, half of the Cabinet, said he did not intend to go at length into the various things the present Government had done. Mr Seddori and himself were the only members left of the' continuous Ballance Government, and their age was -exactly eight years two months and four days. . ' Major Muroott, in proposing "The Parliament of New Zealand," said eight years ago he proposed a vote of confidence in the Ballance Government from the platform on which he, now stood. He thought than that they should have a fair- trial, and he considered that they had had a fair trial.- £(ince then he thought that they had done thoir best for the progress and welfare of the colony, not only by their local acts, but also by their general' legislation. \ ' ■ - '"

The Hon.'-'A. l-ee Smith, in the course of his remarks,,said that as-treasured of the fund" boing,raised with the object of giving a testimonial to the Hou. J. M'Kenzie, he had. pleasure in being able to say, that, before the. close they wqiild bo in a position to hand to. :Mr M'Kenzie a sum of nearly four figures, as'. a token of "the, regard and C3t'eeni in which" ho, was held .by hi« fellow colonists. '.(Applause.) While at Some Mr M'lCeiizie would' »ee much that wbuld.be' of advantage to him' ,on his return to the colony—much that woulct; enable him to,still.further work for the bell" fit of the people.—ifAriplause.) "lie' hoped' -the. trip would result in Mr M'Ke'nzieY health) boing fully restored, and thai Mrs M'Kenr.ie: would bo likewise benefited. « ■■■ ;'

The toast was also responded i.-to. by the, Hons. W. J. Steward and-J(,M. ICwomey, and Messrs i, A. ;Millar, T. Pratt, T. Y. Duncan, and E..G. Allon.; .•..-,- ..

The Kon. J.-G. Ward, who likewise repliedto the toast, said that after the'return of Mr M'Kenzie from Scotland, after breathing the air of his native country, ho had no doubt,, notwithstanding any remarks they might have heard about their respepted friend's retire-, ment^from polities, they would yet find Mr M'Kenzie and: himself working shoulder to shoulder in the intorests -of.'the colony.--(Cheers.) ' , Thn Chairman said before calling on Mr Fleming to propose the toast of the evening he would-like to state how the idea of the gathering that night'originated. When some of the residents of Palmerston—notably, Mr William Robertson,1 Mr Charles Gillespie, and himself—heard that Mr M'Kenzie was going Home, they said it would be a graceful and proper act on their part to give a social to him and Mrs M'Kenzie before they went, and to make a presentation to Mr M'Kenzie. The originators of the idea, however, afterwards decided to fall in with the colonial move'ment to make a presentation to Mr M'Kenzie. He might state that this movement had been the most successful one to honour a public man that had .taken place-in New Zealand.—(Applause.) From information he had received from Wellington, Christchurch, Oaniaru, and Dunedin, he knew that a .-sum had been subscribed to'present to Mr MlKenzie which would exceed aivythjng that had ever -been raised for a public man in the colony The Wellington people were determined that the presentation should take place :n Welling ton, and it was only'proper that itl should, seeing that the subscriptions cams-from all parts of the colony: The testimonial which was to bo given to Kr M'Kenzie was also tu be engrossed in Wellington. It read.as follows:- • To the Hon. John M'Kenzie, M.H.R., Minister for Lands, ■Wellington, New Zealand. Dear Sir, —We, .the undersigned colonists^ pi New Zealand, iearn with great regret that your health has been so seriously impaired bj the cares of office that it has beebms necessaiy for you to seek its restoration by a temporal? retirement from the active duties of your department. . '. i As we understand that, you propose taxing a trip Home, we think the time is appropriate for placing upon record our sense of the extreme value of your distinguised public s?i--vices to the people of New Zealand. From your first entrance into-political life, you recognised the imperative necessity of .land reform,, and the development of the agricultural and pastoral productive powers of the colony.''Your eight years of office as Minister for laais has cniihled you to giv.e effect to much that you desired in earlier days. The opening upoi Crown lands on perpetual lease at, low rentals, enabling poor men to select and create fs.rra.ii p.lmost by their own labour; the purchase1 xni subdivision of great estates in settled district*: the restriction of large holdings; and the advancing of money for improvements at low rates of interest to the. settlers, have revolutionised the old conditions of settlement. Thousands of new homes in every part of the colony are the outcome of the change3 inado by you in these respects, and the grateful settlers in those homes are the best testimony of your labours.- The establishment by you of "the Agricultural department, and the practical benefit it ■ daily confers upon th'e sheep farmer, the agriculturist, and the dairy farmer, has added greatly to the. wealth'of'the country, and mark in la special "manner your foresight and wisdom, i These are'but a small number of the.many reforms and changes you have inaugurated, the incalculable benefit of which to the whole colony will,' we venture to think, be more and more'recognised as time goes on. Your tenure of office will ever be held in.grateful remembrance by the people of New Zealand as years in which the chief department of the State— the Lands—was ruled by a man strong and resolute in action, clear-brained and wise, and ever actuated by the highest sonse of honour, and a single-miuded devotion to the best interests of the State, of which he was so eminent a servant.

A¥e respectfully invite your acceptance of the -^'ift accompanying this address, and tnut that Mrs M'Kenzie and yourself will enjoy your holiday, return to the colony with restored health, and be spared for many years of happiness with your family.—We. have, etc.

Mr N. Fleming proposed the health of the Hon. John M'Kenzie in a humorous speech.

The Hon. John M'Kenzie was received with prolonged applause. He said he had on various occasions during the last 30 years stood on that platform, and before other audiences in New Zealand, To defend bis policy or his administration, and in other ways to speak es a Minister of the Crown. But he bad never had. a more difficult task set him than the one he bad before him that night. In tho first place, he had to. thank them for the excellent gathering that bad assembled to do him honour. He thanked not only those in tho ball, but those ia dif-

ferent parts of tho colony who were with them in spirit, though not in body.—(Applause.) In that conneclon lie would like to ' Hay he had received within the last three weeks ovor 100 letters from residents'throughout tho colony, all of whom expressed their v regret at tho cause of his projected visit,to tho Homo country, and wished him success and every pleasure while ho was away from the colony.—(Applause.) He had said the task of replying to the toast of his health was a, very difficult one. He thought lib had every reason to ask himself this question: What had ho dono that he ohould be so honoured by tho people of Now.Zealand? — (A Voice: "No:") During the last few days lie had put that question to himself, and it appeared to him that the only solution to it lay in tho fact that a man's destiny was not always in his own hands, and that there was a Superior Power ruling him, although he might not be prepared to acknowledge the fact, and although ho might not know how to acknowledge it.—(Applause.) His connection with tho district commenced 38 years ago, and neither he nor his friends had at that time any idea that he would rise to the post ho now occupied. Even in tho early days of'the district it was his lot to be placed in public positions... He began in a small-way Ho was a member of the school committee and of tho Road Board:in Bushy district. But by degrees the people requested him to occupy higher positions. They had.indeed honoured ■ him.by placing him in all the positions which it: was possible to Iplace him in:—(Applause.) In the Provincial. Council ho was the first member, for Waihorno. He was the only representative of the district in tho Provincial Council, and ho acted in that capacity 'until the provinces were abolished. He, was also the Brat member for Waihemo in. Parliament, and he had occupied the position! up to the'present time.—(Applause.) All the time he had honestly tried to serve the coi» stituency as fnr as lay in his power. Ho die! not*, of course, claim to be perfect. He had hisI.faults,1 and he would like to see the man who had not.—(Applause.) He had also become a Minister hi the Crown.—(Applause.) Taking a retrospecjiivo glance of the career of the district he said he:,, arrived in Palmerston 38 years,ago.in the gloa'niing. Next morning at 5 o'clock he was on top of Puketapu to view th'e' surrounding country. He saw from that height on'ly\two";huts,'.and the thought occurred to him that here was a land for tho people in the old land who were being driven out from the homes in which they had been born and brought up: It appeared, to him' an one of the loveliest spots in creation, which . was ready to receive those human beings who were being'driven out of their country.—(Applause.) •■'And on that mountain he said that' if he ever had the opportunity he. would not allow the evil laws of the old land to prevail here.—(Appause.) ' He saw that it was » country that would support a large number, of families in comfort, and to-day.they had their County Council, thoir Borough Council, and all-tho other institutions necessary for the carrying on of the affairs of the district. Sincemaking up his mind to go Home he had been (old that in the old land he would see maiiy changes. But he firmly believed that no change he would see there1 was as great as the oits that had taken placfe in this, his adopted country.—(Applause.) A good deal had been said about what ho had done during the eight' 'years, he had'.held office, as a.Minister of the 'Grpwn, and in respect to one phase.of that work, placing people on the land. ' He could assure them it was a work that had given him the greatest possible pleasure. In some places in the North Island ho had had to travel on a pack-horse to see the country he had been asked" to open up. At other times he had to journey 25 miles on a coach to' inspect land that was said to be suitable for settlementrland upon which there was not a singlo mile of road when the present Government took office. Nothing would give him greater pleasure than to see tho settlement of the country proceed. — (Applause.) As to the add.rer.3- and • the testimonial which he believed . was . to follow, he was afraid the 'address was ' altogether too Mattering, and it was perhaps*more than he 'deserved.—(A Volice: "No. ") He did not ,'thiuk the testimonial would have assumed the magnitude it hart, assumed. ' At first he thought it was a testimonial from the people :of.Palmerston, but things had turned out 'otherwise,' and it appeared now that the •people of tho colony desired hot only that he ,?hould have a holiday, but that he should ha.™ jtho means-to. carry out that holiday.in a 'proper way—(applause)—without encroaching i upon his own funds.' Perhaps there were some l'people in the colony who thought that.as he had been a Minister of the Crown for eight years he was now very wealthy.--(.A Voice: "'Quite correct, Sic," and; laughter./ Be 'would dare say that it' the gentleman .who said ; it was quite correct had had his (Mr'M'Ken- : zie's) experience he would change his mind. ;The fact was, -that although he- might have 'enough-to keep himself and.Mb. wife for, the remainder .of their liv.es without depending on. Mothers for help, he was by r.o'means a wealthy' ■man:-: He had never piled uri wealth for him-. : self or his family. 15 he had refused, the testimonial, .some -people might have thought ]r,aclV'an act;churiish, and he-'could bnly'say ' that''he' thanked the people very heartily tor what they had dono for him. He could assure thV.n it gave him great pleasure to accept from the people of this colony what they "had voluntarily' giv,en to him as a gift, and he cons!-' doreel it a very great honour, :r"'?eed,-:to-'have .received that. gift from them.—(Applause.) He would, no doubt, be expected to say something about'the future representation of Wai : Iremo, so far as he was concerned. Well, the position.at the present time was this, and -it 1 was only right'-that' they should"understand j each-other ! properly : Ho was going Home I partly with the view of getting medical advice i.as to the state of his health He I could not tell them what his. complaint | v,as, but it was possible in tho old equntiry |he might have to undergo a very severe i operation, and, in that case, he might never Iba able to represent Waihemo again. A.ll I he could say then was that if he came back in good health and able to stand for any seat in Parliament, he would offer himself for no seat but Waihemo.—(Loud applause.) He had received offers from two or three constituencies" in New Zealand, which if he had accepted one would have meant less canvassing to him than he had hi Waihemo. But he did not forget this: that to Waihemo ha owed tho position he heid at tho present time, and that WaiheVno was his birthplace as a. politician and as a public man. In the Waihemo electorate he was. as it wero, rocked in his cradle as a public mail, and in Waihemo he bad attained the manhood of the statesman that ho was to-day, and to desert Waihemo now would be an. act of ingratitude on his part. —(Applause1.) However, it all depended on the result of his visit to.the Home country. He owed a great deal to the Waihemo con slituoncy, for tho consistent manner in which they had supported him from timo to time. It was true he had lost friends in Waihemo—people .who supported him at tho first, <ind swho ur.w, he understood, were op posed to him. Well, at 'any rate, ho had not changed hh opinions.' He was the same plain John M'Kenzio that ho was when these people supported him. He had honI estly carried out the trust imposed on him. ! and if these people deserted him it was not his fa '.ill. -^(Applause.) One thing more he wished to refer to as showing that he should do what he could for tho electorate cf Waihemo. He commenced his life in the Shag Valley, in the humble occupation of a shepherd. To-day he was a Minister of the Crown. There'was an immense gulf beiween the shepherd ar.cl the Minister. Ho crossed that gulf. Ho crossed it with the assistance of the settlers of Waihemo.--(Applause.) If it had not been for the cousjslsr.t support they gave him from time to ti-nw he would not now bo occupying the position he held.. He left the old land a poor shepherd lad, and he, was now going back to his native country as an. honoured Minister of the Crown, and to the people of Waihemo as well as to the people of the colony he was indebted for that honour. It was possible he would never see them again, but he would do his best to come back in .health" mid strength, and if he failed to do so all he could say ivas " Good-bye."—(Long-s^mtinuad. applause.)

Ths Hun. .1. G. Ward then presented Mrs Al'Kenaie, on behalf of *.he people of Noith Oi.ago, with a diamond bracelet, a diamond .brooch, and a diamond ring. He also pr'e-oa.-'isd her on behalf of the people of Wincon with a,.beautiful set of silver fruit knives and forks, another set of silver fish .knives and forks, , and a large silver iish knife .and fork. Ke further presented Mr M'Kenzie, ,bn behalf of the people of Winto), .with a pair of opera glasses.

Tlie Hon. J. M'Kenzie briefly acknowledged the presentations, and subsequently proposed " The Old Settlers of Shag Valley," and mentioned that Air F. D. Rich, one of the old settlers, had come all tho way from Waikato to be present on tho occasion.

The toast was responded to by rtir Kich, and after a number of other toasts had been proposed and duly honoured the gathering broke up.

THE GAELIC SOCIETY

A meeting of members of the Gaelic Society was held at the Provincial Hotel on the 30th ult., ' for the purpose of bidding the chiof, tho Hon. John M'Jvenzie, good-bye, prior to his departure for a trip to the mother land, and to present to him mementos of appreciation and good will from the members of the society of which he is head, in succession to the late Rev. Dr. Stuatit. It was intended at first that only members of the committee of the society should be present, but as it was felt that this would not include all the typical and representative Highlanders who would desire to be present, at the eleventh hour a more general invitation was notified. There was a thoroughly representative gathering. Chieftain Dr. Gordon Macdouald presided, but the proceeding!) were of a very informal, agreeable, and genial character, and. were rather felicitously directed, than controlled by the chair-

man. Those present wero: Tho guest of the evening, the Hon. John M'Kenzio (chief), Chieftains Macdonald and Fraser, Messrs T. W. Muriro, G. Ritchie, Jas. Turner, C. iraßer, R. M'Kenzie, John M'Lennan, J. M'Millan, Malcolm M'Donald, J. Thomson, V. Munro, Dugald M'Lachlan, D. M'Pherson,S. M'Donald, K. Atkinson, J. Jago, D. Cooke, W. MacLeod, Colin M'Kenzio, Archd. Shaw, Captain- D. M'Callum, Pipe-major D. M'Kechnie, and the representatives of tho press* Mr '•■ AV. MacLeod read tho following Our Worthy Chief,—l have, on behalf of tho Gaelic Society, to make you a small presentation on the ove of your departure for the old country. You-have said that when you are' amongst us you feel that you are amongst your warmest friendsj and that is so. In our society all meet on the equal ground of being Highlanders, and wo comprise in our ranks, men drawn from every class of tho community. Tho recognition of your political; efforts by the people of the colony, resulting in the position you now hold ,of being a Minister of the Crown, has certainly been a source of pride to us, but'it is not on that account that wo value you1 so highly. What appeals to us is your warm love for your native land and for your fellow Highlanders. You ■ are a. typical Highlander, -anti worthily fill ■ the position of chief of this society. We beg you to accept this walking stick, inlaid w.'ith native woods and mounted with New Zealand gold, which bears the M'Kenzio coat-of-arm's, the Maori names of tho various woods, and the following further inscription: "Turua sona ogustilleadh slan. To our chief, the Hon. John M'Kenzie, on the'eve of Ilk trip to Scotland, from the Gaelic Society of New'-Zealand. Dunedin,'3oth March,, 1899." We also present you with a large framed photo graph of the committee for your private resi-< dence, a smaller photograph of the same,committee, and also with an album containing photographs, together with a group- of tho Hawke's Bay Highland Society, the Dunedin' Gaelic.-Choir, the famous Invercargill Pipe Band, the Dunedin Highland Rifles,; the society's juvenile Highland dancers, and other interesting pictures.\ We ask'you-to- use the stick■:on your trip,, and to take with you the. album tb\ show your friends at Home a sample of the Highlanders'you have left behind you,and who ar.o'.arVxiously awaiting, your return. , We also ask' you to give to Mrs M Kenzio this New Zealaud\ greenstone brooch, a^nd to convey to her our warm and cordial good wishes (as expressed; in tho Gaelic inscription on the brooch), and, hopes for a pleasant journey. . She'has many warm personal friends amongst us, for to .know her is to appreciate her sterling worth. And now, on behalf of the'society, I beg to bid you a hearty " Beannachd leat an drasd bus am faic sinn a rithest thu.1' You "are leaving us for awhile to revisit your native land. You are fortunate indeed, for many of your, friends whom you leave behind will never aga&,.seo the Land of the Heather, and the rugged Tjeauty of . the. glens they lovq .". That .'your, health may.be fully restored is our earnest hope, and we fee!' confident that the long'rest'-from.official worry and the .tome, of your native, air'-.will .restore you to us strong and well. . " ... We commend you'to all' kindred societies ;nGreat Britain,'as aman who has done honour, both to his native land and the'land of-.his, adoption, and we beg of you'to'convey to our brethren in the Hpine-countryvbur good .wishes, and1 to.toko to them a.greeting fi.om the.High-. landers of this our fair adopted Isnd. Believe us"whc'a"wo say that yoxi' have <no more ithorough-and unselfish friends than-.the members of tho Gaelic Society. , In n few short months we hope to'grasp your hand in' welcome on your-return, and until then we again .wish you ".Tunis sona agus tilleadh slan" (a prosperous' journey and a safe return). '': ' '■ , The various articles were. then, presenter., arid subsequently handed' round the room for inspection.' They comprised, as already mentioned,- a, very valuable. v and- remarkably beautiful walking stick, a very large framed photograph, an album of large photographs, and, for Mrs M'Kenzie, a large ■ diamondshaped greenstone brooch, the stone being a remarkably ■■ fine specimen, and -mounted with toftte in colonial gold..' The-;Hon. J. M'Kenzie, 'in .'the course of a■. lengthy' reply, said : I . may say that .during, the time 1 spend in. the Hig-hlands I will endeavour to gather as much.: information as.''possible for the Highlanders',of New Zealand^ I believe I have now the addresses of about 150 people I am supposed to ' call upon,• and -so I am going to'; adopt a .colonial- style, of seeing myfrisnds. When" I get Home I shall inti mate in the papers, .. wherever there are papers, when1 I shall, be at ascertain, place, and' that'' I : shall 'be glad, to see -those who .- have friends •in New Zealand-. Thai .is. the. most likely, way; to get at the rijs'it,. people and to see them. I can only .nay,',, on behalf- of my wife, she [..will treasure.th'is brooch, you,have,been good , euoujh tp present. "I am sure she will prize 1; ''-■■■ Highly; and When she gets to the old |; country "will .wear it.as', the present, of 4he Highlanders' to.,her on Ih'e eve'of her return-. iiir to her native country. Thero i3 one _ thing .1 roust be. careful ..about.!. I am;, ex- ' pectod to.-briiig: this stick.rback.again, andl inust'.be. very careful. of it, for if it is left in the saloon of aj steamer, or in a train, or in a publichousev or ~in"'any. other place, I may ' never'.see'-it..-again.VI1 must alwaysi'be-look-ing; after .it, and it will, constantly remind me iof you. I can! assure' you,'gentlemen,'"it gives me the'greatest pleasure 'tb:- accept these tokens,, and; that .1 will cherish .them. Thic album will go wherever I go, and that will give people an bjiportuttity of seeing what -our-Highlanders- are like. -I again thank .you for your kindness. Mot only upon this occasion, but- upon many occa sions you liave shown much goodwill towards me, and T; can " assure you ones more-that going Home to the. old country as your chief is of greater value to me than many people may think. I e3tsem it'of the highest value,: and I am sure it will give me opportunities of getting introduced to people -in the old, country that perhaps otherwise--I should not have.—(Applause.)

, With .. admirable . expression and great .power,'the stirring song, the title of which is the motto of Highlanders, " Shoulder to shoulder." was sung by Mr J. Jago, who subsequently contributed in fine style . two remarkably amusing comio items. Pipemajor M'Kechnie, tho society's piper, gave a .taste, and more than a taste; of his quality,; and made the room vibrate to the strong music of the pipes. He played a march and a reel, and tho reel was well danced by a. quartet of volunteers from amongst those present. The health of tho chief Was heartily drunk in a beverage few Highlanders would deem inappropriate, and substantial, refreshments were provided. During the- evening Mr J. F. M. Fraser exhibited a souvenir of the massacre of Glencoe, a British five-pound gold coin of the yoai' 1690. which was part of the .money paid to ithe soldiery concerned in the massacre. Mr Fraser1 explained that there- was no doubt as to the genuineness of this^ relic; it had. been in his family from the time of the massacre,, descending in a direct line from father1 to son.' His ancestor TJisdean Mohr Fraser, who married a daughter of Glencoe, had himself obtained the money from one of the soldierß, probably an officb>-, "and until the Pantechnicon fire, about 20.years ago, it was accompanied by a document in hi3 writing bearing the words, " In detestation of William of Orange, and in memory of the massacre of Glencoe." This document was burnt in the fire, and the coin had marks of fire upon it. The rest of the proceedings wero of a convivial character, there ..were more songs, more refreshmonts. and some short informal speeches, .the..only long one being in Gaelic, and delivered by Mr D. M'Lachlan, the oldest member "of the society, and one of the members expressed himself in verse. The proceedings -closed shortly after 10 o'clock.

PRESENTATION AT WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, April 10.

The presentation to the Hon. John M'Kenzie. to-night was of a most enthusiastic character.,'The* Theatre Royal was crowded. Amongst those present were the Premier, the Hon. Messrs Thompson, and Walker, , Sir Robert Stout, several members of Parliament, and leadihp; citizens. The.address contained over 8000 signatures, chiefly those in the VVelington district, and the cheque presented was for over four figures, but the exact amount was not stated. Politics were eschewed. Among the speakers were file Premier, Sir Robert Stout, tho Mayor, and Messrs Hutchoson and Beauchatnp,. all referring to the ex-, cellent land administration of the departing. Minister, the Premier, stating that everyone who hid Mr M'lvenzie's-frioniiship could well feel proud of it, and said his colleague and himself had never had a difference. Mr Al'Kenzic, ho said, had wished to resign, but. tha. Cabinet thought that when returning to his native country he should go as a Minister of the Crown, and Mr M'Kenzie assented. Mr M'Kenzie, replying, thanked the press and public for the manner in which they had taken up the testimonial. He referred at some length to land settlement, declaring that he was determined the system of extensive landlordism existing in the old country should not obtain in New Zealand. He admitted that the present land laws were not perfeet.but the act could be amended iu the direction of extending the areas, by which settlers would become great producers, and be better a-ble to provide for their families. Under his administration the Government has purchased 58 estates, containing 245,530 acres, at a cost of £1,216,482. The rentals received were about 5 per cent. fie spoke strongly against the freehold, and warned the electors against returning members favourable to that system. Mr M'Kenzie was heartily received, and was escorted to and from his residence by'Highland pipers.

From Westport last week 3695 tons coal were exported, of which the "Westport Coal Company shipped 2845 tons and tho Cardiff Company 850 tons. During the month of March the export was 81,663 tons, an increase of 6203 tons over the corresponding period of last-'ycar.