THE TAIERI ELECTORATE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12541, 20 December 1902, Page 3

THE TAIERI ELECTORATE.

SOCIAL AND PRESENTATION TO MR J. J. RAMSAY, Mr J. J. Ramsay, one of tho unsuccessful candidates for Taieri ,m tho recent general election, • was tendered a ■ complimentary social'last night by .his supporters in the Volunteer Hall, at'Mosgtel. Mr D. T. Shand presided, and there was a large and representative gathering of ladies and gentlemen. Apologies for absence were, received from Messrs 31. Cohen (Dunedin), D. M'Pherson, Donald field, Donald Reid, jun.,- 3r.H.R., W. Brown (Dunedin), .1. Law (Gimmorburn), J. Sponco (chairman of Mr Ramsay's committee), P. Kenney (Hyde), J. Nicholson (Hampdon),. and Matheson (Kokonga).

The'.Chairman, in the course- of a rfiort opening speech, said they were assembled to do honour to their friend, Mr Ramsay, and to show him how they appreciated him as a man and as a politician.—(Applause.) He supposed.there were some present who did not see eyo to cyo with 3lr Ramsay or agrco with his politics, but ho was sure they all thought he was a. right good fellow and a tip-top fighter.—(Applause.) He was a fearless man, and was not afraid to say what he thought, and could and would fight for what was right and just. He was not going to say anything about the services Mr Ramsay had done for the public in the past; he would leave those c things to spsik for themselves, for he was sure Mr Ramsay

would not care to hear his praises sung from the platform.—(Hear, hear.) He was glad to ; see so many present, and thought their guest might well take the size of the audience as an index of the esteem and regard in which he was held in tho district. —(Applause.) The Hon. Mr Bolt was called on to make a" speech., Referring to the late contest, lie said. that both Mr Ramsay and Mr Reid

were old friends of his, and his regret was that Mr Ramsay had to contest the election against so honourable an opponent as Mr Roid.;-(Applause.) He humorously took off tho courteous maimer in which 3lr Reid and Mr Ramsay met each other on the night of the election, and'eaid it reminded him of Byron's description „of the meeting between the arclwingol Michael and Satan in the !'Vision of Judgment." In concluding a speech which was well received, Mr.'Bolt referred' to flic' long period during which Mr Ramsay had been connected with public bodies; and mentioned that he was at the

time of his appointment the youngest justice of the peace, ever gazetted in the colony. Whenever Mr /Ramsay's time did come to enter Parliament—and he was sure it would come,—the constituency which returned him would got an honest and right fearless worker and a moit intelligent man as a representative.—(Loud applause.) During an interval in the musical programme, which was contributed by a parly of Dunedin singers, The Chairman said a most ploasant' duty devolved upon him—namely, the presenting to Mr Ramsay of a purse containing some 88 sovereigns, as a token of the esteem and regard in which he was held in the distriot. Not only did they wish to show their esteem and regard,. but; also their admiration for

the grand, .though up-hill, fight ho had made of tho last election, and also for the graceful manner in which ho had accepted his defeat. Mr Ramsay had already served the public in a great many ways, arid he hoped he would have an opportunity in the future of serving the people in a still .greater way yet.—(Applause.) 'There was plenty of room in, Parliament for men of his calibre—fearless men, men of 'energy,, meu' who were'not afraid to speak out .their minds,—and they. Would 'be very glad when they saw Mr Ramsay occupying a seat in P,arliament.-;(Applause.) Up till a fow montlus ago Mr Ramsay was only known through-his'conneetion with the Education" Board' to the majority of people in the Taieri, and ho thought it was only given to a few to bo able to make so many friendß in so short a time, and he trusted that Mr Ramsay woiifd yet occupy the mayoral chair of Mosgiel. He had very great pleasure in handing to Mr Ramsay the purse of sovereigns, with the wish that Mrs Ramsay and himself might have a Jong career of peace, happiness, and prosperity.'—(Applause.) Ho might mention that the' purse did .not. include anything from the Green Island people, as they intended to give Mr Ramsay a social on their own account.

Mr Ramsay, who on rising to reply was received- with • hearty applause, said they had that evening asked him to n'Mertake the hardest task allotted to' him iiV-cohnec-tion with the Taieri contest, for he could assure them ho was far more at 'home facing the_ whole.of the artillery of his hostile critics during flic election than he was in standing up to respond tosuclv eulogistic speeches as he had had to listen to from Mr Shawl and the Hon. Mr Bolt. Ho would, indeed, be more than human if he did not feel proud and,; pleased, with the reception accorded to him this evening, for he i was comparatively a. new ctiitm in that district, and although they had'.lnot done him the

honour to return him as.the member for the ' Taieri on this occasion,' they had placed .him such a remarkably good second on the poll, and mot him'in such a friendly spirit, i that he felt almost' as proud as if he had been cock of the. walk.—(Applause.) The contest between Mr Rcid and himself had been characterised by an entire absence of anything approaching ill-feeling on either side. Not only had that been so between the candidates, but the same spirit of friendliness had existed between their supporters. This was, hi.his opinion, as it should be, and it was because both Mr Reid and himself had fought their battle without personal references.—(Applause.) There was no reason on earth why men should make a personal matter of political differences, and ho made it a rule of his political fights to so. conduct them as to maintain the confidence of his friends, convert as many of his opponents as he could, and command the esteem of the whole of the people, and. he believed he-would not be accused of egotism if be said that he had been able to do so in the Taieri, and that, with the raceptioii of about two or three—at the outside half a dozen'— oh whoso pet corne lis had been forced in seli-defenee"to tread, be had made life-long friends during the 1902 Taieri battle.—(Applause.) That night was not the time to discuss anything savouring of party politics, but it would not beout of place, he hoped, for him to say that ho had all his life made, it a rule- in his capacity, as a public man to speak out liiß mind, regardless of consequences. He had done so in the Taieri election, and doing so had perhaps cost him votes, but the leopard could not change his spots, and he had no dosira to change his reputation for fearless outspokenness, not even for the position of an M.H.R., because he claimed, as a Scotchman, a native of tho land of Bruce and Wallace and Burns, and as a unit of that great nation to which they all belonged, that a man should never barter his independence, for anything, arid that whatever might hanoen,

The man 0' independent mind Is king 0' men for a' that, —(Applause.) Wo wanted more independence in our public, life, more outspokenness, liioro straight-forwardness, and less subservienco to mcro party rule, and 'ho hoped the young men of' New Zealand would realise this, and take an active interest in the welfare of their colony. For hia part, he had always done so, and always would do fo. He was not going to say h« did not fed his beating, because lie was as •human as any man, and no man ,who had, as he had. devoted years of time and study to publio questions, and taken an aotivo part .in publio affairs, could 1-elp feeling disappointed when he found himself for the third time placed second on the poll; hut he hoped he was made of better stuff than to take any such discomfiture to heart, because the man who stood for a public position was no man at all if he was not prepared (o accopt the public ►verdict; and he had accepted it, he hoped, in the same spirit that lie had fought the battle.—(Applause.) Ho would continue, as heretofore, to be ready to lend a- helping hand to anything he thought was likely to lie for the welfare of the district or tha colony as a whole; .-Tt had been rumoured that he intended to leo-vo the district, but he had no such intention.—(Applause.) He had since ho came to the Taieri mad© hosts of friends. Ho liked tho people and the place, and so long as ho was in business in Dunedin and the district. h<v would continue to live amongst them and take the same lively interest in anything going as he bad done during the past six months; and as the years rolled on, if he was able to remain nmongst them—as ho hoped he would be,— he had no fear that thoy would become better friends, and that ho would have in tho lowlands of the Taieri as many staunch and .loyal cronies as ho had on the Taieri highlands.—(Applause.) He would not weary thmn with a long speech. In fact, h© could not- put his sentiments into adonuate language on this occasion, but he would like heforo sitting down to express his hearty thanks to his supporters for their disinterested help. Ho had not paid a single shilling for assistance in this eleotion. His secretarial work had been free. Not a paid vehicle had been engaged, nor had he disbursed money either directly or indirectly to influence tho election. He was proud of the support ho had got of the men who had stood so loyally around him, and also of tho help given him in the fight by the ladios.—(Applause.) He could assure v -~ he -,ra- net likcl? to forjet it, »ad

he believed they would not forgot him, for ho had never yet lost a:;y political or nersonal friends; and ho knew that he was "hot likely to lose any of those on the. Taieri, and ho would merely now say to them all, "Thank you," and ask thorn to wait three years, and eee how things turned out. He wis particularly proud of the support accorded him in Mkkllemarch, because the challenge had been deliberately thrown down by Mr Mason, of that place, and taken up by himself; anil the verdict given by the people who knew the men and tho facta had been such that il would bo a bold man now who would dare to repeat those charges.—(Applause.) During the evening a very enjoyable concert programme was submittod by. a Dnncdiu party of singer?. Messrs Blonlcinsopp. A. Wright, Jones, and P. Lemon contributed quartets', and solos were rendered by Mrs Lemon, Messrs Wright, Blenkinsont), Wilhelmson. F. Thomson, and Anthony! Tho several items were well received, and encores wero numerous. Mr P. Lemon acted efficiently as accompanist. Refreshments were handed round, after which the floor was cleared, and dancing was indulged in for several hours.