AN IMPERIAL DINNER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14857, 11 June 1910, Page 9

AN IMPERIAL DINNER

NEW ZEALAND, CANADA. AND THE WEoT INDIES. LORD ISLINGTON ENTERTAINED. SPEECH BY THE HON. MR HALLJONES. ffaou 008 Own CoitnISPOHDENTLONDON, April 20. ' It was a happy inspiration on the part of the members of the West Indian Club to entertain Lord Islington before )iis departure for New Zealand. As a member of the Royal Commission on Trade Relations between Canada and the WestIndies, his Lordship has'recently spent considerabe timo in those portions of America in which tlife VVcst Indian Club is specially interested. The function took place at the Howard Hotel, Strand, on Wednesday. It assumed: a true Imperial aspect, Canada, New Zealand, and the West Indies all being officially represented, and their claims set forth by speakers of authority and distinction. Sir- Daniel Morris, a member of tho Royal Commission and a vice-president of tho club, presided ovor tho large company. Lord Islington- sat on the right hand of tho chairman, and the Hon. W. Hall-Jones on his left, and among those present were: The Colombian Minister, Sir Robert Llfewclyn, K.C.M.G,, Sir Owen Philipps, K.C.M.G., M.P., Sir Charles Lucas, K.C.M.G., Mr C. Gosling (Charge d'Affairca for Bolovia), Mr W. P. B. Shepheard, Mr H. Rutherford, Mr E. A. de Pass, Mr Algernon E. Aspinall, Mr W. M, Macpherson, Mr J. R-ippon, Mr R. H. M'Carthy, C.M.G. and Mr W.-A. M. Goode. On the wall . at the back of the chairman were suspended two large flags of New Zealand and one of the West Indies.

After : dinnor tho hon. secretary (Mr W, A. M. Goode] announced that letters of regret at inability to attefid had beeii received from Lord Balt'our of Burleigh, Lord Strathcona, and Sir Edward Tennant.

"THE GUEST OF THE EVENING."

The Chairman, in proposing, the health of Lord Islington, said during their visit to- tho .West Indies his colleagues and himself were greatly impressed with the general spirit of hopefulness which existed among all classes of the community. After dealing in some detail with the West. Indies, Sir Daniel nassed on to eulogise the excellent work which Lord Islington rendered on tho. Royal Commission. New Zealand's Governor-desig-nate, he said, had been,an indefatigable and faithful member of the inquiry, and had spared,no efforts to solve the. many problems' which presented themselves. Since tho arrival of;the commission on tills side, their gudst had received signal honours at tho hands of his Sovereign. Ho had been appointed Governor of New Zealand—(applause),— and had received tho distinction of a peerage of the United Kingdom.—-(Applanso). They tendered to him their very hearty congratulations. In tho sister nation of 1 New Zealand Lord Islington would meet-with conditions of a singularly interesting charac-. tor, and in his Lordship, the people of New Zealand would find an ideal Governor. Lord Islington was young enough to bB energetic and full of hope and imagination. He was possessed of tact and courtesy, and would be' able to carry through successfully the numerous and important duties which would bo entrusted to him. He would be in special sympathy with agricultural developments as well as with every matter connected with the social life' of tho people. Lord Islington's training i and his .services in the field in the South African war should prove most valuable rti those questions' relating to military defence. • ;

' Tho toast was receiver with musical honours, laud cheers being given for Lord and Lady Islington.' l

1 THE GOVERNOR-DESIGNATE. In replying to the toast, Lord Islington said ho deeply appreciated tho great compliment which the West Indian Club liad conferred upon him that evening It was a distinction which lie should always look back upon as one of the greatest possible honours of his life Ho also _ thanked them for }.ho 'kindly manner in which they had expressed their congratulations to him upon the high honour that had been conferred upon him by his Majesty tho King in appointing him to be Governor 'of the Dominion of New Zealand. He assured them ho felt tho responsibility attached to that, post as much as he did the honour attached to it. Ho was all tlie more gratified at their -reception that owning when lie felt that in regard to tho work with which lie. had been immediately .concerned he was somewhat of a delinquent. Ho deeply regretted, 'and It was his only regret, that his early departure for New Zealand would prevent him giving that detailed work to - the framing of tho report which he should have-felt it his pleasure and duty to have done.—(Applause). While ho relinquished with deop regret this detailed work, ho looked forward with hope and pleasure to the prospect of taking up tho higlr and responsible position in New Zealand to which he had been , called. . » % before him was one should throw himself with j f nerg J' whicL la y in h's power, and that task would, ho was sure, be made easy for him because of the charIh l' ? th , C . of section of; their race which inhabited those distant bovond' 1 tip ° boyond the soaa.—(Applause). NEW'ZEALAND DEVELOPMENT 'He looked forward in a feu- weeks' time to throwing himself actively and into tho work which pro£il} lay within the domaiij of a Governor of W Zealand. There was ample scope to be found for work of that character botlniii'ogi.Hl to tho social and tho industnal life of the people who inhabited that Dominion. There would also bo that important task which 'alwavs fell to the lot of a Governor, which " would be to play his part, as ho hoped he should plav me part, in assisting and .dovclooing that desire so keenly manifested by those in jNow Zealand to strengthen the tics of •inendship and affection which bound them to tho Mother Country.. He could conceive no finer or more congenial task for anyone occupying that position, and if it were given to him to have any measure of success in those endeavours ho knew Jio should owe it not to himself, but to those loyal subjects of the King with lom and for whom ho should ho, w'orje"g m tho immediate years to come.(Applause.) That dinner, he thought, might be cliarM 8 P T Mullllr de B rec flB an Im " perial dinner. In addition 4o tho West !nStiv» f l6s ' th ? y had wilh tllcin I'cpi'e•sonWives from the other .parts of the ! I " sta , nce ' thero w;,s the Hon. TOm ' tcS y ami kindness ho tad had an opportunity of enjoying during the few weeks since he bad beon appointed to the high office' of Governor. Ik could assure them that from tho Dominion of New Zealand he should look with keen interest upon thenefforts to.obtain closer trade relationships between Canada and the West Indies' In conclusion, Lord Islington again thanked thorn for the honour they hud conferred upon him, and raid 'that that function would be one-of the cherished memories of Jus life.—(Applause.)

DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND. _ Sir Oweni Philips, M.P. (chairman of the Jioyal Mail Steani Packet Company) submitted tho toast of "The Dominion of New Zealand," and offered a welcomc to tho Hon. M Hall-Jones as representing that groat Dominion, That club represented tlio oldest colonies under the British Crown, and it was fitting that they should welcome there a representative of ono of tho younger nations that had arisen in the last century. New Zealand was a nation of which all English men wore proud, and it was a country which was,not afraid to-carry cut experiments which . thoy in tho oldest country at least watched with interest. While Now Zealand carried out experiments in legislation, ,its inhabitants were not content with that ulone, but they were ready to come to the help of the Mother Country in times of trouble, He thought New Zealand Was fortunate in being rep'reMftted in-London by a High Commissioner. like Mr Hall-Jones, and the

Dominion was further fortunate in having secured the services of Lord Islington as Governor. With Mr Hall-Jones in London and Lord Islington in 'New Zealand he thought that Downing street • would run I'd risk of being referred to in tho terms of contompt or that lack of respect to which Sir Charles Lucas had referred in his recent memorandum.

EXPERIMENTS IN NEW ZEALAND.

The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, replying to the toast, thanked Sir Owen for tho eulogium which .he 'hail bestowed upon Now Zealand. He said it was a pleasure for him to attend that night, as he recognised there was a, tone of Imperialism about that meeting. which he scarcely expected to find when ho received their very kind invitation. There were representatives there from various parts o£ the Empire actuated by the same ideals and working towards the same ends. Ha was glad to hear what had takeii place between Canada and the West Indies, because the country which he represented had al&o been giving effect to reciprocal trado arrangements with Other parts of tho Empire. He wished the members of the West Indian Club every success in tho great and good work which they had taken in hand. Sir Owen had referred to New Zealand as the youngest of the British colonics, and it was a fact that it was only 70 years ago that New Zealand was proclaimed a British possession. It was'only .the lifetime of one individual, and yet in that period wonderful and remarkable developments hail taken place. They had a population of ono million souls, and last year theil' trade amounted to £20,000,000. They also had public buildings, roads,, bridges, railways and telegraph linos that Were equal to anything they could find in this country. They, could not forget that whilo they were called the Britain ol the South, it was a fact that, their .country was more like Britain than any other part of the Empire! . It was a country where the winter was not so Cold as t England's, _ and certainly much brighter, which in summer was not so hot,, which produced (Everything , they produced here—only more so—a country capable of development which thoso who had not seen could scarcely realise. Ho believed that Now Zealand was destine'd to occupy in the Southern Hemisphere that position which Britain occupied in the northern.—(Applause). Ho could assure them\ there was no part of the Empire where there was greater loyalty than inj New Zealand. He felt New Zealand was very fortunate in the. present selection of a Governor—New Zealand, in fact, had been extremely fortunate in her long succession of able Governors. They could scarcely realise what it meant to have a. Governor who was interested not only in what was immediately around liim, but also in 'the whole development and trade relations of the country. He regretted New Zealand was to ,far away, because ho should liko to extend a cordial invitation to overyone present to go and visit that country. A gentleman asked him 'that night if New Zealand had been - making any more experiments. He wondered at first to what the observation referred, and at last it dawned upon him that New Zealand was considered by some to be a great country for carrying out experiments. He ( agreed they had made some experiments. For instance, they passed women's franchise, and they had seen 110 reason to regret having dono so. New Zealand was none [ the worse for it, and, as one who took ■part in the passing of that measure, who lid had considerable experience of its operations, ho said ha bolioved it had been beneficial .to New Zealand. They •had had experimental legislation with regard to a great many other things, but he could assure them this': behind aJI tlfose experiments there had been a sound basis of commonseiise and consideration for all concerned.—(Applause). What New Zealand had. dono had been largely followed by other countries. He would give them i ono New Zealand experiment. Last session they passed a Jaw providing for universal service. He was Satisfied Now Zealand was going to bo none the ■ worse for it. . He could not help thinking that if in England a great many of those young fellows who now sold bunches- of ■ violets and primroses and boxes of matches—if they had had some systematic training or camp life in their' earttor years., they would be better fitted, morally and physically, to be good citizens of the Emnire, New Zealand had taken in hand this universal service, in common with other parts of the Empire, in order that she might bo ready for any contingency It \yas not solely With the idea of doing their duty. New Zealand was always ready to do her duty, and had alwavs oeen .prepared to take her share and herburden jn: tho responsibilities of Empire.—(Applause). He felt strengthened by the remarks he had heard that higlit, remarks which helped to strengthen the bonds of love and friendship which were the main ties of keeping the Empire united.—(Applause) ' Mr R, 11. M'Carthy, C.M.G., the technical adviser to the Royal Commission, proposed the toast of "The Dominion of Canada." In doing so, he said he was paid for his work on.the Royal Commission, and the Commissioners were not paid. His ■ conscience suggested that he should do more work than them, but lie soon gave up the job; —(Laughter). H e should be much Surprised if, some time in the future, when Lord Islington was delivering some important utterance at the Antioodes, some such words as "West Indies" and "^ sa C t l'?' nofc sIi P out -~(Laughter), Mr W. M. Macpherson, president of luorson s Bank, Canada, replied to tho toast, and the health of the chairman was honoured on the proposition of Sir Robert Llewellyn."