Complimentary Banquet.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 14 December 1894, Page 2

Complimentary Banquet.

TO W. W. MIDDLETON, ESQ.

The complimentary banquet tendered to Mr Middleton on Lis departure from Opunake was held on Wednesday evening at Middleton's Hotel, when about 70 sat down to table. Mr Lambie occupied the chair, the guest of the evening being on his right, and Mr McGuire, M.H.R., on his left. Mr T. McGloin, member of the Taranaki County Council, occupied the vice-chair. Amongst the company we noticed: Messrs Forsyth (Chairman of Hawera County Council), Mr A. McKeown (Chairmau Waimate Road Board), Mr G. W. Rogers (Chairman Opunake Town Board), S. A. Breach, J.P., J. Heslop, J.P., Newman, Eyes, E. Shove, N. Shovo, Scott, Dew, McHardy, G. W. Gane,' J.P., Kennedy, Knowles, Stevenson, W. Read, W. C. Raikes, Stewart, D. McGregor, C. F. McGregor, J. W. Rogers, M. Carroll, Eason, Pennington, Holmes, Deegan, Flynn, Hutson, Campbell, Seekamp, Markham, Gallender, J. McKenzie, H. Middleton, E. C. Middleton, W. McLeod, Higgins, R. Warner, Sellers, Eatock, Pettigrew, Dillon, Humphries, A. Kelly, Fraser, Kearns, Clark, Chas. Rogers, Brennan, H. Wagstaff, Lusk, J. M. Hickey, Ogden, and Connaglen. There were two tables set in the large dining-room, which, apart from the choice and delicate viands with which they were loaded, were very tastefully decorated with a profusion of flowers and glassware, no expense being spared by the host and hostess to make the banquet a complete success. The dining-room was very artistically decorated with pictures, flags and ferns. The following was the menu : —Poultry: Roast turkey, roast ducks, roast chickens ; joints : roast beef, roast lamb, corned beef, boiled ham, ox tongue, sucking pig ; entrees : chicken and ham pie, giblet pie, chicken brawn ; vegetables : green peas, potatoes, salads; entremets: custard tartlets, blanc mange, jam tarts, gooseberry tarts, plum tarts, boiled custards, Swiss rolls, lemon jelly, orange jellies, trifles; dessert: in season; liquids: port, sherry, claret, Australian wines, whiskey, brandy, bottled ale, cordials and aerated waters. After full justice had been done to this department the tables were cleared and the toast list entered upon. The Chairman called on the company to drink the toast of the " Queen and Royal Family," which was drunk with musical honors; Mr Seekamp presiding at the piano, assisted by Mr Markham with the violin.

Mr Forsyth proposed " Parliament," coupled with the name of our member.

Mr McGuire suitably responded. The Chairman then proposed the toast of the evening, " Our Guest and Mrs Middleton." In doing so he 6aid he had known Mr Middleton for many years, and had formed the highest opinion of him. He had always found him blunt and straight in every way in all matters in which he had come in contact with him. He had also found him taking an active interest in every public movement, and was certain the best wishes of every settler in the district would follow him wherever he went. What the feelings of the people were towards him could be best judged by the large and representative gathering which had assembled that eveniug to do him honor. Mrs Middleton, too, by her sociability and large hearteduess, has won the respect and regard of all, and he would therefore call on the company to charge their glasses and.drink long life, happiness, and prosperity to Mr and Mrs Middleton. Mr Breach was called on to favor the company with a song, and responded by singing " Pour out the Rhine wine " very spiritedly. Mr Eyes said he believed he was longer acquainted with Mr Middleton than any one else in the room, as he had had the pleasure of meeting him before he came to Opunake. He could fully endorse all that the Chairman had said regarding him. There was never any appeal made to Mr or Mrs Middleton for assistance to any deserving object which did not at once meet with a response, and many in the district had reason to remember their kindness, and would miss them when they went away. Mr Middleton, in replying, said he did not know how to thank them for the honor they had done Mrs Middleton and himself that evening. He had come to Opunake with money, invested it, and lost it, but had stuck to the place, and made it again. He had spent 14 years in business in the place, and his only reason for leaving it was that he wanted a spell. He purposed visiting the Home Country, but would be back amongst them again, he hoped, before a very long time elapsed. Opunake was advancing, and, with the re-erection of the jetty, it would become one of the most prosperous towns on the West Coast. It afforded him very great pleasure to see the large assemblage met that evening, and both himself and Mrs Middleton would always retain pleasurable reminiscences of their time spent in Opunake. He would again thank them most heartily for the manner in which ihey Lad received the tost. Toast, " Commercial Interests." The Vice-Chairman, in proposing this, referred in flattering terms to the business men of Opunake and district, with whom, as far as his experience went, it was a pleasure to have dealings. He would couple the names of Messrs Newman, Scott, and H. Wagstaff. Mr C. Rogers sang, in inimitable style, " Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road." Messrs Newman, Scott, and Wagstaff replied to the toast expressing their full confidence in the progress of the district. Mr H. Middleton was called on for

a song, and rendered " The British Lion " in capital style. Mr Brennan proposed " The Farm-, ing Interests," coupled with the names of Messrs McHardy, Stevenson,, and McGuire. - '

Mr W. Reid responded to a call for a song. Mr McHardy, in replying, referred to the rapid advancement of the dairying industry in the district, and looked forward to a bright future for it. He thanked them for the manner in which they bad drunk the toast. Mr Stevenson gave some of his early experiences on this coast of nearly 80 years ago. He believed he was the first, man to put a plough into the land about the Hawera and Waimate district. Great changes had taken place since then. In the whole of the district, from the Waingongoro to Stony River, there could not be found at that time as many settlers altogether as he now saw around him. Mr McGuire said it gave him pleasure to be there that evening, as he had known Mr Middleton for a number of years, and held him in the highest respect. Farmers had a lot to contend with through the low price of products, but they must keep up heart, as with the magnificent ad-vantages-which New Zealand possessed they would be able to defy all competition. There was at present a wave of depression passing all over the world, but it would pass on its course, and prosperity would follow in its wake. Reference had been made to the jetty, the loss of which had proved a great misfortune to the district-, but he could assure them that he spared neither time nor trouble in keeping the matter before the attention of Ministers, and he should do the same in the future.

Mr Dillon was called on for a song, and gave " Dear Little Shamrock." Mr Pennington proposed " Local Bodies," coupled with tbe names of Messrs McGloin, Forsyth, and McKeown. He said he had been off and on an old resident of Opunake. At the present time his presence among them was as valuator, and it gave him great pleasure to say that he had been cordially received by the settlers throughout the district. Thanks to the dairy industry all the settlers willingly assented to an increased valuation, as there was a unanimous desire for better roads, and this showed they were willing to back up tbe local bodies in their endeavor to meet the difficulty. He might inform them that the increased valuation in the Parihaka district came to about £30,000, which was a big advance. His advice was: Return the best men you can get to your local bodies, and then back them up and all would go well. Mr Lusk sang the humorous song, " I'm a Simple Young Man." Mr McGloin, in response to the toast, said his experience was that members of local bodies got more kicks than halfpence, and with the want of interest in public matters shown by the ratepayers there was very little encouragement to men.to give up their time to public affairs. He referred to the proposal on the part of the Taranaki Council to erect a tollgate at the Taungatara, and considered it would be a great detriment to Opunake. The Opunake people should agitate against it, and if need be help the gate out of the way. Mr Forsyth -was prepared to admit that at times members got it a bit hot, but it was impossible to please everybody, and until some new kind of member was manufactured who could do so there was bound to be an occasional growl. He agreed with Mr McGloin that a toll-gate on the Taixngatara was very undesirable, as it was mostly Waimate people who would have to pay. A toll was a fair tax, but the cost of collection in thinly settled districts was out of all proportion to revenue. He believed it would be better for the Taranaki Council to ask the Hawera Council to contribute a larger share than half towards rebuilding it, and he believed the Hawera Council would agree to that. Mr McKeown said he was sorry to hear from the previous speakers that dissensions existed in local bodies. He could" speak for the Waimate Road Board, where they were all a happy family. He was sorry to find that the Councils were hard up, but it must be remembered that they suffered heavily through the floods of a couple of years ago. He would refer to the New Plymouth Harbor Board, which extracted a large revenue from this part of the couutry, but gave very little in return to country settlers. Sheds and conveniences weve provided for merchants aud others who used the breakwater for shipping, but the provision made for settlers who desired to ship cattle there was a perfect disgrace. He thought it was fully time the country people stirred themselves up and got full representation on the Board and altered the present state of affairs. He would like to refer to the guest of the evening who was departing from their midst. He had known him for many years and he regretted very much that the district was losing him, and hoped that in the near future he might return and settle here again when he would' receive a warm welcome. Mr Des Forges contributed a song, entitled " McFadden," which was well received. Mr Forsyth proposed "Local Industries," coupled with the names of Messrß D. McGregor aud J. Stewart. In doing so, he referred to the importance of local industries to every district in the colony. When he mentioned local industries, he meant those which were truly such, not those which were bolstered up at the expense of other sections of the community. He believed in freetrade. Song (comic) —" They Can't do it " (on temperance), by Mr C. Rogers, caused great amusement. Mr D. McGregor, in responding to the toast, thanked them for the manner in which it had been received. Opu-. uake had. tried hard to establish

several industries, but for years fortune want against them. Their dairy factory had proved a failure when first Htarted. They had erected the jetfcjy.a hard straggle, but an incompetent engineer had made a temporary failure of that. They were, however, not going to be beaten; they knew how to pull together, and they would rebuild-it by hook or by crook. They had an terated water manufactory which turned out material second to none in the colony, and there were many other industries which were yet in ayoung stage in the district, but they were all healthy, and Would progress with the district. Mr J. Stewart also replied, and pointed out that there was no necessity to send out of the district for a great deal of our requirements, as they could be obtained in the district in as good quality and at as low a price as in more favored centres. - Mr Hudson proposed " The Opunake Racing Club and Kindred sports," coupled with the names of Messrs Rogers anal Shove. The Opunake Club was losing an active member and a genuine sport in Mr Middleton, who had always taken very great interest in the Club and other kinds of sport throughout the district. Mr Breach contributed a song " The Lost Child," in good style. Messrs Rogers and Shove replied to the toast, thanking the company for the hearty manner in which it was received. _ In response to a call Mr D. McGregor saug " Annie Laurie," which was well received. Mr Chas. Rogers proposed "The Ladies" in a humours speech, coupled with the names of Messrs H. Wagstaff andN. Shove. Mr E. 0. Middleton sang " Pulling hard against the Stream." Mr McHardy proposed««The Press," and referred to the establishment of the local paper which he looked on as of great value to the district, and coupled the names of Messrs Brennan and Gane, with the toast. Recitation —" Christmas in a Workhouse," Mr C, Rogers. Messrs Brennan and Gane re« sponded. Mr W. Pettigrew proposed the health of the Chairman, who he said, was one of our most prominent settlers and always foremost in any movement which was for the benefit of the district. He was one of the largest landholders and a hardworking industrious farmer. He had taken a leading part in getting our late jetty erected and was also the largest shareholder in the company. His interests were closely allied with Opunake, and it was settlers of Mr Lambie's stamp which made a place progress. Song—" Half-past Ten," Mr J. - Stevenson. Mr Lambie returned thanks for the complimentary terms in which the toast had been proposed and received. Song—" Bonnie Bessie Lee," Mr J. McKenzie. ' Mr J. Heslop proposed " The Host and Hostess," and said he had known Mr Kennedy for the past 23 years. He was a member of the first Wanganui County Council and had always taken a leading part in all public matters. Mr Kennedy was highly respected by all who knew him, and he was satisfied that when the Opunake people came to know him they would have an equally high opinion of hurt.,< He (the speaker) could not claim as long a friendship with his amiable wife for the very good reason that she was too young to permit of it, but from his knowledge of her he was sure she would win her way into the friendship of the people of Opunake. Mr Lambie recited " Tarn O'Shanter in capital style, and very much to the enjoyment of the company, . * Mr Kennedy thanked the company on Mrs Kennedy's behalf and his own. " Auld Lang Syne " wound up the proceedings.-