THE DINNER,

Otago Witness, Issue 559, 16 August 1862, Page 8

THE DINNER,

The Society's u«ual dinner took place in the evenint;. ar, Mr. O-oodidl'.i new hotol. Tiiu viands weie plentiful, phin, aud &u'o.st-mtial, and vreredoue ample jastice to, by the S3 people who sat djwn to them. J. L. (4illio&, l^q., M.P.U., occupied the eiiair, the v'ice-ch.ur boini; title.l by J. Dewe, Esq. J.P. Tho elibles luivi'i? beo'i duly diacua'f 1 i. the Chair mnn pio,i iiPrl— •'' Tn>: Qucon and Royal Family," s.ijinu as it was the fust o,w-ion of fbfir mooting together tueir beloved had suffcre I h'.r tecor-t liiioavome it, 'A would bo suitable for them to dkpeujis v.ith tho u-sii.il boi->.(;rous entlnibi'vsm, willi 'ihich they were wont to receive tiie toast.

The timt accorlingly dftiiik in sience, all stundiii!! up.

Th v Vic° Chairman hal a toart to propose, which he was bine they \uuiM '.cccive wll. It waj that of

■ iii-i J'lxcello'icy t ! .j Govphio'- and JTijuse of Jtepri - "sntiUvi--.'' Sir UU n ,oi'j;e (jrro,> !u\ onco more retuni'-d to tlie co'ony, airl «io '."-, siuc tlwy wou!-l welcome him lino 'c. hit GjOiae had airci'ly ilono the Cuiony much l^ou.l, and .\,i-. likcj^ to dv \t tit n - e. Thia tn '.st w.is mn^t heartily responded to. The Chau-uiin then s;ava " The Army and Navy,' 1 calling on any gentleman pre=ent who was coanected with either ""nice to respo.id to it. Mr. Hardy remembered that once, on a similar ocpasi in to the present, there had boon a great deal s.iid about Volunteer*, and a corps h.il been raised in T.jkoinaiiiro, and officrs elected. He saw the gentle van who had beci cliosjn as Captain -.iiting beside the Chairman, and \« o'lld propose coupliaij tlie army and navy with the namo of Captain Smith, of tli » Tukotn.iiiifo Volunteers.

AII.U root's of laughter. Mr. Smith responded, but di=i'!aiine I ail claim to Iho title of OapUin.

The Vice-Chairman gave '• Yhc Sanerim.cn>bnt and Provincial Couuci', 0 mo.c I wi Ji the n.iinp of »\fr. Todd." He was pura til it .\iieu his Itonor hoard that theiv h.id he-Mi a plou^hin^ m:iteh and rli-mer, lie would regret not iiavhijr been present, as he was on the 'a * or-c ision.

Mr. Todd, M.P.0., rospoude'l. He was sorry the CoitiK'il hid nob found a beiie'' rpprcs'jntative, but h? was 'une that the !^up"i'int2ndent would always do his duty, aud ho hoped th.it the Council would do the same.

The Chairman then pro-posed the toa^t of the evening — '• Tho successful coriipditois.' 1 The Aqi-icul-tuiv.l Society Un.il been « &tiblished now for threj yciira, and this was their se:.md ploughing match. Last year they had sill do-.erLj ' the plough for tho sluice, spade, pick, W^ torn, and Hn dish, bub they had now retnnii-d to their f irmins; aaain. There was a KuukeA chance to bj seen since th.it time. On previous oPcaMon* (bore was always a propouderanec 1 of bull >ck teams in the fi.'ld. T liis clianjje was tlio moiy visible to tho old identity. There was aL>o a ehantio for the better in the character of tho lan 1 for plouqlaiiix. It us?d to bealwaj? new land ; thi; time iiowovM". they had a piece of nice artificial hrvl, aii'i this «'avo tho men ;i better chance of tumimr out go i'l work. At their next meeting he hojicl to witness a still f*rc<i.ter improve nietit, as iu,i>iy of the men w.io had th.it day competed lacked practice, the majority of them bfiug now comers. He saw but few ot the old faces nt wovk. Thare was an entirely new set of faces, and they had done themselves credit by the work they hud that day done. He did not believe inthj antagonism between old and new, of ,\hich they sometimes heard. Five or six years a^o, the wlvjlp plain cou'd not have sho^n as much land under cultivation, as w)i>.ie individuals could now s-liT.v. An.l Kiiuu prop'.e bad now more chain* of fencina; on ilieir own property than was to b" found iv tlu wh.de di-trict at that tinio. They were sure, it" slow, as some prnple term d them. In this colony every man could soon make for himself a portion in society, and a comfortable home. Thii he knew from exp r.ence was aiiythincy but oa^y in soiue of the nci<jfh!>oimn:r coluhp^. Ilei 11 * 1 , am in h:i'! iidvanta^cs whii'li he had ia 1:0 other cilotiy, and the be-!t proo of it w.is to bii '■•mnd in the p.ibiti hi wlrcli n\ my that day prf'sont, lnd I'crj'iir. 1 '! for th 'tn-elve*. The Chairman then dccl v d the names of t'-.o sitpop^ful competitois an 1 1'|.- toast wai do - ie lull jiislico to. Mr. A. OhiUl'e, the wianer of the in ,t prizo, responded. Mr. Smith proposed •' Tlie Jad.^os who had so kindly brave 1 the icUiye.-s of a sea of mud to co.ae there that day."

Mr. Kennely asntreil thorn, that it had PlTorded him and hia P)lle<icr'ios great pleasure to bo present, and th>\v would wiHiiigly com.' 1 on any future occasion even t'-r-ui^h seis of niu 1. He aud his collcaTiias had

■ ecu quitp unariiimiis iv their award, and they wore much p i.".Ned with the work done. It was all very ere lii able-, and some of it remarkably pood, lie believe! Tokumahiro was Ruing on faster thiiii aivyoUiOt* p-nt of the Province. lie was ako e,1a.l 10 learn thai the Ag-iculfcuial Society inte.i led to l]a*.-e a O.ittJe Show, as tho importance of such sliow.i coiild scarcely bj overrate I. They had bioiv^ht (ho brewing of st'itk at home to it.-, peasant state of ppi faction. He lipjl miwh pleasure in pi'op)^in^ "Hu^c""- ti the ToIriifinirn) Ayri*? -uliiuui .Society, couple 1 with the iiama of Mr. Il'ivdv. 1 '

uLr. ILivdy i^wjcly thought that ho deserve 1 the honor, lie had, hoivevor, I)eeu connected with the Society for a. long time, and ho thought, that it deserve I the support of t'm Pro\ iuee at lar_;e. Th^ first p'oii^hiim niiUoli, he believe 1, in Ottigo, lial taken plac in Tokonninro, on llh> 10t\ of knn\. 185' i, .uid he t'.u-n I'l'in-'iniioriia tgj'ti; urn/ of those who that diy luvi tiici; 1 i-c-vaut-, 'iol.!in r ; tho stilts fchpia- , t'u-'-u. Mr. 11. .\£-.ii,iii. on thai occ.ioion, took a piix\ al l a! o tl,el>' wjvihy Cliiivmui; while the Vi :p.-'> 'iiniruinn «ai ,v'so a (*ijmp;titor. The next year lLor l:> |i!'."y!n woi-a cnl-ivd, and one mau liime with ave.xiu i-ompo-cd of a bull and a cow. The follov.i.i"; yonr 37 woro i."tlsrutl, hut only 27 started. He lOgivtU-d t'.mt there ha-1 not boen 70 tlrs year; l)!it atill 35 was uothiiij; to bo iisluuao I of. They hid also lial a si oak oxliibitiou, and tiio jntlares then had tod them tint there was great room for improvement. At the next <show he hopjd that tiu'y would tee the improvement. Ljnp speeches he" knew they did not like ; ( 'icy were only iit for a dull place like the Provincial Council. He would, therefore, again thauk them on behalf of the- .Society, and sit down. TlieOhairmau tli^ngavu tiie "Pastoral Interest," whieh^thcy had placed first on the list of a cevtain clr.s; of toasts, to do away vUh tho impression of antagonism bctttoon Hie' Pastoral a.ul Agricultural intert's's. Jlr. W. Millar nckmnvledsed the toast. The Vice Chr.innan had t»i it pleasure in proposing the " Miiiins Interest," to which they all omj so much, and which had made tho pine" what it was, He \\o ild coir)lii the toast with t.'ie name of Mr Jones, of the Bank of New Zealand.

Mr. Jones thnnkH them ids r.ie honor Ihey hart done him. It cave linn »reat pleasure to lv la the midst of so many pk-;mnt face*, us tiioso nvou;;<l Him Hu was n ncw-co.ner, and e^ioomevl it a privilege to be prosciit. He thunked tlmm, on behalf of" thr uiiiiors, and was sura Miat tli^y would agree with him tl'.at a better baluvc'i class of people nev.r existed. (Great appLmso. ) : 'Hi> w.mM pvopo.-e thrce-thncs-threc for the Miners, which was must enthusiastically accorded.

Mr. Hardy proposed tin " Commercial Interest." It was the duty of the "AgTicaltur.il Interest" to Stow wheat, oats, and potatoes : of the " Pastoral Intemsf'' to grow beef and mutton ; of the "Mining Interest" to oat thc«c articles ; and they wanted the " Commercial liiloreat," to transfer them from one to the other.

''Tin' Agricultural Interest," coupled wiMi the namr> of Mr. Dutliie, was responded and duly acknowleilgvd; as, also, tlie " Unsuccessfiil Competitors, 1 ' which was propped by the winner of the first prize. '" Tne Visitors" weie then proposed, and I responded to by Mr. Todd. Tho Chairman then rmvc the " Prp.-s," which was acknowlodpfed by Mr. Ham, of the Otago Colonist, who expressed the high satisfaction he had experienced in boiii"' present. Mr. ii. T. (Jillou hid a toast to propose, which he was almost afraid to do after the eloquence which his predecessor had displayed. lie should not have courage to [do it were he not certain that it would co home to tho hearts ot them all. It was that of the sex wlhuo presence civilizes ours." Ho was sure they would alhlram a bumper to this tonst, as many ot them had wives, tuul the others sweethearts. He ha.l great pleasure in propping '-The La lies." rm. kairn res P ollJ d on behalf of the sex. ihe Chairman " was proposed by Mr. Jones, and duly honored ; as well as the " Vico-Chairman " which closed the proceeding.-}, i'he intervals betw ien the > toasts were occupied by appropriate songs by various gentlemen. The whole passed off in a most orderly and satisfactory manner,