SOCIAL AND PRESENTATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 29

SOCIAL AND PRESENTATION.

I DR AND MRS CH APPLE HONOURED. j A fairly large number of friends and 1 supporters of Dr Chappie assembled in the Town Hall, Alexandra, on the 14th, for the purpose of entertaining him and Mrs Chappie at a social and making some tangible recognition of the esteem in whioh both were held. Dr Hyde presided. The hall had been very tastefully decorated for the occasion, and a brief concert, which showed that Alexandra was strong in musical talent, was given in the earlier part of the evening, the performers being Mrs Monks, Mr F. Williams, Miss NicholLg, Master J. Duncan, Mr R. Lawson, Miss M 'Queen, and Mrs Bar'ty. . Encoxes were very frequent, and it was , 10 o'clock before j Dr Hyde, addressing these present, said it had been stated that a prophet had no honour in his -own country nor among his own people, but they had met together to disprove that old adage by doing Dr Chappie some small honour. — (Applause.) Dr Chippie was there with them in his own country among his own people. He was a native born in Central Otago — in the heart of Central Otago, that was Alexandra. Central Otago produced many good things — it produced three G's. The first gold — 24 carat, — grain (which though not large in quantity had taken prizes), and girls. — (Laughter.) For obvious reasons they would excuse him saying tco much about the girls. — (Renewed laughter.) There had been, in some insfanoes, the carpet-bag politician — the man who could pack vp — elected to represent their interest, but he thought thet day was past and that they could look to the native-born to support their interests in Parliament in the future. He had returned from the north, and had aeen what Dr Chappie had done in reclaiming a large swamp there. The work had been tackled by the WellingtonManawatu Company, which had done very little with it. He had asked whether it was such a great undertaking, and had been told that it used to be gone over in a boat, while he went over it on horseback. It was said that the man who , made grass grow where it never grew , before was a public benefactor, and what ' could be said of a man who reclaimed a swamp of 13,000 acres. The old pioneers i were dying out, and while he did not wish to sound a note of sadness he must remind them of the fact, and at the same time point out that they had hope in the native-born. Mr Pyke had gone, Mr Seddon had gone, and he was not feeling very well himself. — (Laughter.) The meeting that evening wai for the purpose of ' making a presentation to Dr Chappie, their late member, the subscriptions to it, he believed, being very numerous. Fortunately, Dr Chappie was not in need of a purse of • s o\ ereig-ns. He ha<l been 1 successful in his profession, and although he had failed this time at the poll, they all hoped he would have better luck next time. — (Loud applause.) He took it that the presentation was a recognition of the very plucky fight Dr Chappie had put up ' • and the manly way he had conducted the ' election contest and met his defeat.— I (Applause.) There was, perhaps, also a little selfishness in it. They wi.^hed to retain Dr Chappie's interest in the district, so that on some future occa=ion they might secure his services in Parliament — (Applause.) In travelling in the north i he had been surprised at the universal regret Dr Chappie's defeat had caused. He had been told in the district in which Dr Chappie re-ided that he could have been elected there if ho had stood for the seat. He (the speaker) hoped that gatheiinp would show Dr Chappie that they were loyal to him, and that a: any future opportunity they -would support him. — (Applause ) In watching Dr Chappie's career he harl at no time beon doubtful as to his [ ability, but ho had been of his sirsceritv. Xow, however. lie was quite satisfied. lie was satisfied Dr Chappie «ai a true Liberal, who would not «it upon the , benches and sec vice creep in. but would raise his voice again« f it — (Applause.) No man who was a true Liberal would sit in Parliament and allow abuses to creep in. 1 — ('"Quite right."' and applause) He concluded by piesenting Dr Chappie with a handsomely framed and illuminated addre?«, of wTiich the following was the text • — , W A. Chappie. Esq., M.D., ex-M.P. | i D^ar Sir, — On behalf cf those electors j resident in Alexandra who supported you in

' the recent general election, we the undersigned desire to express our appreciation of T the very able audi conscientious manner in which you represented the electors in Parliament. You were indefatigable in making , yourself acquainted with the requirements of | the district, and advocated the claims of your constituents without fear or favour, displaying that broad-mindedness, business ' acumen, and skill in d-ebate for which you j are deservedly renowned. We sincerely regret that you were not returned for a. further period as our representative, as we are convinced that your high mental culture, undoubted) ability, and energy, together with | the praiseworthy nature of the ideals towards which your efforts are directed would have proved of inestimable benefit not only to this electorate, but also to the Dominion as a whole. — (Then followed 15 signatures on behalf of the subscribers.) I Dr Chappie, in rising to reply, was received with loud applause. He said he would rather make a political speech, for | he felt he could do that with greater ease and less embarrassment than return adequate thanks for the very handsome and generous treatment accorded him that evening. He had come some considerable distance in order to enjoy their hospitality and generosity, which had exceeded his wildest dreams. He had always come back to Alexandra with feelings of pleasure and delight, and he had come back this time with a greater degree of pleasure than usual, for he knew from what he had heard that his electoral compaign had won for I him numerous friendships.— (Applause.) All our happiness did not rest in the abundanC j ?f? f tnin S s we possessed, but on the good hearts and strong ties of friendship that existed between us and others.— j (Applause). He loved these more than wealth. People said he liked' a fight, and one Minister had said in his presence that there was plenty of lightning in Chappie, but they never knew where it would strike." While he was credited with a love for fighting and a love of antagonism, he declared to those present that he loved friendship and hated enmity. He was pained at Opposition hostility and criticism. That was how he was built. If there was plenty of lightning in him. he waa never aroused to pitches of antagonism so much as when he viewed a national wrong. He took a national wrong as a personal offence. When he had taken very little part in public life at all any national wrong, any injustice, or public extravagance struck him as a personal injury. He was built that way, and he could not help thinking this was one of the elements of true patriotism. He had been told that there were occasions to which we failed to rise, and he was unequal to the occasion that evening. No doubt they would expect from him his hearty thanks and gratftude for iheir handsome treatment and magnificent gift; perhaps they would expect to hear his views upon matters in which they were interested, but that was not a proper place for a political address. Ho might have the privilege of doing the latter on some future occasion. But he wanted to tell them what a pleasure his whole contact with the electorate had been. He had been told at Roxburgh by someone that he had no doubt as to his (the speaker's) ability, but he had as to his sincerity. He had told that person that he regarded himself the other way— that he had a doubt as to his ability, but none as to his sincerity. In coming to the electorate he had been attempting to carry out an ambition that had slumbered in his breast for many, many years. When ne had started in the campaign he had done so with the determination to accomplish something; not to shine in the public eye. That notion died out when the action to do something came — the notion to work. Wealth meant nothing to but as a means of accomplishing something Unfortunately the. result prevented the fulfilment of his desire to remain their representative and accomplish something for them. The second ballot intervened and played havoc through°"*u v? whole Dominion. It played havoc with him, and. as he had predicted, had been discredited throughout the Dominion Now some more rational system of representation than the second ballot was being sought. A commission had been set up to inquire as to the best method, and the New Zealand evidence would be against the second ballot. If they got away from class and section and looked to the , Don, in ion as a whole they would accomi plish infinitely more than they did There ; was one system of election that lent itself to patriotism and was opposed to I rarochiahsm, and that was pioportional rei presentation. Dr Chappie then went on to | speak of the defeat of Mr M'Xab, throu-rh which, owing to the caprice of an electorate, | the whole Dominion was deprived of the ! powers, tho ability, and the industry of a 1 very pub'ic-spiiited man. He had never ( &een any man work harder than Mr M'Xab j in the public interest, but he was not able I to pay attention to bazaars and culverts, nnd 1 the Jittle interests of hie paricular disriut, , and his constituents took offence. The issue | there was between the parochial and the national, and proportional repre=«ntar:on removed that sort of thing. With regard to his (the speaker's) interest in the Tuapeka. I, electorate, that would never wane. Whatj ever services he could render to Central Otago would be willingly rendered, and a great deal could be done. He had unlimited i confidence in the prospeefs of the district. | It had possibilities that were sure to make j it a success, and promote greater populat ion, greater industry, and greater prosperity in the future. He knew so well what I the need*, were that while he was away he would make himself more proficient, so as ! to be able to render greater service in the | future. He would study the qu<«>tion of imgatio.n, for instance. He was in doubt j as to the progress of irrigation, because > feomo of tlio-ip who were enthusiastic on the question had been defeated at the polls. i If a candidate was defeated it was taken | ac an indication of no confidence in come- , thing hi> harl advocated. Take Free Trade ja« an example. With regard to the next , general election, he could make no promise ] whatever. There might be no election in the Tuapeka, area again, as in 1911 the 1 cenfeus would ho taken, and the boundaries might bo altered ;-o that they did not know where they would be. In conclusion, he - expressed hie sincere thanks for the courtesy | and hospitality extended to him, and for ' tho handsome gift he had received. — (Loud applause.) i Messrs 0. Spencer. S. WelfeforJ, A. C. i Iveisen, and A. Tamblyn then made a few remarks. [ Dr H\ do next presented Mrs Chappie with a gold brooch, which was also the gift i of friends and supporters of Dr Chappie, i the present being acknowledged by the lady ' with considerable feeling. / Refreshments weic handed lound, and an • enjoyable dance followed.