NELSON SOCIAL AT BEAUMONT.

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

NELSON

SOCIAL AT BEAUMONT.

-For some time the local Customs officials and the police have suspected "opium smoking by Chinese at Stoke. On the 12th the premises of Ngan Lee, market gardener, were raided, and a Chinaman named Ah Sing was arrested on a charge of bavin,? in his possession opium in a form suitable for smoking. A email quantity of the drug was seized, with the smoking apparatus. About 11 Chinamen •were found in the building, which reeked of opium fume 6. Ah Sins was found lying across a b«4 vrith a pipe in his

Dr Chappie, ex-M.P. for Tuapeka, who was accompanied by Mrs Chappie, was entertained at a social or Tuesday, 12th inst., by the residents of the Beaumont district, and was the recipient of a neatlyframed printed address. The chair was occupied by Mr Robert Woods (member for Beaumont Riding in the Tuapeka County Council), who said they were all pleased to have Dr and Mrs Chappie with them that evening, although they deeply regretted the worthy doctor was no longer their member in Parliament. They all hoped that he would soon find his way back to Parliament, as men of the doctor's stamp — men of ability and education and force of character— were very, much needod as representatives. Mr John Edie, jun., expressed his regret that Dr Chappie had been defeated at the general election, for he recognised that th« doctor was possessed of great ability, and was deeply read in political matters. Mr E. W. Bates (secretary of the Sooiall Committee), in a few felicitous sentences, presented to the guest of the evening an address beautifully printed in colours on satin. The address was in the following terms : — To Dr W. A. Chappie, ex-M.P. for Tuapeka. Prom his Beaumont Friends and Supporters. Dear Sir, — The non-success of your candidature for the, Tuapeka seat at the general election in November, 1908, has been deeply and sincerely regretted by us. During the five months you represented the constituency in Parliament you gav«> striking evidence of the possession of rieht and rare gifts of the highest order, most essential in the equipment of a parliamentary representative, and in this respect we desire to specially note your conspicuous ability, high scholarly attainments, indomitable courage, untiring energy, scrupulous, honesty, and generous, gentlemanly instincts. To some extent our regret has been softened by the knowledge that the old portion of the Tuapeka electorate increased your majority of 30 at the bye-election to considerably over 300 at the general election. From -this the lesson is obvious that as our representative — as the representative of old! Tuapeka— -you more than justified the confidence reposed in you. We take this opportunity^ expressing our deep appreciation of your able, statesmanlike addresses, not only in Parliament, but also on the election platform, whichever had I in view the general weal of the Dominion and the highest and best interests of your constituents. We sincerely trust that your retirement from politics will be short-lived. for jwe recognise that now, more than' ever, the services of men of proveq ability and courage, of high character and 'honesty of purpose and real moral worth. «re urgently needed in our parliamentary institutions, and that thui ■ small token ojL our apjweciation will tend to remind you o{ loyal supporters and tru* friends in thi< portion of the Tuapeka electoral , district. We join in wishing you, Mrs Chappie, and 1 family " God-speed on your voyage to tb Home Country, and a speedy and safe tt. turn to this your native land. Signed, on behalf of the subscribers, / Bqbert Wood, -Chairman. E. W. Bates, Secretary. Beaumont, January 12, 1909. Following the presentation, the audience rose and sang " For he's a jolly good) fellow." Dr Chappie, who was very heartily received, said he appreciated the very high honour they had conferred upon him in. the presentation of such a handsome andl more than generous address. Saints were sometimes made by treating them as such ; but he was afraid that he would find iti impossible to live up to the high character with which he was credited by those responsible for the presentation that evening. It wa 3 a source of great gratification to him that, though he was a defeated aspirant to political honours, they still thought sufficiently well of him to do him this handsome favour. Men thought it a sacred ; duty to ' speak well of the dead. He was I politically dead,- but alive enough and S human enough to enjoy the kind words andl | generous sentiments of those he had tried i faithfully to represent during his meteoric j parliamentary career. It was some compensation for the wild vilification to which those who offered their services to tha public had to t endure. That, men 6hould-caiir-onade their members while they live and canonise them when they die was one of the cruel inconsistencies that seemed to accord with political history and human nature, but a, little hard to bear in the one case and too late to be appreciated in the other t He referred to the danger that our electoral system would keep men of high character and ability from entering the political arena. Public men required some guarantee that if they served their couint.ry faithfully and well they could retain its confidence and their place in its councils. Under our present system they had no such assurance. On the contrary, no matter how a man might serve and slave, rh« caprice of an electorate, tHe injured innocence of a vindictive section, the misrepresentations of a faction, might bump a man out and deprive the country of his services, no matter how valuable or essential thejj might have been. Such a case was that of Mr M'Nab. He quoted his predictions in the House that the second ballot law would; be so discredited in the country that iii would pave the way to genuine reform, and if proportional representation resulted) the trial would not have been made ie vain. A lengthy programme of musical items, songs, duets, and recitations was gone through in capital style, and at its close refreshments on a very liberal scele were handed round. Mr Thomas Pilling proposed c hearfy vote of thanks to the committee which' organised the function, and to the ladies and gentlemen who assisted at the entertainment.