BANQUET TO MR G. V. PEARCE, M. P.

Patea Mail, Volume XXIX, 18 December 1908, Page 2

BANQUET TO MR G. V. PEARCE, M. P.

In spite of the bitterly cold evening ivor forty residents of the district isßembled at tha Kakaramea Hall on Wednesday evening on the occasion of he banquet tendered to Mr G. V, Pearce, M.P., Mr S. Blake presiding. Che Hall had been most tastefully lecorated with flags. After full iuatiee had been done to the very sxcellent spread by Host Martin, of the Kakaramea Hotel, the oast of the King was duly honored. The Chairman then proposed the :oast of " Our Guest, Mr G. V, Pearce M.P." Prior to his speech, he read a telegram from Mr E, J. Wilson, of Waitotara, apologising for his absence. Ihfl toast, was he said, the most important one of the evening and they were all very pleased that Mr G, V, Pearce had been elected. It was the first time they had had a Kakaramea resident elected a member of Parliament. It was a great honor to them and he was confident that Mr Pearce would be an acquisition to the Parliament of the Dominion. It had been a hard 'fight. Not only had he to oppose the sitting member, but the Government, and he was sure that if it had not been for Mr Pearce'a energy and his lion hearted courage the seat wonld not have been won. He hoped he would have the pleasure of attending and getting up banquets for Mr Pearce, not merely for his return at next election, but for

a dozen years to com 9 and also when Mr Pearce became a member of the Ministry. Mr W.Powdrell: When he is made Minister for Lands. The Chairman continuing said he hoped to see Mr Pearce hold that portfolio, and he was certain that nobody could say that Mr Paarce had not a practical knowledge of the land. Mr Pearce was almost a native of the district and they were very proud of his election. \ Mr J. W. Joues said he had to endorse all the Chairman's remarks. He would like to say a little more. Talking to people not necessarily of Opposition views they said "if you follow Mr Pearce iu business matters you would not go far wrong." He felt' sure Mr Pearce would b ing into the House common Bense and practical business knowledge. Men like this were needed. The Bhip of State had drifted perilously near the rocks and they needed men of the stamp of Mr Pearce to save it from being wrecked. The country needed farmers in the House men who knew what the farmers had to go through, and who would not allow them to be subjected to city theorists. Mr A. J. McLean said as a working •man he had to thank Mr Pearce for getting in. He said the Opposition Party were the best for the working

man. His experience was that; the men who held Opposition views were alway the best to work fot\ He was sure the district would benefit greatly by Mr Pearce's election. The health of Mr Pearce was then drunk. Mr Pearce, who on rising was greeted with loud applause, said he had to thank them for the hearty way they had druak his health, He had also to thank them for the strenuous work they had put in on his behalf during the election. The chairman said the result was due to his speaker's) lion heart, but he would have been powerless unless his supporters and friends had given him support and worked hard on his behalf. He was particularly pleased to see so many working men present that evening. It had been thrown up at him during the election that he did not believe in paying men a fair wage. The beat answer to that statement was the presence of so many of his men at the table. They were all working men. He had tackled all kinds of work himself, but the election was far harder than digging ditches or fencing. (Laughter.) He had always believed in doing everything to the best of his ability, and as M.P. he would endeavor to carry out his duties to the best of his ability, and, he hoped, at the end of three years they would be satisfied. (Applause.) One feature I in the election with which he was very i pleased was the substantial support he ! received from the residents of Kakaramea and Alton, people who had known him for 30 years. At a gathering of such a nature he would not deal at any length with politics, but he would refer to a few remarks made by the Hon. G\ Fowlds, who said that the freehold had not gained ground. Possibly when Mr Fowlds heard the opinions of the House he might alter his opinion. Although the Opposition had not gained the reins of office the election had clearly shown that the country was in favor of the freehold. (Applause.) The freehold was in the interests of the working n-en, and he was pleased to see every working man try to make his home his own. (Applause.) The dairy regulations were now about as dead as their originator was politically. (Applause.) There was also a humorous side of the election campaign, and he narrated a couple of incidents that occurred. It had been said that he held himself aloof from working men. As a matter of fact ; when a youog man he had been ' taught the ten commandments, and an eleventh as well, which was " that every foolshould attend to his own business."

Many of the men who had woiked and were working for him were present, and they all knew he believed in treating his men fairly. Now, if there was anything in the accusation levied against him, it was because he had his own business to attend to, and did not want to shove his nose into other people's. Now that he was the member for the district he represented every man in the electorate, and he hoped if any of them had any grievances they would come to him. He had always had a motto, " That if a thing is worth doing- at all it's worth doing well." When hi started on the election he had made up his mind to do his best, and he could assure them, as a . member, he would endeavor to do his best to satisfy them. He thanked them again for the honor they had done him that eveniug and resumed his s-eat amid loud applause. The following toasts were honored during the evening :—Mr J. Jones, "The Dairy Industry," responded to by Messrs W. Powdrell, J. Buckley, W s . G-adsby; Mr A. Payne, " Public Bodies," responded to by Messrs W. Derrett, \V. Qadsby, J. Williamson and Gr. V. Pearce; The Chairman, " Commercial Interests " responded to by Messrs E. Payne and J, W. Jones;

Mr J. Speighc, “ The Ladies,” re* sponded to by Messrs J, Williamson, Wrigley and A. Payne; The Chairman, “JFarmers Union,” responded to by Messrs Washer, Jones, Williamson, and GK T. Pearce ; Mr Oaves, “ Local Sports and Pastimes,” responded to by Messrs H. Sutherland, McLean, and W. Major. During the evening songs were sung by Messrs Southgate, Washer, G. Y. Pearce and Buckley, and recitations were given by Messrs J. Williamson and McLean. The accompaniments were played by Mr Power.