PUBLIC DINNER AT WAKEFIELD TO E. BAIGENT, ESQ., M.P.C.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 190, 16 August 1859, Page 2

PUBLIC DINNER AT WAKEFIELD TO E. BAIGENT, ESQ., M.P.C.

Last Wednesday a 'meeting of between 30 and 40 of the Wakefield inhabitants'met at the Hotel to thank Mr. Baigent for his valuable and gratuitous services as member off the Road Board. We noticed also a good many feces from Nelson and' Richmond. "The room was very tastefully decorated with evergreens, and the utmost cordiality, and good feeling prevailed. Mr. John Smith of Mount Heslington was called to the chair, who was faced; by Mr. W. Wratt, of Wakefield. The dinner having been discussed, The Chairman gave the usual loyal'toasts which having been duly honored, he rose and said: Gentlemen, it is my pleasing duty now to bring before you the toast of the evening, viz., the health of Mr. Baigent. You all know how sedulously he has looked to onr interests since becoming a meriir ber of the Road Board, and I feel sure that all here feel grateful to him for his services.'. I regret that at present we cannot boast much of our by-roads, and many, I know, feel that it is hard that they should have to put then* hand in their-pockets and see nothing laid out upon them. I will mow give you Mr. Baigent's health with all honors. This was then drank with musical honors,.when Mr. Baigent rose, and said t hat it-was a matter of great gratification to him to meet his fellow settlers. They had assembled thereto express their kind opiiiion of what little service he had been able to render.. He had been invited to meet them, as was said, because he was a member of the Road Board. He could not persuade himself that it was on that account, and that that was the Ml object of the meeting. He considered that; it was more as a recognition of the -attention he had given, for many years past, to the^question of roads in- the Waifnea South district. (Hear, hear.) He had only been a' member of the Road^ Board ior fourteen months, and Was sure that in that short time he could not have earned the cordial welcome which he that night received. From the commencement of the settlement, some sixteen years back, he had given his utmost attention to the subject of roads, and lie might remark that he always found the people of Waimea South unanimous in the support they gave this matter. In fact, they used to have a general turn out to repair the road's, so much so that at one time particularly, as many as thirty men assembled to repair the road for the space of three days, and he remembered that all the amount the Government could give was 30-3., as 'their rp.oto-t'oWards the expenses. The effect was an order for 30s. worth of beer, which was drank by the workmen, as many present there could remember-. He would say that Waimea South had not'received that assistance . from Government which so , important a district deserved. He would say that for every shilling received from the Government, until the Provincial Government w^as established, the inhabitants had subscribed a pound in the shape of voluntary labor; and had it not been for those voluntary services of the inhabitants, amongst vyhom he could lay claim to having done his best, the ? l*oads would not be in the satisfactory state they were now, in, and very possibly no road at all"; whereas'they could boast that they now had five miles of as good road as any in tlie province. From past experience he had found the necessity of making every pound entrusted, to him hy the Government go to its fullest extent without injuring the laborers employed under him. The Chairman had spoken about by-roads, and he regretted that the means at the disposal of the Board were so limited as to preclude his being able to hold out much hope of any active measures with regard to. them. It was not neglected however, and he might state for the,information of that meeting, that it was taken into consideration by the Board at their last sitting; the question was not then finally settled. With a few more remarks Mr. Baigent closed his address, and assured the meeting that he , never would be mixed up in any transaction which caused the least waste of public money. He could only say himself that he was highly gratified to find that his endeavors had given such general satisfaction, which he, should always feel it his duty to cair/ out, and sincerely thanked those present for the coriipliment they had done him. Mr. Baigent resumed his seat amidst general ap--plause. .... < ■--..-,- Mr. DisiiEit, Of Richmond, then proposed the health ofthe other members of the Road Board. Mr. Baigent returned thanks for his colleagues, and said that he believed if all the province had .been searched through, they, could not have found four gentlemen more honest and independent. Various other toasts were proposed, principally being in honor of some gentleman present; amongst them "The Press," coupling with it the name of jVlr. Crompton, who. briefly replied ;'and Mr. Walcot's health, thanking him for the very able \ way in which he had led the musical portion of. | the evening-'s Work. The health of the host,.and Mrs. Warnock were included ; and after drinking, the health of the Chair and Vice-chair, harmony became the order of the evening, which did not separate until a late, or rather early, hour next j morning. From the absence of any political feel- | ing, the evening passed away without one I observation likely to destroy the great good feeling I manifested by all.