BANQUET TO SIR J. YOGEL AND MR J. HOLMES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3454, 23 October 1885, Page 3

BANQUET TO SIR J. YOGEL AND MR J. HOLMES.

(By Telegraph.) Chbistchuecb, Oct. 21. ' The following telegram was unavoidably held over from our last issue : — Three hundred guests were present at the banquet to Sir ' Julius Yogel and Mr J.. Holmes, members for Christehnrch. The Mayor preBided. A large number of ladies occupied seat* m the gallery. ' ■'- Responding to the toast of The Miriis» try," which was most enthusiastically drnok, Bir Julius Yogel said that if it had not been for the Canterbury people and the member*' present the Government would not exirt. The Government did not profess to represent one part of the colony more than another. It had been B*id that pair Governments had not been sufficiently mindful of the jttst claims of Canterbury. He hoped that this would never be said of the present ffovettiment. Be apologised for tho absence of his collcacues, who had been unable to accept l invitations to the banquet. The health of Sir Jnlius Yogel. nnd Mr Holmes was proposed by the Chairman, and enthusiastically drunk. ' ' : - Sir Julius was very warmly received. He said that he hoped to be able to address his constituents next week, and was at a loss what to deal with now, as he hail so muoh tti-say. In Tefere'ce to the past session, Government had been taunted with showing signs of weakness, and with not being able to carry on its business. Now, for 10 years there had not been a session m which ao many important measures bad been passed. Tho Government had attempted rather too much than too little, and had tax;d themselves and their supporters too severely. As to their failures, they had not succeeded m passing tho tariff as they desired, or passing the Native Lands Act, and they had failed also m n measure he had as much at heart as any gentleman present— the West Coast railway. The Government were inclined to resign after the defeat over the tariff, but it was considered that as taxation was a> question of such moment that no party pressure should be brought to bear on it, and aa some 50 members had represented to them that it would not be for the interest of the colony for them to resign, they had not done so. The Native Lands Bill had' not been passed for want of time. With regard to the West Coast railway; the Government considered that m the interests of that railway it was not desirable to surround it with personal and party considerations. He would ask : Was it possible that that line could be constructed by any other Government which could be formed out of the present Honse. (No, no.) An attempt had recently been made to prove, by means of the publication of a' garbled extract from a speech of Major Atkinson's that that gentleman was friendly to the railway. His whole course of conduct proved that he wns not. As regarded the question of the Government resigning generally, he bad been a member of • the House for 17 sessions, and he could not remember; one when the Opposition had not kindly advised the Ministry to resign. It had been said that the Opposition did not want office, but he thought they were eager "for office, and m their haste to get it they adopted very unfair methods. They were ready to be hired by the day or the job. They allied themselves with the party of Freetrade, and with that of rigid economy ; but they were never able to carry a vote of want of confidence, or to prevent the second reading of one of the Government measures. He defied anyone to tay that the Government had continued m office without possessing the confidence of the majority of the House. He gave a brief ritamc of the Parliamentary proceedings m reference to the East and West Coast railway. ■ He was quite sure that there wns'hb proposal which would so minimise the risks of the colony as Messrs Meiggs' proposal. The cost to the colony would not have been more than £30,000 per year, and that would hare decreased as time went on.' He was not sure that ' it was the moat desirable course for the colony to accept but. it involved the least risk, if the colony was not to acquire 'the railway; but if the colony was to acquire it, Messrs Meiggs' plan was a most expensive way of doing so. He believed that the railway was so valuable that it was desirable that the colony should keep it and should make the- line itself. Many base insinuations had been made against its supporters, most of which came from a low, scurrilous paper m Wellington, and were traced to a certain person whose hope of political power rested on currying favor with Wellington people m order to obtain a seat m Parliament. The railway was also opposed from a fear that it would injure theprospecta of the Otago Central, and damage Wellington by railing Christchurch and Lyttelton to the premier position m the colony. That very opposition was a homage to the usefulness of the line. He believed, however, that the majority of people m W e^' n ß ton wrare not opposed to the line, m spite of the noisy opposition. A' very few people could make a grr-at' deal of noise. Mr Travers and another gentlemen of position there had spoken m favor of that railway. He did not think that the partisanship^shown. by the Wellington members was approved, by a majority of the people of Wellington, who did, not look at the question from a narrow local point of view, but had the sense to sco that so important a work must benefit the whole colony, it-was absurd to suppose tUat the line, wfluld injure the Otago Central. It might bring population ■to Westlahd; ' and if Westland were not populated that district would form a barrier to the extension of the Otago Central to the north-west. . Itha/i been said that he attncnerl more importance to holding a seat m the Cabinet than to tho construction of the W«jt Coast railway, and that he had stopped short of doing ail he could for the railway. He wished to give it an indignant denial. Unless he were not convinced of the honesty of tbe intention of. the Government to make the line lie would not remain 1 m it. Last session there .was no. possibility of the Kne being made.' He had ; not considered the course taken* by the Canterbury, Weitlonid, and Nelson members wise, because it seemed; .to have'" no ohdnce of succeeding. He Bad' I been mistoke'n, however, m undervaluing the enormous desire of the Opposition to obtain | office. One of the principal members of tlio Opposition had come to . him and offerdd assistance to defeat the Canterbury- inein bens' plans for reducing the expenditure. He i replied that the Government wguid rather fee beaten by its JTrHods than faoldjfftto&tnjtb'e assistance of its foes. He was also doubtful how lon< this virtue of » the Opposition migfct last. It lusted for 30 hours. Captain Russell united with Major Atkinsor, and there was an; end of the Opposition's horror at Canterbury's" action. Betidrs, tho ■ Canterbury mombers' proposal for reduction was supported bjy people who felt that if the Government elpenditure ceased the' value of land would fall, and they would be abTo to get land cheaper m future. Tho mistake of the past had bc^n that railways had been made 'too-' ! irrnich through private lands instead of through public lands, and that for one shilliog borrowed for rnilwoys two shillings had bejn borrowed for less productive ;worksr,; -He would like to refer to the agreement between Canterbury, Nelson and Westland. At present it did not seem to be' understood that Canterbury had a contract with the ' Government togethor with Nelsoh. If Kelson were eliminated that contract would cease to exist. There was no object In .discontinuing the alliance with Nelson, bfecause nothing concerning the railways could fee done till next session. Supposing the contract could be torn up, it woiifci not be wife to break up the alliance with! Nelfoji. Nelson bad been promised their lioe frotn the first days pf the public works scheme, and therefore ha* a strong claim for it.' ,W,ot>ld iJioy not find that by brcaWig thrfi' cpntract with Nolson, the Nelson lino would be .more likely to be mode than the Canterbury line ? Tjjey. would bo playing into the bands. of those whose motto was " divide arid conquor' 1 ; who had endeavored to cause Canterbury to sep'arale from Nelson odd Noleoo froxr Csotorbury m order to gum

their own purposes.' He would aay a few words about the policy of the Government. He had told tbe House when the Government took office that they had three great objects— local government, local industry, and the settlement of the native Uncls "question. Had not they done much towards carrying out these ' objects ? They hid repeated the unjust Roads and Bridges Cour> struction Act; had pasted measures tbtVA-' proving local government i and the exhibition was a monument of the desire of the Government to- encourage local industries. Besides this tn« encouragement given to gold-mining, the Fisheries Bill, the Conservation of Forests Bill and their Action m regard *>';■ the tariff , weW evidences of ■ tbe. ; sipoerity. of this desire. They had virtually stopped Jand-sharking m the north, though they had not had time to Bottle the question. They were now marking out' largo blocks of. land for special settlements which $ad hitherto succeeded beyond expectations. There were three great questions to engage the attention of Government m the future — namely, tho extension of the railway system of the colony ; the oncouragement of local industries ; and tho extension of settlement. The time bad passed fo* putting 1 down ihijSloads of immigrants with free passages on the shores of the colony. Ths immigrants wanted we-e those who were indnoed by the'attractions of the colony fc> make it their home. It might be desirable to form large territorial districts, with bodies authorised to dispense powers similar td'those under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act ; but this was * subject for future consideration. He wm not aware of any attempt to impngn tTie administrative actions of the Government, and he felt that administration was one of the highest functions of Government. He concluded by saying that he had never taken a merely local view .of things, sod be hoped to bo spared to assist m bringing up the colony to th»t pitch of prosperity itoecupied when he left it ten years ago. (Loud applause) ' v Mr Holmes thought that the honor done to Sir Julius Yogel and himself was partly due to their action relative to the East and West Coast railway. It was to be regretted that Canterbury, Westland and Nelson had not combined to do honor to ull the members of tbe railway party. If the railway was to be got it must be got by united action — common cause must be made with Westland and Nelson. It was not necessary that there should be a common contract, but tbe tnemb:rs should form a railway party. He desired to pay tribute of respect to one mombor of the railway party — Mr Hursthouse. (Applause.) That gentleman had been m a very difficult position. There were very strong ties whioh would have led him to vote with the Opposition, but when it came to a question of keeping m the gentleman m order to save the chanoes of the railway, he did what not one man m a hundred would have done, and voted for tbe Government and the railway party. It was only justice that the West Ooo*t railway should be made with public money. Canterbury had been unfairly treated m the matter of the Crown and Native Lauds Bating Act, the rates for sheep inspection, and tho subsidies under the Roads and Bridges . Construction Act. He drew attention, to these matters m order that as many as had not joined the railway league should do so. The chief characteristic of tho . other speeches was a strong expression of opinion m favor of continuing the agitation for the West Coast railway.