GRAHAMSTOWN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3359, 14 January 1879, Page 2

GRAHAMSTOWN.

BANQUET TO THE HON J. SHEEHAN. [special to tiik stab.] Jan. 14. A banquet was given this evening to the lion the Native Minister in the Gresham Hall. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, the guest of the evening on his right, supported by Colonel Fraser, 11. M., and Major Reddell, 8..M. Mr A. Brodio, Chairman of the County Council, occupied the vico-chair. About 100 gentlemen eat down to dinner. The cloth having been removed, the usual loyal toasts were drunk amidst general cheering. " The Queen," " The Prince of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family," " His Excellency the Governor," etc. The Mayor proposed the toast of the evening, "Our Guest, the Hon J. Sheehan," amidst loud cheers. The Hon the Native Minister, on rising to respond to the toast, was received with loud cheers. He said he required no introduction to the people of the Thames. He had known them long, and they had known him for an equal length of time. He had always endeavoured to promote the interest of this goldfield. He remembered -when gold was first discovered. A short time previously a friend said he would go to Japan ; for himself, ho thought of going to Kaipara, but the discovery of gold brought a numerous and valuable population to Auckland, it had given men capital, and then the Provincial Council of Auckland had done what it could to develop the resources of the district. He had, for a long time, been associated with, the exertions of the local government in rendering that assistance. (Hear, hear.) Ifc. was sometimes a difficult thing to ascertain what was most useful jw most needed. At an early period of the history of the goidfields, the lands of the '

Upper Thames came into public notice— first as a field for extended gold prospecting, and next as presenting openings for the settlement of a large mining and agricultural population. The opening of this land was a source of constant solicitude to the late Mr Williamson, who was then Superintendent of the province of Auckland. In that capacity he had made representations to the Government of the Colony, and had taken active measures himself to bring about the opening of the Upper Thameß County. It was during these active explorations of the country that its connection with the fertile lands and the Waikato became the subject of general interest. At a very early period the Thames people and the Waikato people saw the advantage to be derived from such a connection as a railway would give. The Thames would be a large market for agricultural produce, and its special resources would have an increased attraction for all who had labour and capital to contribute towards the developement of the Colony. He had for the first time, within the last few days, journeyed through the country, and Jand more suitable for the purposes of agriculture could not be found. When Mr Macandrew, the Minister for Public Works, visited the district a short time since, he expressed the highest opinion of its reBources, and further he had discovered the fact that Otago was not New Zealand. Every man present must be glad to learn of such an opinion coming from so practical a man. He referred to the so-called Broomhall settlement ; to the endeavour which had been made by the Government to obtain from Mr Broomhall the surrender of his rights. The more he (Mr Sheehan) had considered the whole subject, the more he became convinced of the injustice of giving the hearfe and kernel of the country into the hands of strangers, while there were men in the country — men forming part of a large and industrious population — who were ready to occupy and cultivate the land if they had a chance. (Cheers.) There was apparently an absence of any practical intentions on the part of Mr Broomhall to occupy the land, seeing that beyond the deposit necessary to be made, the colour of his money had not become visible, but there were rumours that a large company was to be established ; a land investment, by which Mr Broomhall would gain an immense fortune without the expenditure of a single penny of his money for the benefit of the land. This land had been got back, and he hoped that it would bo soon open for settlement — (cheers) — by the men who had made the district of the Thames what it was. He referred to the efforts of the Government to secure land for the purposes of a public estate. He thought the Government was justified in this respect, for it was only by means of a large public landed estate that railways in the north could be secured. He regretted that in doing this they had stirred up some enmity on the part of those who were endeavouring to secure large tracts of Native lands for themselves. The friends of these people exercised considerable power and influence, which were arrayed against the Government in their endeavour to acquire Native lands for public purposes and general utility. Let no one imagine that he was in favour of breaking up large estates. He believed in the general public advantage to be derived from large owners, but surely the Government had an equal right to secure some portion of the country as an estate for the public. (Cheers.) The people had a right to have some of the benefit of large expenditure, and that the public should have the benefit of the unearned increment of the land. Previous Governments had promised — they talked of flyiug surveys, and were disposed to do great things whenever they wished to ingratiate themselves with the people of this part of the country. There was a railway which had always been in favour when the Thames people were counted, but somehow it fell into the back - ground, and year after year no progress had been made, but after what had been done by the Premier of the Colony only a few days sinee — the turning of the first sod of that railway — the thing was no longer in the clouds. That line wiis now stamped with the authority of the Government, and the Government were determined it should be carried out. It was now apparent that one of the best hopes for the progress of the Northern districts of the Colony was the accomplishment of this work. A certain statesman now connected with a newspaper in Wellington, had declared that this line would not pay for grease for the wheels— you can imagine the public spirit and the knowledge from which such a statement could proceed — (cries of '"Name, name") — it was not necessary to mention names. (Cries of " Pollen ! Pollen !") They would have all along the line the conditions of a payable railway ; all this you have in the Waikato. You have good lands, a large population, and a growing traffic. You have experienced some depression, and it is said the big pump must be stopped. Mr Brodie may possibly find the means to keep the big pump going, but you have not arrived at anything like the full development of your resources ; you have got barely beneath the surface. From all that we can learn, there is an immense supply of undeveloped wealth. You sire on the eve, it i 9 certain, of prosperous times. (Cheers). Speaking of the Thames, suggests the mention of your harbour works ; this kind of public work has been at a discount lately. Whenever anything was to be done, several voices cried out for harbour works, but the Darwinian theory would apply to them ; the survival of the fittest would probably be the end, but when you have your railway, you will find that the extension of your works will become a public necessity. By his office he was charged with the conservation of the Native race. It was an oflice of great anxiety. He would, however, abide to be judged by results ; lie would be content to wait for the recognition of his contribution to the public service in his department. He thought twelve months would enable all to judge what lie had contributed to the conservation and the friendly progress of the Native people. He could assure the gentlemen present that the Native difficulty did not proceed from the Native people. So the difficulty was made rather by Europeans ; the persons who worked this or that chief, were those who Bought possession of the Native lands ; who endeavoured to cover broad acres witli their money; who Btepped between the Nativiß and the Government, and persecuted those who would try honestly to solve the Native difficulty, seeking to prevent them accomplishing that object. It was not the Natives who placed the King against Rewi and Rewi against the King. It had been stated in a newspaper that the Hon J. Sheehan had been turned back from Jlokau by a chief named Titikau. That statement had no foundation ; in fact, he had not been to Mokau. There was no such chief as Titikau. He would apeak generously for the Native people. If they treated the Natives with justice, they might depend upon reaping their reward, not only in the fruit which would come of that policy, but in tho gratitude of the Native race, and in tho acknowledgment of all men that they acted worthily of the land and people from which, as colonists, they had sprung. He would not detaiu them at any greater length, but assure them that lie would ever be auxious to promote the welfare of the Thames. He remembered a man whom ho regarded as the model of statesmen, the late John Williamson. Mr Williamson had the greatest confidence in the Thames, and that confidence was not shaken up to the time of his decease ; and when Mr Williamson was removed by death there came into Auckland another public man, Sir George Grey. (Cheers.) The Premier had shown his deep sympathy with the Thames, with their local wants, and their necessity of opening to its population the fertile lands which lay around it. Tho hon. gentleman resumed his scat amidst loud and general cheering. The Hon J. Sheehan was entertained tit a banquet last night. The Mayor occupied the Chair.