FAREWELL BANQUET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4671, 19 June 1893, Page 1

F ARE WELL BANQUET.

THE HON J. E. JENKINSON. On Saturday night the Hon J. E. Jenkinßon, M.L.C., was entertained at a banquet by members of the Boilermakers' Union and a few friends, prior to bis departure for Wellington to enter upon his Parliamentary dutieß. The gathering took placo at the Mitre Hotel, Lyl.telton, and there were some twelve or fifteen ladies and eorae forty gentlemen present. Among the former were several members of the Tailoresses' Union, of which the guest of the evening is a Vice-Preßident. An excellent spread was provided by Mr T. A. W, Paraons. Mr Gr. S. Boss, Secretary of the Boilermakers' Society, occupied the chair, and was supported on his right by the Hon J. E. Jenkinaon, and on his left by the Hon W. P. Reeves, Minister for Labour and Education. Amongst those" present were the Hon W. Bolt, M.L.C., Messrs. Tanner and Sandford, M.H.R.'s, and Mr J. T. Brice, Mayor of Lyttelton. The Chairman read apologies for non-attendance from Messrs J. Joyce and R. M. Taylor, M.H.R.'e. After the toast of" The Quean and' Royal Family " had been disposed of, the Chairman proposed the health of their visitor, the Hon, W. P. Reevea. On rising to respond Mr Re6ves was heartily applauded. He thanked those present for their kindly welcome, and for the manner the:toast had been received. He waa almost about to say that the preient waa the first gathering of tho sort be had ever attended at Lyttelton, but that would hardly be correct, for his first and earliest efforts at eating and drinking were performed at Lyttelton. He had also addressed a public gathering at the seaport once before, and that was some two and a half years ago—just previous to the general election. Since then things had changed considerably. At that time, or rather shortly afterwards, when the result of the elections became known, their Conservative friends were beginning to think that the end of tho world was at hand. Well, truly the end of the Conservative political world for the time being was certainly at hand. | There had now* been two and a half years I of a Liberal Government, whose aim and object had been, to introduce Liberal measures, and it would be well to consider for a moment what was now the position. By the admission of many of their Conservative friends the Colony was at the present time in a far more prosperous condition than it was two, and a half years ago. (Applause). Now he did not for one moment wish them to understand that he waa taking the credit of thi9 satisfactory condition of thing 3 altogether to his colleagues, his party, their dead chief or himself. But when they recollected the prediction of the Conservatives, that the Colony would be rained by the proposals of the present Liberal party, he certainly thought they should claim the credit of showing how utterly absurd these predictions had proved to be. Then again, taking tbe arguments of their opponents. If it, waa possible, for the actions of the Government to ruin the Colony, it was just .as possible as the result of its actions' that the country should be in a prosperous condition. (Applauae). There was one point on which he wished to briefly speak, and that waß the admission of Labour representatives to the Upper House. He did not think that even their friends as yet fully recognised the importance of thab stap. By its action the late Ballance Government had initiated the idea that that Chamber was no longer to remain a place set apart entirely for the representatives oi property - and accumulated wealth; but that all classes of the Colony were equally entitled td be represented there, as was the case in the Lower and more popular Chamber. Some o? the enemies of the Government had spoken of the Government's action in appointing the latest additions to that place in anything but complimentary terms* One opponent in particular had endeavoured to show that the four gentlemen who had- been selected from the ranks of the workers were not true representatives of that important section of the community, that they had never raised their voice in the interests of their fellow men, and said many other things which . he need nob trouble them with. In reply to that he would only say that anyone who made such statements of Messrs Bolt, Jennings, Rigg and their guest, Mr Jenkinson, waa totally ignorant of the workings of many of the Trade Unions through the Colony. (Applause.) He trusted that Mr Jenkinson would be able to generate a little steam into that TTpper Chamber to which he was going —(Laughter)—and that they would an come to be glad when they remembered the day that a boiler-maker was sent to the Upper Houbo. Thiß Chamber, he might remind them, was regarded in many different lights by members of different parties. Their Conservative friends had come to regard it as absolutely necessary as a check on hasty legislation, while again others regarded it very much in the light of a museum. . Well, if it could in any way be regarded a3 a museum, he was sure they would admit that the Government had done something in tbe direction of importing a few real live specimens into it. (Laughter and applause.) Ho could tell the two members of that Chamber something of the sort of place they were going to. They would find that they would be treated with the utmost courtesy, but they would also, find that the place was inhabited by" a quiet, solemn, cold, damping, almost Scotch misty sort of atmosphere — (laughter)—in which thoy would rieed all their energy to generate sufficient steam to watch over the.interest of labour, and he who had suffered to see so many of his "infants" well - nigh killed in that Chamber, would look forward with interest to the time when probably something would be said in that place iv favour of a labour measure. With regard to the Government, it waa no longer the Ballance Government. It was now the Seddon Government, and it waß on its trial. It was for the Government to do what it could, and for the people to pass their opinion on it at the coming general election. (Applause). Mr J. L. Scott proposed the " Houses of Parliament," and in doing so referred to the Bad loss the Colony had sustained by the death of the late Premier, which he regarded as the greatest loss the Colony and the Liberal Party ever experienced. This loss waß, however, discounted by the return to public life of Sir Robert Stout. (Applauße). He was very much better pleased with the personnel of the present House o? Representatives than he bad been with any previous House. That the House of Representatives contained such men as Messrs Pinkerton, Tanner and Sandford was a point on which they should all feel gratified, for it waa an impossibility to ever hope to get reforms without such men, and he,tru3ted that after the coming eleation the numbe" of such representatives in the, House would be increased. (Applause.) With regard to the Upper Houße, the opinion he had entertained a few years ago was that it should be relegated to the limbo of obscurity. Now, however, he was of opinion that it could be made a very valuable legislating machine. Thia he thought could beat ba done by making it a sort of second Lower House. Ifc had been said that in its present form the Upper House had exercised a valuable check on the legislation which the Colony was not ripe for, but be was of opinion that so far it had Acted as a check oa legislation for which the Colony was very decidedly anxious; (Applause.) He was thoroughly pleased wiih the appointments fco that pace by the Government, and he ssked

them to drink the toast heartily, and coupled with it the names of the Hon s J. E. Jenkinaon, W. M. Bolt and W. P. Reeves, and Messrs Tanner and Sandford. The Hon J. E. Jenkinson very briefly returned thanks. The Hon Mr BjU, who was well reoeived, said it was only as he got out of the train that evening that he had heard of the gr.theiing, and had accepted the invitation of the promoters to join them. He complimented their guest upon tbe cordial good feeling which existed between him and the large assemblage around the tables, for he looked upon this as a token of approval at tho action the Government had taken in calling labour representatives to the Upper House. He thought he was safe in saying that a majority of tbe colonists had also approved of the action of the Government in this direction. The Hon W. P. Reeves apologised for inflicting a second speech upon them. He briefly thanked them for the enthusiastic manner they had received the toast. He considered that the present Parliament was composed of all sections of the masses. It had actually been argued that some of the members, namely tbe Labour representatives, were only representing one particular class. But they heard no such argu- | ment with regard to the representatives of large landholder?, yet the remark applied with equal force. He had always looked upon the cry of class representation as a very hollow one. The old idea was that the working mnn was a coarse, vulgar, ungentlemanly person, and that only in tho3e persons who were wealthy could be found the true characteristics of gentlemen. But that idea was now exploded. The Labour members in the present Parliament were well known for their courteous manner, their self-control and dignity, and for the business-like utterances which they made. Indeed, they were by their actions forcing their very opponents to admit that they were a credit to the Colony and to the people who had sent them there to legislate for them. (Applause). Mr Tanner, who mot with a hearty reception, said he was thankful that he belonged to tbe popular Chamber. He thought, when he remembered the wretohed, ; freezing place to where they were going, that the two gentleman who had been appointed to the Upper House were deserving of their utmost Bympathy. They probably knew his idea as to what should be done with tho Upper Chamber, but he had never been one to raise hia voice in favour of it being swept, away. He thought that the Government had done the very best thing with the material which existed. He was glad the Minister had referred to the Labour members. Sometimes their opponents said all sorts of funny things about them, as, for instance, recently some one had accused him of having no knowledge of live stook. Well, he knew something of live stock, and, although he was aware that the animal known as a donkey was somewhat rare in New Zealand, still ho knew one of them sometimes wrote letters to the Press newspaper and signed himself " farmer." (Applaueo and laughter.) Ho entered political life fully alive to its responsibilities, for he was awaie that it was by the conduct of the members elected in 1890 that the movement of electing Labour members, then commenced, would either live or die. Mr Sandford was also well received. He thought now that the Party had such men as Messrs Bolt, Rigg, Jenkinson, and otberß in tho Upper Chamber, Liberal measures would receive a fair consideration, and Labour Bills would not, he hoped, be thrown out simply because they were Labour Bills. The Chairman then proposed the health of "Our Gue3t, the Hon J. E. Jenkinsoa." Mr JenkinEon was an honest workman and kind friend. He was now about to take hi 3 place in assisting in the government of the country, and he (tho speaker) was sure he would do credit to himself. As boilermakers they were all pleased that one of their number had been appointed to so honourable a position, which, however, they all felt he deserved. The toast was honoured with enthusiasm, and cheers were given for Mr and Mrs Jenkinson, and an- j other for the " little oneß." | The Hon J. E. Jenkinson, who on rising was heartily applauded, thanked "them heartily for the honour they had done him, or at least he thanked them for one half of what they had said; the other half — all the flattering, nice things — he did nob thank them for, but he supposed it wa3 the usual thing. (No, no and laughter.) He thought his position there that evening was a somewhat unique One J Bit all events it was the first banquet he had attended where the ladies joined in as they had on that occasion. (Applause.) And he supposed some kind and thoughtful person would accuse him of being made a stepping stone for women's rights. Now he did not mind this at all. (Applause.) In the near future they would have woman's franchise. (Applause.) And this necessary reform he regarded as the key to the arch of the more important question of j women's wages. (Applause.) He could not for the life of him see why women j who were employed to do the same work as men should not get the same pay. Unless they could do the work they would nofe be employed. For his part ho did not object to women coming alongside of him and working at boiler-making — laughter — provided they received the same rate of wages. Let them take, for instance, the teachers in tho schools. The women were asked, as far as he knew, to do the same work as the men, and yet they were paid by Boards of Education rate 3 of wagea much lower than those paid to the opposito sex. Nothing but granting the franchise to women would put these matters light, and when the ladies got the right to vote he hoped they would use it in the proper manner, for the rate of wages at which women were employed and the much-vexed question of boy labour were the cause of more than half the labour troubles in the Colony. The Government had done a great deal of good, but he hoped to see even more benefit done. Let them for a moment consider the amount 0? money which was annually sent out of the Colony for work which could as easily and almost as cheaply be done here. The worst feature of this was that public bodies who were entrusted with the task of spending public money were the greatest offenders. Not long ago the Timaru Harbour Board had Bent away a .£15,000 job which could have been executed for a very little increase by a Lyttelton firm; then, again, the Napier Board had applied to the Government to have the duty remitted on gome large importations it had ordered from England, and a local Board — that of Kaiapoi — was doing the same. He hoped to see reforms made to check thie, for he knew of his own knowledge that all the work that was needed in the Colony, or likely to be needed for the next two hundred years, could very well be produced here. If it could no%, well then let them import tho machinery, but he hoped that any firm doing co would not be treated like a local firm of manufacturers who, after importing plant, &c, were not given an opportunity of tendering for work needed for the Colony. He looked to a Liberal Government to preventpublicbodies sending public money out of the Colony and if the Liberal Government did not do so then he would look to a Labour Government, and also, let them understand, to the ladies; (Applause.) He would like to inform them that he did not intend going to the Upper House simply ap a labour representative. When he entered that Chamber he considered he was there as a reprc3ontavo of the Colony as a whole, and not simply to assist to legislate for

one particular class. He could assure them that if any measure, whether it was^ a labour measure or not, came before him for consideration, and he could see that its adoption had a detrimental effect upon any section of the community, or any particular class, ho would not support it. He trusted he would ever be found supporting measures which were for the good of the Colony as a whole, in preference to the good of any set class and opposed to the best interests of the majority. The step whioh the Government had taken to appoint representatives from tbe ranks of labour to the Upper Chamber was not going to Btop at four, and whan they got a few more to assist them, and had gained some experience, he hoped they would be able so do some good. Thiß, of course, depended to a large extent on whether the p ople hung together and supported the Liberal Government at the coming elections. He thanked the ladies for their attendance, and also took it as a compliment to himself thttt the Hon W. P. Reevea should have put himself out so much to attend. Mr Beeves was a man whom he (the speaker) felt was entitled to the best thanks of the wellwishers of the Colony, (Applause.) Mr E. Sandford proposed "The Iron Trade of New Zealand." and in doing so quoted figures to show the importance of the industry, and when provision was made for all the requirements of the Colony in this branch of manufacturing being supplied by the Colony itself, the industry would become even more valuable. :. Mr Malo responded, saying that the steady progress which the trade had made during the past five or six years led them to think that there was a future before them. He trusted the time wa3 not far distant when an imported boilor would be a thing of the past. (Hear, hear) ■ "The Liberal Party of New Zealand" was proposed by Mr W. I. Ballinger, and responded to by Mr G. W. Russell, who Baid that for the first time in the annals of the Colony a Government composed of men of convictions occupied the Benches. They introduced liberal measures simply because they thought that liberal measure^ were for the good of the masses. The policy, present position and prospects of tho party were very dear to him. The speaker then referred at some length to the settlement of the people on the land, which he contended was the solution of the labour and other troubles in New Zealand. He was sure they would get just as pure, unadulterated Liberalism under Mr Seddon as they got under their dead chief, Mr Ballance, to whose memory Mr Russell paid a high tribute. He looked upon the appointment of the twelve Liberal representatives to the Upper House as a moßt important step, not" so much for the twelve votes that would bo recorded as for the influence that would be exercised. Mr Tanner proposed " The Tailoresses' Union," which was responded to by Miss Scott; : ' • '■' ''. Mr M'Murchie proposed ''Kindred Unions," to which Mr Peake responded. The Hon J. E. Jenkinson proposed. "The Ladies," which was responded to by Mrs Ross. .'■'■■ The toasts of "The Press," "The Chairman," and "Our Host, Mr Parsons," were also honoured. During the evening a number of capital songs were sung, and the company broke up about half-past ten. .'