TESTIMONIAL TO MR J. C. BROWN, M.H.R.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1182, 23 September 1885, Page 5

TESTIMONIAL TO MR J. C. BROWN, M.H.R.

PUBLIC MEETING OF ELECTORS. A public meeting of the electors of Tuapeka wai held in the Town Hall, Lawrence, on the evening of Monday laat, to take into consideration the advisability of recognising in a substantial manner the many services rendered to this district by Mr J. C. Brown at its representative in the General Assembly of New Zealand for a period extending over twenty years. There was a very large and influential gathering, nearly every centre in the electorate being represented by one or more gentlemen. Mr John Thompson (Mayor of Lawrence) was requested to preside.

The Chairman, after reading the advertisement convening the meeting, said that on no previous occasion during his lengthy residence in Lawrence had he experienctd half so much pleasure as he did that evening in taking the chair ; for he felt that a great honor had been conferred upon him in asking him to preside. From the advertisement which he had just read they would all gather what the meeting had been called for. It was needless — and, indeed, it was far from his intention that evening — to enumerate all the good services that Mr J. 0. Brown had rendered the Tuapeka electorate as its representative in the General Assembly. He had done more for Tuapeka than any other man could or would do. He was successful in getting them a railway — a railway which would never have been constructed — at least not for many long years to come — had it not been for Mr Brown's indefatigableneoi ; for he worked unceasingly until he accomplished his object. Then they all knew how he had worked for their Hospital — how he got them a handsome and substantial brick building, in addition to a comfortable residence for the Resident Surgeon, and a subsidy of £3 to £1 on all moneys contributed to the funds of the institution. They all knew that it was chiefly through Mr Brown's exertions that the Wetherstones mine was opened and kept going. That mine had given a large number of hands constant employment, and was the means of circulating hundreds of pounds yearly in the district. But there was no necessity for him to enter minutelyinto all these matters, further than to say that he had only received a telegram from Mr Brown that day intimating that he had been successful in getting another grant of £1000 to complete the Lawrence drainage scheme. That, indeed, was very gratifying news to the residents of the Borough, and spoke volumes in favor of the deep and untiring interest Mr Brown always manifested in the welfare of the town and district. He (Mr Thompson) sincerely hoped that something would be done as the outcome of that evening's meeting to mark in some substantial way the high appreciation in which Mr Brown'i services to the district were held. In season or out of season — whether in the House or during the recess — Mr Brown was always working actively for the good of his constituents. To friend and foe alike he was always ready and willing to render them whatever assistance he possibly could ; and no one was more ready than he to extend the right hand of fellowship to an opponent after an election campaign. He (Mr Thompson) trusted that a purse of, at least, 500 sovereigns would be raised throughout the district as a testimonial to Mr Brown in recognition of his services to the electorate ; for he richly deserved to be handsomely treated by the electors for whom he had labored so long and faithfully. Whatever, they did, it was to be hoped they would do it well. JEle would now call upon Mr Buchanan (one of the conveners of the meeting) to make a few remarks.

Mr Buchanan remarked that he had recently been to Wellington on a visit, and it was suggested to him on his return that he should endeavor by means of a public meeting to get Bomething done in the way of recognising the services Mr Brown had. rendered to the Tuapeka district as iti member in the House of Representative*. To tell the truth, he % felt a little diffident in taking the initiative; for the reiaon that he had always been an out-and-out opponent of Mr Browm's. He had, however, good reason lately to change his opinions concerning that gentleman, and it was very questionable indped if he would ever again be found in opposition to him. Like many others in this district, he (Mr Buchanan) thought it would be for the best if the electors had selected a man who could talk more fluently and take a more active part than Mr Brown did in the debates which cropped up in the House ; but after his rectnt vuifc (and alio from the experience

•he gained when in Wellington as a member of the deputation who interviewed the Government anent the drainage scheme) he came to the conclusion that the district might get a hundred representatives, yet it was questionable if any half-dozen of them could do even half sb much as Mr J. 0. Brown single-handed. He was certainly one of the most hard- working members of the House ; he never seemed to tire or wear out ; he could work for twenty hours out of the twentyfour, and never appeared to be a bit the worse. And at the present time no individual member of the House had more influence with the Government than Mr J. C. Brown ; he could get whatever he wanted — he would not be refused. Their Chairman had just told them that Mr Brown had got an additional grant of £1000 for the drainage channel, which was certainly highly gratifying; and he (Mr Buchanan) might add that Mr Brown had also got £750 towards the re-con-struction of the traffic bridge over the Waitahuna River. The County Council for years back had tried to get Government aid towards the re-erection of that bridge, but all in vain. Mr Brown's assistance had lately been sought, with the result that he had been successful in getting the sum already named towards re-building the bridge. He (Mr Buchanan) would not speak at further length, but would simply ask the electors to do their utmost in the matter of recognising Mr Brown's many services, extending over a long series of years, to the Tuapeka district. Mr T. Darton considered it unnecessary to recapitulate what had been so truthfully advanced by the previous speakers ; of this they had all been long acquainted. The fact alone of so many conflicting elements of the electorate- meeting there that evening, so cordially sinking all their minor differences in order to do Mr Brown an honor, was a sufficient proof of the estimation in which that gentleman was held. The zeal and pleasure with which the call had been responded to in that numerously-attended meeting was in itself a sufficient earnest that the efforts now to be made would be successful. He considered it was a duty which had long been delayed, and the thanks of the meeting were fairly earned by the conveners by their reminder of it. He concluded by moving the following resolution : " That, in order to give effect to the object of this meeting, it is hereby resolved that committees of influential settlers from the various local centres of thia electorate be appointed to obtain for and present to Mr J. 0. Brown some substantial recognition of the invaluable services rendered to it by him as their representative for many years in the Parliament of New Zealand." Mr John Roughan seconded the proposition, which was strongly supported by the Chairman, and on being put to the vote was declared carried unanimously. The appointment of Committees in the various centres was next proceeded with as follows : — Waitahuna. — Messrs Livingston, M. Ryan, R. Craig, F. Oudaille, J. Ferris, D. Ryan, R. Ford, R. M'Ara, J. Cowen, J. Robertson (Craigie), and Jno. Sutherland. Clakks Flat. — Messrs Fraser, Wright Low, and G. S. Walker. Waiporl— Messrs F. W. Knight, S. Caudwell, J. Ritchie, R. Cotton, Jas. M'Cay, P. M'Ledowney, W. Caudwell, and Mrs Lewis. Wetherstones. — Messrs Goldsmith, M. Coxon, Fulton, T. Pope, Hart, Whelan, and M'Oluskey. Blue Spur. — Messrs Campbell, Thos. Cousins, S. Johnston, Beaton, Ponsonby, W. Johnston, Lawson, Ralston, and M'Hattie. Evans Flat and Munros. — Messrs Buchanan, Clayton, Henry, Johnston, Fahey, Richardson, Varcoe, and Wm. Ramsay. Tuapeka West and Tuapeka Mouth. — Messrs Bulfin, Bailey, Daniell, Brown, Mullins, Smith, D. Keenan, M'Robarts, Drain, Shepherd, Mackay, Osborne, and Tyson. Tuapeka Flat.— Messrs P. Duffy, T. Darton, H. Ross, Martin, M'Donald, White, Docherty, and Sam Chew Lain. Waitahuna West. — Messrs 3. M. Smith, D. Robertson, H. Bruce, and Jos. Oxenbould. Lawrence. — Messrs Thompson, Morrison, Chalmers, Tanton, Roughan, Herbert, Mitchinson, Harrop, Walker, J. Macdonnell, J. Johnston, O. Potts, T. Pilling, Arbuckle, Webb, P. Miller, Jeffery, Fraer, Sutherland, Uren, D. Johnston, Dodds, Craig, Dwyer, Barclay, M'Kinlay, M'lntosh, and M'Nab. The Chairman said he hoped that none of the electors who sympathised with the object of the meeting would feel annoyed if their names were omitted from any of Committees that had been appointed. The Committees in all the centres would have full power to add to their number. Mr S. Caudwell movedand Mrßuchanan seconded : " That Lawrence be constituted the head centre, and that all correspondence pass through the hands of the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Lawrence Committee." — Carried. Mr John Thompson was appointed Treasurer and Mr T. Pilling Secretary of the Central Committee. It was decided that subscription-lists be issued to the various Committees forthwith ; the same to be returned not later than 31at October, 1885. Mr F. W. Knight suggested that the meeting should decide the form the presentation should take — whether a testimonial merely, a banquet and testimonial, or a testimonial and illuminated address. After some conversation, it was resolved, on the motion of Messrs Buchanan and Knight, that the testimonial take the form of a presentation of a purse of sovereigns, accompanied by an illuminated address. It was agreed that the first meeting of the Committees appointed for the various centres be held on Saturday, 26 th inst., at 8 p.m., for the purpose of making the necessary arrangements to thoroughly canvass the electorate for subscriptions towards the testimonial fund. It was unanimously resolved that the date on which the presentation be made to Mr Brown be left in the hands of the Central Committee. On the motion of Mr Darton, seconded by Mr Caudwell, a hearty vote of, thanks was tendered to Messrs Buchanan and Ford for convening the first public meeting of the electors. A vote of thanki was accorded to the Mayor for presiding, and the proceedings terminated. It has been estimated that cast iron, worth in its unworked state £1 sterling, is worth, when converted into ordinary machinery, £4 ; larger ornamental works, £45 ; buckles and Berlin work, £600 ; neck-chains, £1386 ; shirt-buttons, £5896. Bar iron worth £1 sterling, when made into knives, is worth £36 ; needles, £71 ; penknife blades, £957 ; balance springs of watches, £5000. ,