BANQUET TO HIS HONOR THE SUPERINTENDENT

West Coast Times, Issue 248, 9 July 1866, Page 2

BANQUET TO HIS HONOR THE SUPERINTENDENT

When his Honor the Superintendent landed from the Auckland, on Monday last, one of the earliest duties of the Reception Committee was to request him to appoint an evening on which it would be convenient to him to be entertained at a pablic dinner. By mutual arrangement Friday evening last was fixed, and the banquet came off 'accordingly, at Fitzsimmons' Commercial Hotel, the Masonic Hall being used for the occasion. The room was Very tastefully decorated with flags, evergreens, and devices. Three long tables stretched from end to end, with seats occupied by guests, to the full capacity of the apartment. About eighty persons sat do.vn to a feast exceedingly well served. The bill of fare was a most comprehensive one, including all delicacies. We may add that the wines supplied were of excellent quality, that every request of the company was promptly and freely responded to by the caterer, and that the utmost satisfaction with the arrangemets made by Mr Fitzsimmons was felt, and freely expressed throughout the evening. At half-past eight o'clock his Honor, the guest of the evening, entered the halJ, and was conducted by the Committee of Reception to the upper end of the room,

where ho was placed at a cross table on the right hand of the chairman, Mr E. Prosser. The chairman was supported by Mr Moorhouse, the Bishop of the diocese, and Mr Bright, M.P.C., on his right — by Mr Commissioner Sale, the Rev. Mr M'Gh-r, and Mr W. Fisher, secretary to the committee^ on his left. The Bishop (the Right Rev. Dr. Harper) having said grace, the company proceeded to do ample justice to the good things sot before them. After the tables were cleared, the usual loyal toasts of v The Queen," and " The Prince of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family," were proposed, and duly honored. The Chairman then proposed the health of " His Excellency Sir George Grey," and in doing so said that although he had no personal knowledge of that gentleman, he could express his belief in his desire to discharge honestly the duties of his difficult position. The toast haying been drunk, coupled with the name of Mr Sale, the Commissioner, Mr Sale responded to it, and expressed his sense of the gratification his Excellency would have experienced had he the opportunity of being present at such a gathering, and marking the advancement attained by a district which had 6nly had an existence for a period of a year or a year and a half. Mr Sale concluded a brief and appropriate speech amidst loud cheers. Mr Recs said he had the honor to propose the health of their honored and respected guest. It was by the pleasure of his presence, by the frankness of his promises, by the evident.desire he had manifested to promote everything conducive to the welfare of tho district, that they had learnt to know the sterling character of Mr Moorhouse. As Superintendent of the Province of Canterbury, and as the elected member for Westland in the General Assembly, they had in their guest an invaluable guarantee that henceforth the interests of the district would be well guarded. Being British subjects, enjoying the pleasure of each other's company, having the privilege of holding free communion of thought ; free to utter any comments, not to slander, but to convey argument and criticism ; they could but feel doubly the delight of expressing their profound esteem and full confidence in one whose singleness of purpose was now well known to all.( Cheers.) Even 2000 years ago, when their forefathers came over from Saxony, they had their councils who in a measure represented them, so that a system of government gradually developed itself down to the present day, when any class, however low in worldly affairs, had the power to raise their voice through their representative in the Legislature whenever they wanted grievances removed or wants supplied. There were a great variety of things they wanted to see done, and many wrongs to be righted; and he whom they had chosen to represent them in Wellington, must be strengthened by their undivided and full support. They were, for instance, involved in a native war and other pressing difficulties, and Westland needed a strong representative. He congratulated them that they had secured one whose heart and soul was in this district. (Cheers.) They had all seen his patience, not only in listening, but also in his readiness to receive any suggestion from them, his inferiors. The promises he made on the hustings ho had fulfilled now, as before taking his seat in Parliament, he had come amongst them to learn their wants. They remembered how they had longed to see the sea abate, to enable him to visit them. Now Mr Moorhouse had come, he would say — might he be strengthened in his wisdom and successful in all his noble aims ! He would now conclude by proposing the health of Mr Moorhouse, the Superintendent of the Province and the member for Westland in the General Assembly, which was drunk with three hearty cheers.

His Honor the Superintendent, in rising to respond to the toast, was received with loud and prolonged applause. After the cheering had subsided, he said that he found himself placed in a position to which, as had before happened to him many times in his life, he found it very difficult to do justice. He had never anticipated that he should meet with such a reception as had been accorded to him on his landing, or such a welcome as he had met with during his stay here. He confessed he felt somewhat uncomfortable. He was not able to walk with sufficient grace along a path so thickly strewn with good opinions and good wishes. He would have to take many lessons from Mr Bartlett before he could qualify himself to act with ease uuder circumstances so well calculated to disconcert a man. (Laughter.) However, he felt relief in the consciousness that he would be strengthened in his position in the parliament of the colony, and in his efforts to obtain recognition of whatever measures might be necessary for the advancement of Westland. (Cheers.) He had been connected with the General Assembly since it was first established, lie believed, indeed, he might call himself the father of that Assembly, as being the first member elected to it. His claim to that distinction was, however, contested by another old member, to whom he was quite willing to yield the palm. He had at any rate been long connected with public affairs. He knew a good deal of the colony, and a good deal of its leading public men, and he hoped the circumstance would enable him to make himself useful. '' He much regretted that he had no colleague to go up to the Assembly with him ; but although he was single-handed he hoped to find gentlemen in the House who would consent to share with him, on their account,' labors which would be too much to be borne by any single member alone. He could thus serve them usefully by interesting members of the Assembly in their case. He could work for them himself in the House without making great speeches, which took up a good deal of time. He could use cogent arguments. He knew himself to be animated by a very strong desire to work for them all the good he possibly could. (Loud cheers). He had every reason to congratulate himself upon his visit to Hokitika, where as he had said, his reception had taken him by surprise. He knew that there was a feeling abroad that there existed a kind of antipathy towards them on the other side of the range. He could tell them that there was no feeling of the sort. He believed the people on the other side simply wished them to prosper, and looked upon their prosperity as part of their own. (Hear, hear.) He himself greatly wished to become acquainted with all their wants, and was much pleased to say that he had received much valuable information and instruction from the deputations that had waited upon him. He wa3 very anxious to gather public i

opinion on many topics, as there were questions of great magnitude to be dealt with. There were mighty problems to be solved and they must go to work upon them with a will. He could not help regretting^ wh,en the deputations he had ( re* ceived so intelligently pressed various matters upon him, that he had not the time at his disposal to ask them many questions in return, that his knowledge might have been more complete. However, he was glad to say that his friend Mr Bright had promised to supply him with some memoranda on one important subject, and his friend Mr Rees upon others, so that he hoped to be well posted up in the wanta of the district. He wished his Government to work in harmony with the people. So long as the Executive and the Government were on a good understanding they could overcome all difficulties. He was sorry he could not stay longer amongst them. But it was necessary that he should be in Wellington as soon as possible, and take his seat in the House of Representatives for Westland, so that the Speaker might be enabled at once to issue his writ for Mount Herbert. He knew he had very much to learn. He had been dipping his rod into the water as far as it would go ; but his line was not long enough to fathom the bottom. He would, however, come amongst them again. He had promised them on his last visit here to come over, and he had done so. Hokitika, he considered,' must always be the seat and centre of Government on the West Coast, and he had spent most of the few days he had to spare here, where the heads of the departments were, that he might make himself acquainted with the affairs of the district. On his next visit — and he intended to come here twice a-year — he would go through the whole country, from the Grey southwards. (Hear, hear.) He felt great pleasure in knowing that he was talking to commercial men. £he question of the development of the district was a question of commerce. He had always been fond of questions of that sort. He liked the game of commerce. The company he was addressing consisted of men who had looked commerce in the face in a hundred shapes, and who had a very varied experiment. He reminded them that all their success depended upon their relations with the country districts, and he thought it should be a matter of some shame to them that they had done so little to improve the means of communication with the diggings, and had been so long content to let their goods be carried on the backs of a few miserable pack-horses, instead of making tramways. He remembered a saying, "Always use a bright spade," and a good workman would always prefer a first-rate implement, although it cost something more than a coarse Brummagem tool. (Cheers and laughter.) If they took the American workman they would find that he always aimed at getting smart tools — the lastest improvements — although they cost him more money. He thought tramways were the best means they could employ here for increasing the facilities of traffic with the diggings. (Cheers.) Upon the commerce with the outlying districts the prosperity of the toWns would depsnd. The latter might take care of themselves byspending their own revenues in improvements ; but the great care of all should be to make roads between the towns and the country districts. (Cheers.^) Mr Moorhouse spoke with great favor of the tramway to tbe Kanieri, now in process of construction, and said he had no doubt it would pay, and be of great benefit to the town. He had that day made an arrangement by which the proprietors of this tramway, in return for the concession of land made to them by the Government, would convey metal from the Kanieri to town, for the use of the Corporation, at what amounted to a mere nominal charge. Another work he hoped to see advance was the tramway from Hokitika to the Grey, which he felt satisfied, from the figures that had been laid before him, would handsomely pay the projectors. He thought tramways the best and cheapest kind of road for the district, and was prepared to recommend that the Government should make concessions of land to their promoters, and, if necessary, guarantee intevest upon the capital invested in them. (CheersJ He would desire to see some of the lands on the West Coast sold, and thought it might be done without injury to the miner. He would have the land surveyed, and laid out in suitable blocks, in parallelograms — land which had not been opened as a gold-field \ and it might be put up for sale after three months notice had been given. If it was auriferous it would, be worked in that time ; or, if it was found to be auriferous after sale, the public would derive the same advantage as from tho working of any other gold bearing lands. (Cheers.) These lands occupied and settled, the great want of the country would be roads ; and the cheapest and most efficient of all roads was the tramway. With these, and the intersection of the country by tracks, as he had suggested, the work of exploration would progress, the digger would be able to penetrate the country withoutany fear of not being able to find his way out of it, and the poorest diggings might be fairly and profitably worked, owing to the cheapness with which provisions could be supplied. (Cheers.) He confessed his own knowledge of the diggings was but limited, but he had seen something, and he had conversed with those on whose opinions he could rely, and he believed that the greatest portion of the district was highly auriferous. Let them, then, open up the country by constructing tramways, which he had no doubt would be a great success, but which ought to be undertaken by pri vate enterprise, under the guarantee, if necessary, of the government. (Cheers.) He spoke to them as commercial men, and asked them sometimes for half an hour to lift their noses above their ledgers, and look upon the undertakings that claimed their assistance. They ought to embark in these what capital they could legitimately spare from their ordinary business, and they should remember what assistance they could render in floating many valuable schemes by giving them the influence of their name. As to the town, he thought they must reconcile themselves to the duty of self-taxation. With the proceeds of the sale of the town lands, with their rates, and with the wharfage dues — for he proposed to hand over the wharf to ' the Municipal Council—they might manage well for themselves. (Hear, hear.) Mr Moorhouse said he hoped the arrangements of the Government would for the future work for the advantage and the satisfaction of the district. He paid a very high compliment to Mr Sale, and aaid he was greatly indebted to him for much information. He

was glad to be able to speak of Mr Sale as i a most efficient and zealous officer of the i Government. (Cheers.) That gentleman 1 had been placed in a position of great dif- t ficulty, duties having devolved upon him j which did not properly belong to his office 1 as a gdldrieldV Commissioner. He had ■ found in Mr Sale an officer who tfa"a very i anxious to afford him information, and ■ who had never objected to sit up to any , hour in the morning to help him in understanding the requirements of the place. . Now that was the sort" of man he liked. (Cheers.) And he thought it right to say that from what he had seen of the working of the departments here, he was satisfied that the officers were an intelligent and industrious class of men, who did ! their duty faithfully, (Hear, bear.) He thought that henceforth the relations between the Government and the people might be of a very satisfactory character. Mr Sale would have larger powers, and the members of Council for the district would have the opportunity of being in constant communication with the Executive Government. He repeated his thanks for the great reception that had been accorded to him. His Honor resumed his seat amidst loud and prolonged cheers. , Mr South was called on by the Chair- . man to propose the next toast, which was 5 " The Executive Council of the Province." I He said he had not the pleasure of knowing personally any of the Members of the Council with the exception of one, but he had the fullest confidence in them because they had been chosen by Mr Moorhouse. He had had the pleasure of knowing that gentleman many years ago in Christchurch. He wa3 adverse to flattering a public man in his presence. It was adverse to the feelings of an Englishman either to give or to accept such flattery. He must say, however, that one thing had struck him most forcibly. Although not able to remain on Thursday during the whole time the deputations were in conference with his Honor, he had noticed with satisfaction the reticence observed by the Superintendent, showing that what promises he made were measured promises. The people had now their own. fate in their own hands. They must look to the head of the Executive, and next to him to the representatives of the district. Of the two members returned for the town he would speak of his friend Mr Bright as the theoretical member, and of his other friend Mr Reeves as the practical member, and between the two he thought they might arrive at a focus. (Laughter and cheers.). The toast was then drunk and His Honor the Superintendent rose to return thanks on behalf of bis Executive Council, and spoke in very high terms of the gentlemen who were associated with him in the administration of the af- i fairs of the province. He had found them fully alive to the importance of Westland interests, and prompt to render their assent to all measures calculated to promote the unity of the province. (Loud cheers.) ! Mr Campbell briefly proposed the toast of " The Clergy," which was responded to by The Right Rev. the Bishop of Christchurch. He said he had seen with satisfaction the numerous deputations that had, within the last few days, waited upon the Superintendent; but he regretted that there was one subject which had failed to be duly impressed upon him. He referred to the subject of public education. (Hear, hear.) ' He was gratified to witness the efforts that were being made to found a Literary and Gymnastic Institution, and the activity that was displayed in the district in the prosecution of other useful works. He trusted, however, that the education of the people would not be lost sight, of. (Cheers.) He would himself be a deputation on that occasion, and would beg his Honor to bear this subject in mind in the list of matters to be submitted to his Executive Council as the result of his visit to Westland. (Cheers.) Mr Eicke proposed " The members for the district," and congratulated himself and the electors upon the opportunity they had had of returning good men to the Provincial Council. He begged to coxiple with the toast the name of Mr Bright. (Cheers.) Mr Bright, who was -received with cheers, said he rose to thank them for the compliment they had paid him with a deep sense of the responsibility of the position in which the votes of the electors had placed him. However flattering may have been the request to him to become a candidate, and however gratifying to his ambition the announcement of the poll, these feelings all gave place at that moment to one of anxious responsibility. He had been much impressed by the serious, practical speech that had just been delivered by his Honor the Superintendent ; and he sincerely congratulated the district that they had succeeded in securing the services of a powerful and earnest mind. It was clear that whilst Mr Moorhouse was casually meeting them in the street, and engaging in the ordinary conversation of the hour, his eye and his mind were actively occupied in making notes and studying their interests. It was with great satisfacti6n he looked forward to the opportunity of giving, in the Provincial Council, .his support to the government of such a man, and of such an Executive as Mr Moorhouse had described his advisers to be. He regarded it as the first duty of every man entering a Legislative Assembly to range himself amongst the supporters of the government of the day, and to continue amongst them until patent and palpable cause was shown why he should go over to the other side. It was to be assumed, under a constitutional system, that tbe government of the day were placed in power by the will of the people. So long as Mr Moorhouse and his Executive exercised the powers of government so as to promote the interests of the people, and of this district in particular, he would give them his steady and warm support; But if he saw them pursuing a policy which he considered detrimental to the 'interests of the West Coast, he would be as earnest and determined in opposition as it was his present inclination to be steadfast in Support. (Cheers.) He, (Mr Bright) had been somewhat surprised at what he must call the equivocal compliment paid him by his old friegd Mr South, who had described him as the theoretical man, in contradistinction to Mr Reeves the practical man. He thought Mr South would remember that many years ago, and for years in succession, they had work«d together in taking very practical measures for the promotion of great reforms. He would add that he did not intend, as member for Hokitika, to be the theoretical man, but intensely the practical man. (Cheers.) He had put his hand to the plough and

would do all he conld to turn such abilities and opportunities as he possessed to the benefit of his constituents. He begged to thank those present who bad been amongst his supporters for the confidence they had reposed in him, and to assure the whole body of electors, those who were amongst his supporters and those who wefe not, that he would try to do his duty faithfully for ihii good of all. (Cheers*) Captain Turnbull then proposed " The Army and Navy,'' which Wa^ tespolided to in a very terse and telling speech by wf Bracken, who made some very apt allusions to the achievements of British arms in both branches of the service. Mr Cassius gave the toast of "The mining interest,' 1 which he described as the bone and sinew of the country's prosperity. He said he had been one of the first pionders di the West Coast, and expressed hi 3 confidence' in its permanent resources. Mr Gillespie responded to' the toast in an eloquent speech, in which he repudiated! the idea of the mineral resources of tW country being early exhausted, Hd eulogised the persistent industry of the mining population, and predicted a brilliant future for the West Coast. Mr O'Loughlin in a brief but very effective speech, proposed "The Commercial » Interests of Westland. 11 He said the * mining interest had been happily described las the bone and sinew of the district* (Cheers.) He would carry dtii ttie figure^ and say the commercial interest Was iW marrow. (Cheers and laughter.) It Was* owing to the efforts of the merchants to distribute goods throughout the goldfields districts, that the miners were enabled to carry on their operations. Mr Bonar responded to the toast. He dwelt tipon the importance of the mining interest as the great feeder ot commerce. He believed the' whole area of land on the West Coast would be found to be aurife- 1 rous, and that the steady yield of gold would continue for many yeafa to come* He spoke with an assured confidence in thtf richness and prosperity of the district, referred to the expediency of the formation of tramways, and congratulated the company upon the new prospects opened, to • the district by the election of Mr Moorhtfuee* Mr ' Bonar concluded a speech which was most happily conceived, amidst loud applause. Mr Bright was then Called on by tb.o Chairman to propose the Legal Profession^ which he did in a brief speech, conipli* menting the Hokitika bar iipon the very satisfactory manner in which its duties were discharged. He spoke of the advantage |it was to all young communities to have the learned professions located amongst them. In the course of his re* marks, Mr Bright made a jocular allusion to the little passage of arms that had taken place between himself and Mr South, and said they were much too old friends, and had too many reminiscences in common of happy old times, to be guilty of interchanging sarcasms. He concluded by reminding the company that from very old times lawyers had always taken a prominent and useful part in public affairs, and that many of the most conspicuous public men of the present day were members of the profession. The toast having been duly honored, Mr Rees, as the junior member of the profession present, returned thanks. He said it was not always the public were in a humor to speak so well of lawyers as the proposer of the toast had done. He was gratified to find that such a cordial feeling existed towards .the profession to which he belonged. He hoped it would work usefully, for the good of- the district. (Oheers.) The toast of " Our Native Land" was responded to very happily by Mr Eaton, Mr W. Fisher proposed " The Press," coupling with it the name of Mr Shaw. ' Mr Shaw, in responding, referred to^the great advance which had been made in late years, both in the laws affecting the Press and in its mechanical appliances. There were times in which men had been hung for being held responsible for comments which would now be considered nothing more than fair criticisms upon public affairs and public men. They were living, however, in this age, under more enlightened laws. (Cheers.) Great progress had been made in the art of producing newspapers since he had first become a printer. Then he had used a machine which was more fitted to press cheese than any other use (laughter); now there were machines at work capable of turning out tens of thousands of copies of a full sized newspaper in an hour. He thought it a matter of surprise thut, cansidering its youth and its population, Westland should support so many newspapers as it did. The Press was, however, , the strength of the people. Even in England it was recognised as the fourth estate in the realm. He hoped always to see it flourish in strength, as the guardian of the people's strength. (Cheers.) The toast of " The Ladies" was proposed by Mr J. R. Anderson, in a very humorous speech, which kept the audience throughout in a roar of laughter. It wa3 responded to very happily by Mr Moir. This being announced as the last toast on the programme, Mr South rose to express his great regret that the name of Mr Sale, the Commissioner, had been omitted from the list, and proposed that gentleman's health in very laudatory terms. The health of Mr Sale was drnnk with great enthusiasm. Mr Sale, in responding, said he did not consider there had been any omission on the part of the committee. He had been ' well pleased to have his name coupled with that of the Governor. (Hear, hear.) He then made some pertinent and feeling allusious, which were exceedingly well received, to the difficulties which had attended his administration during the earlier days of the goldfields. He regretted that the social conditions of the place had put obstacles in the way of his intimate association with the people. These difficulties were now, however, passing away, and he rejoiced in the new opportunities that were being afforded of his more intimate acquaintance with the public. Mr Sale's remarks were received with loud cheers. The Bishop of Christchurch then rose to propose the health of "The Chairman," which he did in a few terse, complimentary terms. The toast was drunk most heartily, followed by " three cheers and one over," and by a repetition of the song, n For he's a jolly good fellow." Mr Prosser, in returning thanks, spoke modestly of his efforts to serve the district He said that at a time when there wer c no men prepared to take a prominent par in public affairs he had felt it his duty N t° come forward, and he thought that any on c who consented to do so was entitled' t° the favorable verdict of the public. , He

had consented to take a leading part because no one else would do so. But he found that he was misrepresented, and unworthy motives imputed to him by correspondents who wrote to the Christchurch and Nelson papers. He thought no one would enter upon public life if this ungenerous treatment was to be awarded to them. He spoke not for his own sake, but for the sake of those who would sue ceed him in the representation of the district in the Provincial Council, who, he hoped, would be free from the unworthy imputations that had been cast upon his colleague and himself. Mr Prosser spoke with some warmth, but with the entire sympathy of the company. Before the company broke up Mr Shaw made a few observations upon the circum stances under which he had consented to become a candidate for the representation of the district in the General Assembly. He had come forward in the absence of all other local men, and before he had the pleasure of knowing Mr Moorhouse. From all he had now seen of that gentleman he could say that no one was better ■nleased than himself that that gentleman hid been elected, (Cheers.) He looked upon Mr Moorhouse as the right man in he right place. (Applause). Three cheers were then given for Mr Moorhouse, and the same compliment was paid to Mr Prosser, after which the company retired, haviag spent a most pleasant evening.