BANQUET TO MR BRYCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1245, 24 May 1886, Page 2

BANQUET TO MR BRYCE

The Banquet to Mr Bryce took place at Wellington on Saturday. About MO guests were present, including some two score ladies. The Mayor was in the chair. Messrs Stout and Ballance represented the Ministry, and besides these the two Speakers, Major Atkinson, Colonal Whitmore, Colonel Brett, Mr Uolleston, and a large number of members of both Houses, were present. After the usual and loyal patriotic toasts had been honored the Mayor proposed the health of the guest of the day. Mr Bryce, who was received with great enthusiasm responded at some length. After adverting to the presence of the ladies as particularly appropriate when the honor of public men was concerned, ho said he was grateful for the presence there that day of members of tho Ministry and political opponents, and he paid a graceful compliment to the Premier’s broad and sympathetic cast of mind. Ho said he was advised from the first by able lawyers that his opponent had no possible ground of defence by law, and as he knew in his own heart he had never slaughtered women and children, he believed he had right and conscience on his side ; yet there was one point—one only—on which danger lay. The colonists of New Zealand had been charged with treating the Natives unjustly, and knowing there was a prejudice in some quarters defence was solely conducted from the Exeter Hall point of view. Sir John Horst tried to impress on the jury that the Native history of New Zealand was “one tragedy,’’ and this was the view that by some people had been persistently urged in England, and in placesjhad found belief. If they really had treated the Natives like that they certainly would deserve the execration of their countrymen at Home, but actually there was no instance in all history of a subject race being treated with the same kindness and generosity as in our own ease. Mr Bryce, in support of his statement, alluded to the advantages possessed by the at soma length. He had two things to be proud of—the reception and confidence shown in him by the colonists, and the knowledge that while the defence relied on the prejudices of certain classes in England, and particularly in London, he had put his trust in the justice of an English Judge and jury, and it had not failed him. He desired distinctly and openly to avow that he did not believe one word of the story with which Dr. Eeatherston's name had been connected, and he was satisfied he had never said anything of the sort. In conclusion, he would say that the welcome he had received since his return to New Zealand, and the gathering that day, showed that the fame of its public men was dear to the colony.