BANQUET TO MR BRYCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1882, 2 July 1888, Page 3

BANQUET TO MR BRYCE.

. (per press association.) ; Wangandi, July 1. The banquet to Mr Bryca last night was r an unprecedented suooess. The Commitr tee bad prepared for OV9r 10) guests, but the itiflax of visitors from the country m order to be present brought up the 1 number to over 150, for whom extra ■ provision had to be arranged on the > instant. The Garrison B»nd was present, ' and the gallery of the theatre was graced by the presence of a large conoourse of s ladies, who evinced the greatest interest ' m the proceedings, and many of whom '■ remained In their places until midnight. . The gathering was presided over by the Mayor. The assemblage inoluded three Ministers of the Crown (the Hon Messrs Fergus, Fisher and Hislop) and over a eoore of members of the Legislature, embraolng all political sections. Numerous apologies, expressing the highest esteem and appreciation for the guest of the evening, were read from the Premier and absent Ministers and other members of Parliament, who were unable to be present. The usual loyal toaata having been duly honored. Sir John Hall, K.0.M.G., proposed the toast of " The Quest of the Evening, the Hon J. Bryoe," In doing so be referred at length to Mr Bryce's qualities as & man, settler, and statesman, to his unswerving rectitude and oourage, and to the moat characteristic and prominent events of his political career. The present was but an event expressive of widespread appreciation — a halting place — m that csreer, for he refused to believe, and the oountry would r. fuse to believe, that Mr Bryoe'a political live had ended, and that his groat services ware for evermore to be lost to the State. la concluding Sir John Hall presented Mr Bryoa with an address beautifully engrossed and handsomely bound, atd together with it a catalogue of the library with which the subscribers desired to present him. (The value of the Uotary 1b nearly £400.) Mr Bryce replied at some length, de preoating the praise that had been bestowed upon him, saying that whatever he h)d accomplished had been due to the magoanimity of his ohlef , Sir J. 11*11, and the other members of the able Ministry with which he had been associated, and who had always been ready to Btand aside, and to permit him to receive the praise f( r a line of polioy for which they were jointly responsible, end all equally entitled to the credit of the success. Re* ferring to his suggested return to political I fej he did not feel that any services he o>uld render would be of value m the present ODndltlon of political affairs. Neither was he de9lroua of re-entering the political arena, but should the time arriva when he could feel that his services were required he did not know that he could decline to be guided by the oall of duty, to whloh he had never yet consciously refused to respond, Speeches were afterwards made by the Hons. Fergus, Fiaher, and Hislop, Messrs Bruce, SoobSe Maokenzie, Fulton, Do<?» son, Buonanan, Allan, McGregor, Anderson, Graham, Lawry and Mackenzie, M.H.R.'s, Colonel Trimble and several looal gentlemen, and a most enthusiastic gathering broke up a few minutes after midnight.