THE BANQUET TO MR BRYCE AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3675, 25 April 1883, Page 3

THE BANQUET TO MR BRYCE AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

iSTew Plymouth, This day. The banquet last night to the Hon. John Biyce was very numei'ously attended, and it was past midnight before it, came to a ulo.se. The Mayor presided. Mr Biyce spoke several times during the evening "in replying to various toasts. In responding to the toast of his own health he spoke for nearly three-quarters of an hour, defending the policy he-had adopted in native affairs. He spoke to the colony, but it is impossible to give even the substance in a brief summary. He sympathised with the settlers in their complaint at being .slandered by the Southern parts of the colony, but said that those who wrote the slanders neither knew the district or its people. He referred to a book recently published in England called the History of New Zealand, in which it .stated that during 18G9hc (Biyce) murdered women and children. He had not seen the book, but should take steps against the slander. He asked them if they had ever heard of him doing such a thing, which he publicly denied, and branded the author of the book a liar, slanderer, and a coward. He referred to some remarks of the late Bishop Selwyn, who wrote in defence of the European settler's treatment of the native race. Mr Brycc then reviewed what had been done by Ids Government in the settlement of native affairs, and showed that he any other man would have done towards Te Kooti if they had been placed in the same position. Ho praised the conduct of the native chief who had taken part in releasing Jess's Hursthouse and JfewsUaw, and

said, if the amnesty proclamation had not been issued, Avould Te Kooti have acted in the noble manner he had done. He said that the King country rvas iioav opened to Europeans, and there Avould be no further obstruction to surveys, roads, or railways. He said that the difficulties which had arisen at Cambridge had been caused through the legal profession prolonging cases, in some instances till the costs had absorbed the Avhole A-alue of the land in dispute. He concluded by saying that the time would come Avhen the Maori could be trusted as any European Avould be, Avhen they would be governed Avithout any special larA-s, or have other than European courts to apply to. In replying to the toast of "The Ministers," Mr Bryce said, in reference to Major Atkinson's "national assurance" scheme, that although the Mayor rvas a little premature —a century too soon, perhaps— yet a scheme for the relief of poverty something similar to the one proposed would in time be generally adopted throughout the Avorld, he believed. Iv proposing the " Mayor and Borough Councillors,'' Mr Bryce said that, although a AVanganui man, still he rvas a New Zealand colonist, and the prosperity of one place Avas of as much interest to him as any other. Mr Hursthouse, in responding to a toast, said he was under a debt of gratitude to the chiefs Te AVetere and Te Kooti, avlio, had they been European friends of his, could not liaA'e treated him in a more thoughtful and kindly manner Avhen he was released from tho fanatical Maoris aa'lio had tied him and Mr NcAVsham up. Major Brown, in replying for the "Colonial Forces," said Governor Gordon, knowing he (BroAvn) had left the colonial service as Native Commissioner, had sent an aide-de-camp to him in the hopes of obtaining grounds to bear out the assertions made against tho Ministry regarding the treatment of the natives, but hehad declined to satisfy him, for although he (Brown) Avas a IoA-al subject of the Imperial authorities/yet he considered his loyalty Avas due to the colony first.