THE MAYOR AND THE MACANDREW BANQUET.

Evening Star, Issue 3951, 23 October 1875, Page 2

THE MAYOR AND THE MACANDREW BANQUET.

The following correspondence between his Worship the Mayor and the Banquet Committee haa been handed to us for publication : m , tT , Dunedin, 11th October, 1875. To his Worship the Mayor, Henry J. Walter, Dsq., Dunedin. ’ Your Worship,—The'General Committee have instructed me respectfully to intimate to jour Worship that a demonstration of welcome and a banquet arc intended to be given by the citizens of Utago to his Honor James Macandrew, on his return from the General Assembly to Otago. It has been proposed bj r the Committee that the day of his Honor’s arrival should be ob served as a holiday, and I have also been instructed respectful *y to reqne-t that your Worship will be pleased to proclaim that daj a general holiday, widen no doubt will he approved of by your Council and the citizens at large. A copy of the resolution of the Committee is annexed hereto. The day to be named has not yet been determined ] but it in to be so airangi d that your Worship slndl have at least four clear days’ previous notice, and also be furnished with a

PWBwWßtoo* th« intonded pfocewHteJi.*®* soeotfully requeuing your early Mply, I hate, &0 -» (Si.ned) JoH.f MBBALD, C onvener of Demonstration Committee. XL solved—That the convenei of this Committcv be lotructed, and lake this as an in- • true‘ion, to write his Worship the Mayor of Dunedin, rc-spectlully requesting him to pro* o.nim a hu.iday in honor of the return of Ilia -ionor the >nperiiiteinlent of Otago to this Province from Lis duties in the Assembly.” City Council Ckunb-is, Dunedin, loth October, 1875. Dear Fir,—! do myself the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yonr letter of yesterday’s date, intimating that a demonstration of welcome and a banquet arc intended to he given by “ the Citizens of Dunedin,” to his Honor James Macandvew, M.H.K , on his return from the General Assembly of New Zetland, and asking me, as Mauir, to proclaim the day of his Honor’s arrival in Dunedin as a general holiday, I share with the gentlemen who hare formed themselves into Committee in this matter a high appreciation of his Honor’s public services, and am very desirous of joining in a I fitting acknowledgment thereof accrdingly ; but 1 may remind you that it has been broadly ns-erted in the public Press—and the statement remains, so far, uncontradicted--that it is the intention of the banquet Committee, as presently con-tituted, to make the gathering au occasion, not simply fur acknowledging hia Honor’s general pub ic services, but for demonstrating the undying attachment of all who way be present, and e«pc tally of now almost all who may be on your Committee, to the obsolete forms of Provincialism and Provimial Governments, To this proposal I demur. If the Committee see their way to promote the banquet to his Honor on the simple grounds of his general public services, which have already extended over the greater portion of his life, then the whole body of ci ieens will bo with them, and I shall have pleasure in asking the community to observe a public holiday; but if, as is repres uted, it is the intention of the Committee to make a show of demonstration in favour of Provincialism, by endorsing his Honoi’s recent opposition to the Abolition of Provinces Act, lately passed by nn overwhelming majoiity through both Houses of Parliament, tt.cu 1 venture to say they will make a mistake,, tor I do not believe that, M regards abolition, tho bn k of the oltiscns at* at one with his Honor, and as Mayor of tho City I cannot see my way to proclaim a public holiday in furtherance of the views of any particular political party. The vary composition of your Managing Committee warrants tho belief that the object proposed to bo arrived at by the banquet is as I have indicated.

If so, I shall, I regre*-, be unable to comply with your request; but if, on the other hand, it can be clearly understood that the demon* -tration is not be a question of Provincialism versus Abolition, then I shall be most happy to promise to ask the citizens to observe the public holiday you suggest, and to aid, to the best of my humble ability, in making the occasion a thorough success.—l have, Ko. , Jlknbt J. \v m/itr, Mayor. JoliD' Fibbald, E-q , Convener of .Demonstration Committee in inspect of proposed banquet to his Honor James Macaudrow. Esq,, M.H.E. Dunedin, October 16, 1870. His Worship the Mayor, Henry J. Walter, Esq., Dunedin. Your Worship, —As convener ot the Committee of demonstrate >n of welcome pioposecl to be given to his Honor James Macanrirew, M.HE., onlps return, I have the honor to noknowledge the receipt of yonr Worships letter of tho IKth instant thereon, In reply to mine of the 14th. and the resolution annexed. J^f' 0101111^6 ftre gU to learn t!iat yotif Worship appears to liave Die same opinion an themselves, and shares with them a high approelation ot Ins Honor’s public services, and are desirous to join in a fitting acknowledgment tnereo’.

The Committee would again respectfully refer your AVorsh p to the ievolution, as they feel rather surprised it should be thought the demonstration is intended to bo of a political party character. They have carefully avoided leading the public to believe anything of the kind, and tuey fail to bgg why they ou t? ht to take the slightest notice of any broad assertions or gratuitous insinuations of the public or party Press. Ihe Managing Committee is composed of parties of all shades of political opinion. It was not considered necessary that a complete list of names should be published, and what was done had no reference to such a coincidence as your Worship infers; therefore they cannot see why their composition “ warrants the belief that tho object proposed to be arrived at by a banquet is as I (you) have indiGated. . } ,l ™ to say that the “ holiday ” is not intended to have anything to do with any banquet, and no reference is made thereto in the resolution mentioned herein. It is probable a banquet wi 1 not lie given on the day of his Honor s arrival. ihe Committee much regret that your v\ orship appears to have seen so many obstacles iu your way about a matter which they think is quite plain au.d straightfoiward, as the demonstration is not intended to assume an aspect or a question of Provincialism or Abolition. The Committee respectfully request that your ” orship would be kind epougnto reconsider the holmay question, and see your way to conceding their request, and again beg to refer your Worship to the resolution accompanying the letter of the 14th Instant, I shall be glad to receive an early reply,—l have, &c,, J John Should, Chairman and Convener of Demonstration Committee. City Council Chamber, Dunedin m t i 0.,, , 19th October, 1875. io John Sibbald, Esq., Chairman and Convener of Deni oust-ation in respect of a welcome to his Honor the Superintend dent on hie return from the General Assembly. Dear Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge m c . ltCei your letter of date as per margin (loth Octoh r, 18ci), in reply to my communication of tho Ifiih inst. I am glad to lie assured that Die proposed demonstration of welcome is not to be a party affair, and is to be tendered on the general grounds of his Honor’s public services lids being so, I shall have very much pleasure in inviting the citizens of Dunedin to observe a whole or half-holiday, whichever your committee may leem advisable on the day of his Honor’s return to Otago from the General Assembly. —I am, &c., Hknuy J. Walter, Mpiyor. H, J. Walter, Sir,—As some misunderstanding seems to have arisen regarding tho proposed holiday, and as we cannot positively fix said day at present, please take no further steps in the matter until to-morrow evening, when the Committee will make final arrangements.—l have, &0., R Ro.'-suoifuji. Dunedin, October 10, 1875,

To his Worship tbo Mayor, Heavy J. Walter, Esq. Your Worship,—At a meeting of the Subcommittee held last evening, the correspondence between your Worship and the Demonstration Committee was placed before them, and from which it would appear that your Worship attaches gn at importance to the character of the banquet intended to be given to his Honor James Mncandrew, ihe Commit ee have instructed mo to state that the banquet is intended to be given to his Honor in acknovvl dgonient of his great Dublin services in the General Assembly. And the Committee have also instructed m* to state, in order that no misunderstanding may occur as to the nature of the demonstration, that they reter your Worship to the re.olution accompanying the letter sent you on the 14th instant, and uspectfully request your Worship to proihdni a holiday accordmg to the terms thereof.— l have, &c., ■n ~ , JaMKH BbOWN, Dunedin, October 21, 1875.