General Feilding's Visit.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 129, 27 November 1894, Page 2

General Feilding's Visit.

PUBLIC RECEPTION. A public reception was accorded to [general and Mrs Feilding in the Assembly Rooms yesterday afternoon. In passing, it might be mentioned that General Feilding is Chairman of Directors of the Colonists' Land and Loan Corporation, an English company, which was established with a view to assisting some of the deserving poor in London, and who were assisted to New Zealand and settled in the Manchester Block (comprising 106,000 acres), purchased from the Government in 1872. The block was purchased by the then Emigrants and Colonists' Aid Corporation (the name of which has been changed to Colonists' Land and Loan Corporation) through the agency of General Feilding, who is now making his third visit to New Zealand. His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Carthew) presided, and expressed tho pleasure he had in doing so. He referred in complimentary terms to the work done by the E. and C. Aid Corporation from their inception up till now. The original scheme had been formed with a philanthropic view, being to help those who could not help themselves. There was plenty of land and plenty of room in the colony for settlement. If other parts of the colony had been settled on tho same lines as this part had been by the Corporation it would have benefited Great Britain. There were some present who remembered General Feilding's first visit, and others who remembered his second. One of his (General Feildiug's) desires was to soe settlers prosper. They had met that afternoon to present General Feilding with an address. He might mention that one name was accidentally omitieJ from the signatures; he referred to that of Mr P. Bartholomew. He then called on Mr E. Giesen, local agent of the Corporation, to present the address. Mr Giesen read tho address as follows : — "To General the Hox. William Henry Adelbert Feilding : " Sir, — We the early settlers and other residents in the Manchester Block desire to welcome you on your again visiting the town which bears your name and with whose history from its earliest infancy you have been so intimately associated as tho prime mover in the work of the Emigrants and Colonists Aid Corporation. It will, we feol sure, be most gratifying to you to noto, during your present visit, tho progress which has been made both in the town of Feilding, aud in the Manchester Block generally, during the nineteen years which havo elapsed since you were last in New Zealand. "The Borough of Feildiug now contains 1700 inhabitants and tho rost of the Manchester Block which 19 years ago was an uninhabited wilderness of primeval forest, has been converted into more than 1000 cultivated and productive homesteads, made accessible by 200 miles of metalled roads and occupied by a prosperous community numbering about 4000 souls. " To the attainment of so desirable a change we recognise that the operations of tho Corporation over which you preside very materially contributed during the earlier years of the settlement. •'Wo beg you to accept our most hearty congratulations on tho comparatively recent and most auspicious event which has afforded to us the additional pleasure of welcoming Mrs Feilding also on this occasion. We trust that Mrs Feilding with yourself will find much pleasure and full satisfaction in visiting this settlement, the object of your great anxiety for many 3'ears and of your active interest up to the present time, and we beg to assure you in conclusion of our earnest wish, for Mrs Feilding and yourself, that your lives may be long and happily continued in health and prosperity together." Following are the signatures to the address :— Edward Giesen, H. L. Slier - will, A. W. F. Halcombe, G. Kirton, W. Carthew, E. Gorton (Colonel), F. Moore (Major), J. Liddle (Major), E. J. Allen (Manager 8.N.Z.), W. H. Hartgill, W. B. Giesen, L. E. Reade, H. Bastings, A. R. Curtis, A. Richmond, F. Owen, J. H. Worsfold, F. A. Monckton (M.D.), O. C. Pleasants, O. Pleasants, H. Adsett, C. Bray (senr.), C. Bray (juur,), P. Thomson, C. Carr, J. McLaren, W. G. Haybittle, B. Gosling, T, W. K. Foster, F. Towler, Revington-Joues, W. Bailey, W. Light, N. Gorton, J. Sorley (M.D.), J. Purkiss, C. Warne, A. Bell, F. Lothbridge, D. Downes, Hector Booth, G. Wheeler, T. Shortall, J. T. Belk, Jesse Mexted, S. Knight (senr.), G. Mexted, R. S. Abraham, J. Stewart, R. Flower, A. Clark, Edwd. Smith, H. G. Vickers, J. Menzies, G. Younger, J. Nilsson, P. G. Francis, Wm. Nichols, H. C. Nissen, W. G. Pearce, A. R. Wratt, D. Laing, J. Murphy, H. Axup, H, Rutherford, T. J, Smith, R. E. Young, Wm. Baker, S. T. Hunt, C. Selby, G. Prendergast, Robert Brown, E. M. Lewis, Wm. Mexted, C, Milieu, M. Murphy, G. H. Allerby, W. Remnant, G. Tarnbull, C. Jansen, M. P. Sorensen, P. Henaghan, G. Shannon, G. B. Simpson, J. D. McLauren, J. W. Bramwell, J. W. Ashworth, F. Pope, R. Lankshear, Robert Mcnzies, G. Hitchman, C. A. W. Hunt, R, Bowler, F. R. Jackson, Wpi. Cook, J. A. Belk, G. Wickham, C. Wickham, J. T. Bray, Isaac Brent, C. E. Halcombe, J. W. F. Halcombe, R. Woodley, J. Mitchell, and J. Patron. General Feilding, in rising to return thanks for the presentation, was greeted with applause, He said it was the proadest moment of his life to be in that hall and see so many faces whioh he saw first in England. The Mayor referred to the reason wbj the Corporation was formed, and he thought he should make clear its objects. The E. and C. A. Corporation was formed for philanthropic purposes, but before he joined it, Lord Denbigh (the speaker's brother), the Duke of Manchester, Mr Ashurst and a few others knowing the suffering in the East end of Lou don associated together to confer with colonial Governments with a view to settling aonie of the poor on laud. The Corporation was originally started in 1867, but nothing was done till 1870, when he returned from the Franco-Prussian war. In 1869 he had experimented by sending forty families to Queensland, but this experiment was a failure. As he had had the experience of this trial Lord Denbigh went to him and asked for his co-operatiqn. He got leave to travel and went to the different colonial Governments to see which would offer the best indues* ments. After visiting the Australian colonies he came to New Zealand and he did not wan( to go further. H<) saw that this colony was. the njost suitable. Sir Julius Yogel was Premier at the time find after consulting with him and Governor Bowen he eventually met Mr *\. F. Halcombe in 1871. Hearing that there was ayail&b]e ] a nd up thjs coast he came up tq see wljat it was like. After inspect* ing a block this side of Fox ton he came throuiih th,e hush, from Paltnerston to here and rode to Mount Stewart and Mount Taylor and from what he saw he decided to inak.p an offer for- this block The next question wfta how to raise funds to get emigrants here. He laid proposals before his colleagues and joined the ooard of directors in 1872. Financiers did not agree with their idea aud they had jji'eat ditticulty in vaiajntf papital. In 157, 2 they had less than MQQO, in 1873 less than .£20.000 and with 450,000 lent the^jiu 1877 by the Duke of Manchester they had under ±'50,000. In 1878 they had to carry on tho work with X' 52,000, aud in 1880 his brother lent them 170,000, and to this the Corporation owed its finauoiai suecegg. Tbe peoplg ftt gojje begin, to gee.

chat the project proved a success, and now there were iv the block 200 miles of metalled roads. They went to the stock exchange again for money, but could not get it unless, to their regret, they would change the name of Emigrant and Colonists' Aid Corporation to Colonists' Land and Loan Corporation. Although a financial success, it had only paid 5 per cent, interest for the last eighteen years ; but their work, to a certain extent, was philanthropic, and their wish was to see the people happy and prosperous. They had transferred from the Old Country willing hands who could not find work. Personally, his work was done, and it was gratifying to him that two years ago in England he had been complimented by a committee of enquiry from both Houses of Parliament, appointed to enquire into the best means of alleviating poverty, the chairman of which stated that the Corporation's seemed to be the only scheme which was successful in two main points — namely, financial and beneficial to those removed. They were singularly successful in securing men for service in New Zealand. Mr A. F. Halcombe, who was present in the ball, had rendered valuable assistance, for had it not been for him he did not believo he (the speaker) would be hare. He would also like to have seen Mr Macarthur, Mr J. Beattie, and Mr Levin, each of whom were now dead, on this visit. He had known Mr Macarthur from his young days, and he (General Feilding) knew him to be a man of probity and worth. Mr Beattie's loss was also a subject of the greatest regret. These men had left behind them their mark. The General also spoke in feeling terms of the death of Mr Levin, who had rendered valuable advice and assistance. Mr Pearce was still alive and doing good service. It was to these men that the colonial affairs of the Corporation were absolutely trusted and it waste their trustworthiness the success of the Corporation was due, nothing being done against their advice. There seemed to be some misunderstanding about the Corporation, which was not altogether a nioneymaking concern as their shareholders were without interest for a while. The directors were obliged by law to look after the interest g of their shareholders and altogether he might do a thing as a man he might not be able to do it as a director. They could not do as they liked with money or land belonging to tho Corporation. They gave sections to every denomination in the settlement at the time it was founded. He referred to the death at Homo of men who were interested in colonisation, namely, The Duke of Manchester, Lord Denbigh, Sir C. Clifford, and others. It had been the source of great congratulation to him to hear the district spoken of as it is in all parts of the colony. He would feel proud to take tho address Home with him and he hoped they would continue to prosper. The General then sat down amidst applause A little daughter of Mr Towler handed up two beautiful bouquets for General aud Mrs Feilding. The Mayor expressed pleasure at the General's remarks and Mr T. Dixon, ono of the original settlers, expressed his approvai of tho honesty and ability of two of tho Corporation agents, Mr Halcombo and the late D. H. Maoarthur. General Feilding said he had omitted to mention the name of one person, of whom they were specially proud, he referred to Mr Owen Pleasants. Mr Pleasants was not the class of man they wished to assist as he was in a good position, but they never regretted sending him out and they felt proud of him. The meeting terminated with three cheers for General and Mrs Feilding and a vote of thanks to the Mayor. THE BANQUET. In the evening General Feilding was entertained at dinner at the Manchester Hotel, about forty persons being present. His Worship the Mayor, Mr W. Carthew, presided. The tables were tastefully arranged, and the menu presented a variety of dishes, which did credit to Host Bastingi and his assistants. At tho conclusion of the dinner several toasts were proposed and honored, the first being that of •» The Quean," proposed by the Chairman, who also proposed the toasts " His Excellency the Governor" and " The New Zealand Parliament. 11 Mr Giesen then proposed " Our Guest," and in doing so referred to the loss they had sustained by the death of Mr Macarthur. He said of the 106,000 acres originally purchased only a few town sections remained. Besides settling the Block, the Corporation also lent money, and he might mention that there had had been only one foreclosure, and that was for a Halcombe property, and all the interest had been paid np. He hoped they would all drink the General's health. General Feilding expressed the pleas, ure he felt at being present. He again referred to the advancement of the district and people and remarked that the roads in the district were the best he had seen. They had spent nearly £100,000 in improvements, but he could not say the exact amount. Ho saw that Mr C. Bray, who made tho roads, waa present, and he could assure thorn tho roads were the best foe, bad seen. He would take this, opportunity to, thank the local managers, on behalf of the directors and shareholders, for the way in which they had conducted the affairs of the Corporation. They had no desire to make lanje profits, but they wished to establish a reserve fund for their own safety. The social as well as financial succoss of the district was also noticeable. He expressed bis pleasure at seeing so many old friends. Mr A. Richmond proposed the toast of 11 The Early Settler*, " ooupled with the name of Mr A. F. Halcombe The latter gentleman reviewed the difficulties they had to contend with since he first otme up the coast forty years ago. In the early days the merchants of Wellington laughed at the idea that this was a good district. He referred to the sturdy class of men who settled in the district and that the work would be carried on by a race worthy of the old settlers. Mr U. L. Slier will proposed the toast of " Our Visitors," coupled with thenainM of Colonel Gorton and Mr J. Linton (of Palmers'on) who responded with suitable speeches. Mr W. H. Hartgill proposed " The Lndita," Mr W. B. Giesen replying, and Getnra.l Feilding piopossd the health of "The Mayor." The gathering fls.. parsed affer singing "Gad saye th* Queen " and, '• Auld Lang Syne."