BANQUET TO HON. WALKER.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 3 September 1901, Page 3

BANQUET TO HON. WALKER.

(per press association.)

Wellington, September 2. A banquet tendered by the “Eighty Club” in honour of the Hon. W. 0. Walker, was held to-night. The company which numbered upwards of one inndred included Mr Seddon, Sir Joseph Ward, Hons. Mills, McGowan and Carroll.

The Premier responding to the toast of Parliament, said it had been asserted it had cost the Colony a million to send away the contingents to South Africa, bat as a matter of fact the cost was only 41138,000. He announced that the Customs revenue last month established a record the amount being £227,000, as against £222,000 for the corresponding month last year. The Customs revenue for five months of the financial year was £893,000 as against £904,000 for the corresponding five months of last year, despite the fact that last session Parliament had given away £15,000 in Customs remissions. In face of these figures there was no justification for croaking. Sir Joseph Ward said it would be found that as time Wl

ent on, instead of there being any weakness in the financial structure it rested on a very solid basis. Mr Walker was presented with a handsomely illuminated address and a number of silver souvenirs. He said the payment of good salaries to teachers wat at the root of sound education and for the sake of all concerned it was necessary to put teachers on a proper and satisfactory footing in this matter.