CANTERBURY LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ ANNUAL DINNER.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1381, 19 July 1878, Page 3

CANTERBURY LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ ANNUAL DINNER.

Last night the Canterbury Licensed Victuallers’ Association had their annual dinner at the Terminus Hotel. About eighty sat down in the large dining-room of the hotel ; the chair being occupied by the President of the Association, Mr J. M. Morton, and Messrs Baylee and J. W. Oram occupying the vice-chairs. The following gentlemen wore the committee :—Messrs George Beatty, E. Hiorns, E. Raveuhill, C. W. Wearing, and Henry Allen, and great credit is due to them for the really excellent repast which preluded the more important business of the evening. This began by the Chairman reading apologies for non-atten-dance from the Hon. John Hall, M.L.C. ; Mr Bowen, M.H.R. ; Mr Cathcart Wason, M.H.R ; Mr W. Montgomery, M.H.R.; Mr W. Rolleston, M.H.R.; Mr Alf. J. Parsons, president of the South Canterbury Licensed Victuallers’ Association ; Mr Isaacs, president of the Dunedin Association ; and Mr Harris, superintendent of the Fire Brigade. The Chairman then briefly proposed the toasts of “ Her Maj sty the Queen,” “His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Royal Family,” and “ His Excellency the Governor,” “The Army and Navy and the Volunteers,” coupled with the name of Captain Moorhouse, was the next toast proposed from the chair. Mr Moorhouse felt greatly honoured at the selection made in asking him to respond to the toast. The British army and navy must have their praises hymned by loftier harps than his. With regard to the volunteers he could represent them. Their services had been often recognised. He had had the honor of filling a place in the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, and that was sufficient to satisfy anybody’s military ardour. [Laughter.] He had much gratification in saying that he was a captain of artillery in Wellington, the safety of which city was, to a large extent, entrusted to him. [Laughter.] He was glad to acknowledge here the compliment paid to him hy the invitation he had received to the banquet of the evening. He had attended many such festivities in Canterbury, and could not but rejoice in the happy changes which late years had brought about. In former times their appetites were as good, but such a “feast for the gods ” as that evening’s was not to be thought of. He did not see why the same excellence should not be attained in all their appointments. He concluded by wishing that those present might never be worse housed or fed than on that occasion.

Song:—“ Nancy Leu,” Mr Carder. Mr J. W. Oram, vice-chairman, proposed “The General Assembly of New Zealand,” coupled with the names of the Honorable E. Richardson, and Messrs Moorhouse, Stevens, and Murray-Aynsley. Ho did so with diffidence and gratification. Diffidence because ho recognised the fact that upon the wise administration of public affairs depended no less a matter than the welfare and prosperity of the people. Gratification, because he saw before him the great and good men who had worked hard for the interests of those who had placed them in the Assembly. He was sure that the Assembly would not do any injustice to the licensed victuallers. For one, as a humble unit, he was afraid t hat public men received more kicks than half-pence Parliamentary life meant a sacrifice of business time for a considerable part of the year, and those who thus sacrificed their time for the good of the colony deserved the best thanks of the people. He would propose the health and prosperity of the “ Members of the General Assembly of New Zealand.”

Song—“ The Friar of Orders Grey,” Mr Walker,

Hon. E. Richardson had the greatest pleasure in responding to the toast. At a convivial meeting like the present the toast was a very difficult, one to respond to, for politics must of necessity he eschewed, besides as far as he was concerned, he had had his share of political speaking during the last few days. He might, however, say a few words in reference to the latter portion of the speech of Mr Oram. He was quite sure that it would be long before either House of Parliament would be found passing any Act which would inflict an injustice upon a large section of the community. Individual members might have peculiar views, but whatever course might be taken for the future, he was quite sure that justice would be done to every section of the community, and the large interest he saw round him would not be injured in order to please a section. Those who held views on the other side would agree with him that the members of societies such as theirs were as anxious to put down the crime of drunkenness as they were themselves. He was quite sure that legislation intended to put that down would meet with as much support from licensed victuallers as from anybody. He and his colleagues, he was sure, would do their duty in this respect. He thanked them for the kind manner in which the toast had been drunk.

Mr Stevens thanked the assemblage for their kind hospitality, and would say he felt very much indebted, as a public man, to the interest particularly represented there, for the moderation in their views politic d. They appeared to recognise the fact that ( here were more views than one upon the question which affected them. The reconciling different views was the great difficulty of public men. He agreed with Mr Richardson that the company had no desire to discuss the new Licensing Bill that night, and viewing what was before himself and his colleagues, he thought it was well that they should be happy while they might. Mr Moorhouse thought the remarks of the previous speakers expressed his views exactly, especially with regard to the moderation of the views of the licensed victuallers. He had had occasion to remark this on a former occasion when he was brought into contact with a deputation of the trade in Christchurch. He could not believe that there was any chance of the property of the licensed victuallers being confiscated to please the whim of a section. It was a maxim that property should not be taken even for works of the greatest public necessity without the utmost compensation being given. The opinions of the leaders of all sections in the House were all but unanimous on this point. Mr Murray-Aynslcy thanked the meeting for the pleasant evening ho was spending before transportation for the next five months. The former Bills, which had been brought iu by two lawyers, had gone to great lengths, but they might be sure that the Assembly would never go to the same length. There had been heavy fights lust year, but the end had been as happy as could be expected. He 1.-iped that after the next session there might I • as little cause for complaint as there had been after the last. The House, they might depend upon it, would see justice done to all parties. He again thanked them for the manner in which they had received (lie toast. Song —“L’Ame de la Patrie,” Mr Bourgeois.

Mr Sawtcll proposed the toast of the evening—“ The Licensed Victuallers and ‘the trade ’ of Vow Zealand,” a body, important not only as men but as being capable of doing much for the good of the country at large. The licensed victuallers of Canterbury had done much in providing for the comfort and welfare of the public. The weight they could bring to bear, socially and politically, was by no means small. The previous speakers had admitted their weight in the Assembly, and he trusted that the continued

moderation of their views would still further incrense their influence, not merely for thornselvts, but for the public generally. The gentleman they now had presiding over them would be no mean representative at any conference of the trade, and the lion, members of the Assembly present might safely bo trusted to, as being sure to consult the welfare of the trade and to see justice done to the strict letter, not only of law, but also of equity. Ho felt highly honored in having entrusted to him a toast to which ho was so little capable of doing justice. Ho coupl'd the toast with the name of the president, Mr Morton. There was one thing ho had omitted, and that was to hint to those of the trade who had not joined the association that it was high time they did so. Song—“ The Cruiskeen Lawn,” Mr Scott. Mr Morton rose on behalf of the Association to return thanks for the toast, and to thank those present for their attendance. He was sure no one would do more for the comfort of the public than the members of the hotel trade. Ho was pleased to see so many of the trade present. The hotel they were in, fine as it was, was nothing to what the hotels would be were all restrictions removed. The association was yet in its infancy, but if the association was made what it ought to be, it would be a public benefactor not to be equalled, Mr J W. Oram, though he should not say it, would venture to assert that the hotels of Canterbury, though not perhaps equal to those of the Continent, wore second to none in the colony. In the course of a few years there would be hotels hero vicing with those of America and the Continent. Did the members of Parliament know all the difficulties the publicans had to contend with, they would sympathise with them as much as they (the Licensed Victuallers) did with the members for what was before them during the coming five months. Ho was very glad that he had returned from his tour in time for this demonstration. Ho thanked the meeting for their hearty reception of the toast. Song —“ Close the shutters,” Mr Carder. Mr Baylee, vice-chairman, proposed the very important toast of “ The mercantile interests of Canterbury.” There was no reason to complain of this interest. The Licensed Victuallers were intimately connected with it, and any injustice done to the one would affect the other. The Licensed Victuallers wished for no special favour, but simply justice for all. The mercantile interest was, he was sorry to say, rather conspicuous for its absence at that reunion. He thought this should not be the case, for the trade expended something like £200,000 a year in Canterbury. Song—“ The wearing of the green,” Mr Scott.

Mr Sawtell said that as Mr MurrayAynsley was too bashful to respond to the toast, he would. The mercantile interest, no doubt, as had been said, was mixed up, if not linked, with the Licensed Victuallers’ Assotion. For his own part, he belonged to both bodies, and as long as business men imported the fair thing, and got a fair profit, everything would go on prosperously. Mr Barrett proposed “ The Mayor and Members of the City Council of Christchurch.” He should have been better pleased had the toast been confided to an older citizen than himself, who had an experience of only two years in this city. He supposed the reason why he had been asked to propose the toast was because he had been a member of a similar body on the West Co ist. He might refer to the remarks of Mr Oram, who had spoken iu high terms of the labors of the members of the Legislature j similar praise was duo to the members of the City Council, which would compare favorably with any similar body in New Zealand, or perhaps on this side of the line. When first ho came to Christchurch there were muddy footpaths, but now there were, he could not say how many, miles of first-rate asphalte pavements. The members of the Assembly had to meet for five months, but the members of the Council had to meet daily all the year round, and found it impossible to give satisfaction to all. As far as ho had seen they all appeared to have done their best. They were some things of which complaint might, reasonably be made ; one w'hs the miserable place in which the Council meetings were held, Still, probably the money which would have built a suitable hall, had been spent in improving the boggy streets, so that the Council was not to blame. The erection of suitable buildings would be followed by a Mayor’s Court, which would be a great convenience, and relieve the Resident Magistrate of much of his onerous duties, They had much to thank the Mayor for, for attending at, he believed, great inconvenience. The Licensed Victuallers made good use of their money, and might yet hope to find their way to Heaven. Mr Thomson (Mayor of Christchurch) returned thanks. Mr Barrett had evidently gone through the martyrdom experienced by City Councillors. He (Mr Thomson) was in a worse situation than were the members of the Legislature, inasmuch as there were several of them, whereas he was the sole representative of the Council. Mr Barrett was quite right in saying that the Council had spent the citizens’ money in making the streets in preference to building a hall. The fact was that the city had not ground enough to build a hall upon. He looked to the present members for the city to see that justice was done to the Christchurch municipality. Every improvement, or nearly so, in Christchurch had been paid for by the rates, and had the city possessed the same endowments as other more fortunate towns did, the improvements would have been much greater. Song—“ The Bellringer,” Mr Walker.

Mr Hutohinson proposed “The Fire Brigade and the Fire Police,” coupled with the names of Superintendent Harris and Captain Mitchell. They all knew how promptly the brigade and the police were at fires, and how harmoniously they worked together. To this was due the fact that fires in Christchurch were so trifling in their nature. Publicans were particularly indebted to these bodies. He did not remember a single instance of loss of life from fire in an hotel. When Providence, in its own good time, removed by fire the old wooden buildings which still remained, they might depend on Captain Mitchell and his men saving property and life. Ho trusted the meeting would honor the toast with a good flare-up. Captain Mitchell returned thanks. He was glad that Mr Harris was absent, for it would enable him to say something about the brigade. He had often wondered how it was that the insurance agents dealt so exceptionally with hotels. His experience of fires in hotels told him that they invariably occurred in adjoining premises. There were always plenty of people about an hotel during the day, and after the closing hour the police looked sufficiently after their interests. [Laughter.] The pay to the brigade amounted to a pair of boots and a badge for each man. Mr Harris received £IOO a year, and lately a little more ; but that went in treats to the brigade and a subsidy to the library. With regard to the Fire Police, his modesty would prevent his saying much; but he might point to the fact that after fires now not a single ease of theft is brought before the R.M. the next morning. Though the smallest man in the force, he had been captain for ten years. Song—“ The Marseillaise,”M. Bourgeois. M. Bourgeois proposed “The Ladies.” Song—“ Paddy McGee,” Mr Cookson. Mr Farquharson returned thanks for the ladies.

Song—“ She danced like a fairy,” Mr Ifarquharson, Mr Hiorns proposed “ The Press.” Song —“The Red, White, and Blue,” Mr Utting. Mr Beatty proposed “ The Host and Hostess,” and in doing so paid a well deserved compliment to Mr Wearing for the excellent viands and wines of which the meeting had partaken. Song—“ Silver threads among the gold,” Mr Carder. Mr Wearing returned thanks on behalf of himself and Mrs Wearing. The party, after some fur her songs and speeches, separated, having enjoyed a very pleasant evening.