COMPLIMENTARY LUNCHEON TO MR MURRAY-AYSLEY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2394, 5 December 1881, Page 4

COMPLIMENTARY LUNCHEON TO MR MURRAY-AYSLEY.

The members of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association entertained Mr Murray-Aynsley at luncheon on Saturday afternoon, on the occasion of his projected departure for England. About sixty gentlemen sat down to luncheon, which was served in the rooms of the association, Hereford street. The chair was occupied by Mr J. R. Hill, president of tho association, who was supported on bis right by tho guest, and on -his left by the Premier, tho Hon. John Hall. Mr J. T. Ford was vice-chairman. After ample justice had been done to tho good things provided, Tho Chairman proposed “The Health of the Queen and the Royal Family,” which was drunk with the usual honors. Letters were then read from the following gentlemen, apologising for their unavoidable absence:—Mr Robert Wilkin, Mr Wm. Ohrystall, Mr J. T. Matson, Mr W. Henderson and Mr Mann.

The Chairman, in proposing tho health of the guest, regretted that the task had not fallen into abler hands. They were all aware that the luncheon was given by the members of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. Had i: been one given publicly ho was perfectly certain, that instead of fifty or sixty being present there would have been hundreds. The committee of tho Agricultural and Pastoral Association recognised that it would be illiberal, in fact almost disrespectful, on their part to allow so prominent a member of their association to go away from the country without doing him some honor. Therefore they thought tuey might meet him to-day, and wish him a pleasant voyage and a safe return. If tho Agricultural and Pastoral Association of Canterbury, which might fairly claim to occupy, if not the first, at any rate not

second position, had done any _ good in the country—if it had done anything in the way of educating the people, so as to bring about a better class of stock—its success was, to a great extent, attributable to the efforts of individual members. It might seem egotistical on the part of any one of them to say anything in praise of tho association of which they were members ; but he thought they might fairly claim that tho superiority of the stock which they had seen exhibited year after year in Christchurch had bean owing to tho way in which the association had conducted its shows, and to the help it had given to the agricultural and pastoral interests of the prowince. Of the individual members there was not one who had given greater help than Mr Murray-Aynsley. [Cheers] Occupying, as be had done in the past, the position of president, there was no one who had looked after the interests of the association in a more faithful way then he had done from the beginning to the end. On that account ho would ask them to drink bis health, and also to wish him a pleasant voyage and a safe return. [Cheers,] The toast was drunk with honours and •* He’s a jolly good fellow,” one cheer more being given for Mrs Aynsley, The Chairman said he desired to take the opportunity of publicly acknowledging tho great assistance which Mr Aynsley had rendered him personally during the time ha had had the honor of being president. [Cheers.] Mr Murray-Aynsley, in rising to respond to the toast, was received with loud cheers. He thanked them sincerely for having invited him there that day, and for the way in which they had received what Mr Hill had said. But of course they knew that there was always on these occasions a great deal of ornamentation added to what was real. [“ No, no.’’] He had been connected with the association for eighteen years, and had always felt an interest in its welfare, and been ready to do what he could to assist it. They had seen the association grow up from a very email beginning, when tho stock shown was of various qualities, until now, when only first-olass stock was exhibited, and when, by imitating the largo shows at Home, they bad made this the premier association of New .Zealand, No doubt the members of the committee had worked very hard to attain this result. Ho saw around him many of his friends who had boon working on the committee for years, notably their late president, Mr Norman, of whom nobody could say that he had not worked harder than many younger men. [Hear, hear.] There were many suoh examples for the younger members to follow. The committee being unfortunately limited in number at the present time, and there being no power ■of resignation, ho was unable to give way for a younger man to come in, but in a couple of months there would be a vacancy. With politics they had nothing whatever to do, but this would not prevent him from mentioning that, as they had now become an incorporated -society under an Act of Parliament, and their proceedings had to be recorded every year in tho journals of the House, they might hope "that the publication of their annual reports might do good to the colony, of which they were a part, [Hear, hear.] It would depend upon the members of Parliament to what extent those reports would result in benefit to those outside of the society. Canterbury had increased its grain growing and its agricultural produce altogether, and had been making rapid strides. In certain parts land was deteriorating in this colony, but they saw grass growing where wheat was failing. They still went ahead. If they had three or four years’ bad times they exerted themselves, and reached a higher level than they wore before. They never went backwards; they might stop for a year or two, but then went on. In the United States it was different There if they did not go backwards, they had to keep on seeking now land, and were not progressing to the same extent that New Zealand wa?. There wag no doubt that if the people of Canterbury continued to use their beat energies, and if the association did not flag in its efforts, they would succeed in shaping out a good future for themselves ; and he hoped to meet them next year and to witness still further signs of progress, fCheers ] He wished to thank them for tho honor they had done him in inviting him as their guest on the present occasion, and also for their kind reference to Mrs Aynsley. [Cheers.] Mr Bolleston, who was received with loud applause, said ha had been called upon to propose the next tocet and he would have great pleasure in doing so. It was “ Tho Health and Prosperity of the Agriculturol and Pastoral Interest throughout the colony.” At first he had soma slight misgivings as to why it bad devolved upon him to propose this toast. Some doubt had passed through his mind as to whether it was in consequence of qualities which had recently been attributed to him as those of a most valuable adjunct to an agricultural farm, or whether it wae because of what had also been attributed to him in the public papers—an interest in the grazing pursuits of the colony. [Laughter.] But, joking apart, ho foit that there was a certain propriety in this toast being proposed by him as a Minister bolding tho portfolio of Minister for Lands. [Cheers ] Ho did not ray that such a toast would not come well from a Minister holding any portfolio. He would feel equal confidence in proposing it as Minister of Mines, representing in that capacity on interest which was mote closely bound up with the general interests of tho colony than was ordinarily supposed. But as Minister for Lands he felt very strongly that he had a certain claim to propose this toast. Tho department over which ha presided was more largely concerned than any other in the development of the paetorol and agricultural interests. Those interests in this province had set an example which his own experience showed him the rest of tho colony had not been slow to follow. In his capacity as Minister for Lands he had boon from one end of the colony to tho other, and with some small acquaintance with the subject, and certainly taking a great interest in it, it had been his business and also hia pleasure to find how thoroughly tho experience gained in Canterbury in the matter of agriculture had boon spreading itself throughout the colony at large. Ho was thankful to think that tho shows which the society, of which their guest had been a president, had held in Christchurch had caused a knowledge of implements and of stock to spread through tho country. Wherever he went he found people quoting what had been done hero and tho interest that had been developed in this province. He found Canterbury machines and Canterbury stock, and, above all, wherever ho went ho found a Canterbury farmer setting tho example throughout the country of what could bo done in the way of agriculture. [Cheers.] His hope was that tho meeting at which they were assembled would show to the old country the respect they entertained for men who had been foremost in promoting this great interest in the country, for say what they would it was the interest upon which the future prosperity of the colony depended more than another. [Cheers.] At the present time it might bo 1

prematura to speculate to what extent that interest might be represented in the ensuing Parliament, but he hoped it would bo represented there in a more practical manner than had been the case up to the present time — that gentlemen practically engaged in agriculture would give up more of their time to the public interests than they had done in the past. ("Cheers.] It was his hope that the industries of the colony would bo more specially represented both in the Ministry and in Parliament than they had been. The Legislature in one of its enactments had contemplated the appointment of a Minister of Agriculture. He hoped the time was not far distant when the agricultural interest would be so largely represented in the House as to call for the appointment of suoh a Minister. He did not know that there was anything more that ho could say. It was a great pleasure to him to be present to do honor to one whom, in common with other gentlemen in the room, he had known for many years, and who, he > was sure, everyone present wished a safe and speedy return to the colony. [Cheers. '; The toast having been drunk with honors, the Chairman called upon the vice chairman, as representing both interests, to respond.^ Mr J. T. Ford, who on rising was received with cheers, said he remembered the first meeting of the Association, more than twenty years ago, and how very small a thing it was then as compared with to-day. There was one respect, however, in which there was a resemblaßoe—-the first meeting was as convivial as that of to-day. [Laughter.] It afforded him very great pleasure to bo present on this occasion and to bear his humble testimony to the great good which Mr Murray-Aynsley had done for the association, and to tho way in which he worked to further its interests. As a working member of the association he felt proud to think that he, with the others, represented the premier society of New Zealand —in fact, he might say, the premier Agriculture! and Pastoral Asso oiation south of the lino ; because he did not believe there was a town in tho Australian colonies whore they could get up such good shows as those which were held in Christchurch. [Hear, hear.] With regard to kindred associations and local shows, when the latter wore first started he thought they would have the effect of injuring the Central Association. He did not think, however, that they had done so, nor that they would in the future have suoh a result. They would bring together the best stock in their respective localities, and the association would have the best stock they could produce there brought into its show yards, where would be exhibited the very best stock that could be produced in the colony. He was quite aware that from time to time they might be able to make some little improvements, but in the meantime he might be pardoned for saying they felt proud of what they had done. That the outside public appreciated tbeir efforts was sufficiently proved by the amount of support which was accorded to them. Ho hoped the association would long continue to flourish, but it would only do so if it had men like Mr MurrayAynsley to support it. [Cheers.] Mr John Ollivier, in a humorous speech, proposed the health of the chairman, which was drunk with honors, and responded to in suitable terms.

This concluded the list of toasts, and the party separated. The luncheon, which gave general satisfaction, was furnished by Mr Messenger of His Lordship’s Larder.