BANQUET TO MR R. J. SEDDON, M.H.R.

Kumara Times, Issue 1564, 1 October 1881, Page 2

BANQUET TO MR R. J. SEDDON, M.H.R.

About thirty gentlemen sat down to supper in the Town Hall at ten o’clock last night, the occasion being one of welcome to and sympathy with Mr R. J. Seddon, on his return from Parliamentary duties. Host Stewart catered for the company in his usual excellent style. Mr F. J. Byrne, presided, and opened the proceedings, by proposing “ The Queen and the Royal Family”—a toast which was drunk in silence. Mr Byrne said : I rise, gentlemen, to propose the chief toast of the evening—“ Mr Seddon.” For some years we have been in the habit of giving him an entertainment. But it is more necessary now than ever. During the last session of Parliament he (Mr Seddon) was the best abused man. I take it that this means that our representative has been persistent in his demands—[Hear, hear], and has consequently been much abused. He has been fighting our interests against a majority. While I acknowledge the right of the Press to criticise, you will doubtless have observed that during the last few months of the two gentlemen representing ns in Parliament, while every organ in the colony was holding one up to scurrilous abuse, here this evening wo find lie still possesses our confidence, and we are here to-night to form the nucleus of a community who will return him at the next election. [Loud cheers,] Mr R. J. Seddon, M.H.R., said : Mr Chairman ! Friends ! —I thank you for the hearty and cordial manner in which you have drunk my health. My position here to-night is one of embarrassment : I did not expect the reception I have met with ; I thought 1 would he met on my return with coldness, owing to misrepresentation from a certain quarter; but I am pleased to see that I possess a large amount of your confidence. You are called upon to trust your, representatives jiist as a proprietor would his manager. If that confidence is abused, dont send him back again to his post; hut if you find that on the whole he has acted honestly and fairly, and your interests have been conserved, send him back again.—[Hear.] I will give a short resume of what transpired during the last session of Parliament. You have been told that it was an unimportant session. I regard it as the most important session that has ever been held. By the new Representation Bill, men are disfranchised, and women and children are to take their place ; the minority will be ruling the majority, and until we are placed on an equal footing we may say that to be disfranchised is now the law. I will undertake to say that the West Coast of the Middle Island will he the greatest sufferers by this new Act. You have been told that no measures of importauce have been passed : the Railway Construction Bill is a most important measure, and a departure from the Public Works policy of 1870. We are now snuffed out. We next come to the question of internal affairs. With regard to the Crown Lands Rating Act, I might say, in mining parlance, they “ made the best of a had shift.” To the discredit of Parliament, instead of facing ihe question of Local Self-government, they stood aloof from it. To further that question 1 was prepared to lend the Government all the assistance in my power. The important measures ought to he introduced in the earlier part of the session. The Licensing Bill does not meet my approval in the essential points j it puts ail' the restrictions upon the licensee, and neither satisfies publican, Templar, nor the public. The licensing Bench should not be an elective one, and I shall not rest satisfied until we have a nominated Bench. Under this Act any person can take out a wine license. The fees are increased from £3O to £4O; and public-houses are to he closed at 10 instead of 11 o’clock. What we have

at the present time suits us best, and should not have been taken away until something better were substituted. In reference to the Reduction of Gold Duty Bill, I managed to carry it through the Lower House, and it passed its second reading in the Upper House the first time it lias been done since the year 1870. The abolition of this tax means a saving of £30,000 per annum to the gold miners of the colony. In 1870 the average was £3 per week as against 30s now. On that basis there should be a reduction of 50 per cent in taxation. The County Councils of Westland, Grey, and Inangahna had been the cause of the continuation of the present tax, and rendered my efforts to do justice to Knmara futile. The Buller County Council was the only one which showed a noble example, and telegraphed to the Government that they were prepared to do without it. The goldfields counties of Otago and Auckland did not interfere, and their members supported the carrying of the bill. At present on the Goldfields the revenues for local purposes are raised at the rate of £IOOO from business people, as against from the miners, whilst in number they are about equal. The earnings of the business people are twice that of the miners; they have every comfort and no risk to life, and should be called upon to pay their fair share of taxation. To make things equal it would require a rate of 6s in the £. No man would stand that; there would he a general outcry and a rebellion. Yet under existing laws the mirners pay that excessive and crushing amount. Now, as regards certain paragraphs that have appeared relative to rating mining property, the ignorance displayed by these penny-a-liners is simply disgusting and yet forsooth they pretend to lead public opinion. God help the public, I say, should they be so blind as to be' led by them! The clause in the Gold Duty Bill dealing with this question has never been altered for the three years I have introduced the Bill. The alleged fault is now discovered simply because an election is coming on. Now I challenge the detractors of my bill, and I am prepared to prove that six miners would, under its provisions, pay yearly only 6s taxes as against £l2 paid at present. From 1868 until 1876, the law was as 1 now wish to make it. Yet where is the man that ever [mid rates on mining property ? Where is the local body that dare demand it. It was fried once, and resulted in a miserable failure. I shall at the earliest opportunity, put this matter right with the public, and shame those who would mislead. Now, as regards local matters and requirements, the district has been well provided for. • The sludgechannel will shortly be finished; the upper and lower dams are to be repaired and made ; the road ; to : Christchurch road will he finished by Christmas; the road to the Terenmkan bridge is completed. Under these circumstances you will, hope, generously give me credit for having done my duty; at the same time the Government have acted liberally with Kutnara. Out of the £22,000 for water-races, Middle Island, Kutnara has and will have expended £14,000. These are stubborn facts, and to my detractors as to my short-comings must prove at all events that “ all is well that ends well.” lam satified ; I hope you are. Water to Kutnara is life ; that provided, with our vast mineral wealth, we shall for many years to come prove ourselves to have the premier gold-field of New Zealand. If my past services as one of the pioneers of the place and as your representative have been so satisfactory and beneficial to you, to the district, and to the colony, then I have done all I desired, and I am still prepared to do more. Your assistance and the cordial welcome given me to-night amply rewards all my endeavors. I believe in liberalism. I believe in New Zealand, I have always endeavored to do ray duty to put down abuse and act the part of a man. As the representative of men —and a better class never existed than exists on the goldfields of Westland—l trust I have given satisfaction and that that you have never regretted sending Dick ideddon to Parliament.—[Loud cheers.] Song by Mr Rodgers ; “Never forget the dear ones at home.” Mr W. S. Hanna : Mr Chairman and gentlemen—l quite unexpected to he called upon to propose “ The Parliament of New Zealand,” and I cannot understand the position. There is no Parliament at the present time. However, I hope we will have in the next Parliament as good a local representative as at present—[Hear, hear]; he has done his duty towards us ; he has done what he thought was the best, and I think he has pleased us.—[Cheers.] Soog by Mr Sadden— 1 “ The British Yonnteers,”

Mr Secidon : As I am the only representative present, it, of course, devolves upon me to respond. I may say it is necessary always to have a Govei ninenh The present Parliament will not be dissolved until the 28th February, 1882 v They are a jolly lot of fellows. However much members disagree in the House, they are sociable and friendly when they get out of it. But it Would redound more to the credit of Parliament if bills were brought down earlier* in the session. I would like to see the Estimates brought down earlier. Some members say I will be “ toned down” [Laughter]. I thank you for the hearty manner with which the toast was proposed. “ Song by Mr Pollock : “ I am going to live and die in the old log cabin in the dale.”

Mr Wylde : Mr Chairman and gentlemen—l feel much honored in having to propose the toast of “ The Mining Interest j" it is one for which this meeting is specially applicable. Our representative here to-night has been specially fighting the battle of the raining interest—[bear, hear]. A great wrong has been done us in depriving the West Coast of a representative. It is most absurd that a child should have a vote ; the child of the agricultural laborer has as much power as a miner ; the opposite is more in justice. Let us keep out of the . next Parliament all those who are opposed to the mining interest; and carry him shoulder' high at the next election who best serves our interests against all comers.— [Cheers.] Mr Brown responded, saying: I must return the thanks of the mining community to our present representative. The County Council live on us. I believe this is the most prosperous place in the district, but it would be more prosperous if there were more water.—[Hear, hear.] Mr D. Hannan proposed—“ Local Governing Bodies.” The toast, he said, places me in a somewhat awkward position. We all know their usefulness, however ; they can command and effect a deal of good, and can also do a great deal of evil. No man could do more than Mr Sedclou has done in endeavoring to remove an obnoxious tax.— [Hear, hear.] Song by Mr Burgess : “ The Lighthouse.”

Mi- Barnett responded ; he said 5 Everyone does his heat in his particular sphere. I thank the gentlemen present for the manner in which the health of the local governing bodies has been proposed. Mr Seddon was pleased with the reception of the toast. He hoped to see harmony exist. Mr Pollock also returned thanks. The Chairman announced that he had just had put into bis bands apologies for non-attendance from the Mayors of Hokitika and GreyranUth, and also from Mr Handle, through inability to attend. Mr -Hanna was called upon for a song; but gave a recitation—“ The Spanish Champion.” Mr C. Peters proposed “ The Press," coupled with the name of Mr Janion.” Mr Seddon took occasion to refer to the very satisfactory manner in which the Press had fulfilled its work during the session. Mr Janion responded; It was the first time he bad the honor in replying to the toast in the capacity he now was at a political meeting. He referred to his efforts always to have original and local matter in the columns of the local paper in reference to reprint, the space at command being necessarily small; if there were any short-comings in this respect, he took it that the hearty manner in which the toast had been drunk was evidence that, his efforts in this respect were appreciated and satisfactory,—[Applause.] Mr Roth well proposed “ The Commercial Interests.” Mr Barnett responded. > . The Chairman proposed “ The health of Richard John Seddon, junr.” Mr Seddon replied. . Mr Burgess “The health of the Ladies.” “God bless them all !” Song by Mr Wylde : “ When good King Arthur reigned," Mr Seddon “ The health of the Hon. Mr Gisborne.” He had been a staunch ■ friend of the miner. V Drunk with “ Three Times Three.” i Mr D. Thompson ; You have drunk to the health of Mr R. J. Seddon, sen,, and R. J. Seddon, jun.: I will now propose " The health of Mrs Seddon'.”—, [Cheers.] ' Mr W. S. Hanna proposed “ The health of Mr J. Byrne, the chairman.” Mr Byrne responded. Mr Seddon “The Host and Hostess, Mr and Mrs Gilbert Stewart.”

The singing of Auld Lang Syne” and “ God Save the Queen” concluded this veiy convivial reception.