DINNER TO MR. FITZGERALD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 641, 29 December 1858, Page 7

DINNER TO MR. FITZGERALD.

A dinner was given at the London -Tavern yesterday week, hy the directors of the Intercolonial Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, to James E. Fitz Gerald, Esq., the late SupervntencJeeviu>£-. Con ftcc->«ny_~??c--<- Zpala ijd; ~-W-he~ Jfon. Robert Fulke Greville, the Chairman of the company, presided. . \

Among the number present we noticed the Hon. James Fitz Gerald, Capt.. Clarke, Mr. Z. C. Pearson. Mr. E. Donnatt, Mr. G. Edmeft, Mr. Thomas Cave, Capt. Dyer, Mr. C. S. Todd (ex-Sheriff of Hull), Mr. Jas. Coleman,- Mr. Hewitt, Mr. Edward Coleman, Mr. Thomas Dyer. Mr. James Wortlev, <tc. &c.

After the usual loyal toasts,"the Chairman called upon Mr. Cave, who proposed " The Colon.y of New Zealand, and success to its development, its Trade and Commerce," coupling with the toast the name of James E. Fitzgerald. Mr. FitzGerald responded in an eloquent and glowing speech, pointing out in a most forcible manner the great and peculiar advantages which the colony of -New Zealand offered to the emigrant. The colony, he said, was divided into six provinces, and it was of the utmost importance that a constant, rapid, punctual communication should be kept up between them; he had long seen the urgent necessity for it, and now felt the gratification of seeing it supplied by the Intercolonial Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. New Zealand was gradually becoming a powerful colony, and therefore the demand for means of communication was fast increasing. He was very much startled to learn from statistics placed in his hand by the Prime Minister of Australia that in the year 1856 the amount of shipping between New Zealand and Sydney was within a few tons as much as the shipping between Sydney and England.. It might partly be attributable to the diggings, but it had certainly very much surprised him. It powerfully demonstrated the immense capacity of the two colonies, for if such was the case when there was such a demand for means of communication, what would it be when there was a good supply of vessels ? Within the last two years there had been a great tendency to look to New Zealand as a desirable field for the investment of superabundant capital (hear-, hear). Many capitalists who bad extensive possessions in Australia having discovered the rare advantages with which nature seemed to have favoured New Zealand, bad already invested in the colony a considerable portion of their capital. No industrious man, however poor, need starve in New Zealand, he would alwa3rs find plenty; the soil was so rich and the climate so well adapted to the constitution of the Englishman. It always appeared to him a matter of astonishment that the citizens of this country allowed their brethren to throw their capital and energies into other countries instead of into tbe colonies, seeing the indneem v s the colonies held out. He had lived to see the co'onv of New Zealand grow from nothing into English confidence, and be considered it tbe very best field for colonization (cheers, and 1 c:ir, hear). Coining from a colotvy in which he bal seen the position of the labouring man whit i ought to be—that of independence and plenty, and where he had never seen an hour's real want under the most, trying circumstances—to this c untrv, in .vhich be now beheld poverty which he had not seen for the last eight years, he might 1 c excused if he took the liberty of uttering a few remarks

in favour of New Zealand (cheers). The lion. gentleman, after drawing attention to the many wnys in which the Intercolonial 'Company, might direct the'stream of colonization, earnestly and sincerely wished tlie company success. ,

This admirable speech was'received with most enthusiastic cheering. •

Several oilier toasts were proposed and responded to by vnrious. gentlemen in speeches of considerable* ability, after which the meeting separated.— Australian-and Neto Zealand Gazette, ■Oct.-2.