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Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 652, 5 February 1859, Page 4

The*■ Independent" gives an account of a Public Dinner to William Fox,. Esquire :—•... ■ A Public Dinner was-given at Biarratt% Hotel, on Thursday evening last, to William Fox, Esq., as a compliment to that gentlemen for the very able and triumphant, man net- in which he vindicated the Liberty of the Press in defending the action for libel recently brought against the proprietors of this Journal by Messrs. Bowler and Varahani, The dinner was intended to be rather of a private than a public character, arid it was originally arranged that . covers should, be laid for about •■thirty but it was found impossible to refase the numerous hienda who applied for admission. The company numbered about sixty, and had the dinner been advertised, a very large number would hay assembled to do honor to the occasion.

The Chair' was, occupied by the Father of the 1 ress m tins colony (Samuel Revans, Esq.) who happened to arrive only that morning from the country, and who,."-when applied to, gladly consented to^do the honors of the,table on so important an occasion. In the course of the evening Mr Revans mentioned that in oonjuriefon with Mr. Ghapman now- of Melbourne,,he: sthrbfed the first 6rfoni.il daily newspaper, " the Montreal: Advertiser," .and was the proprietor of the first press in New Zealand the " New Zealand ; Gazette;* .published in Wellingtoji, 1810. After the cloth had been removed, the usual %al and Patriotic toasts of "The Queen,"— Ihe Prince Consort and the rest, of the Royal Family," "The, Armband Navy," and " His fccellency the (Jovernor" were given from the Chair and. received and responded to in that loyal and

hearty manner so characteristic of Englishmen. Between the above toasts the National Anthem and other songs were aung by some of the gentlemen present. "Isaac Earl Featherston, Ksq», Superintendent of the Province,"»was then given and received in ,the most enthusiastic manner. Song, original—" Unfurl the iFlag, Ked, White, and Blue." The next toast was " The People, the source of all power" and was appropriately responded io by Mr. Micaiah Read; ■ • .. ■ ■■■ ■. The chairman then called for bumpers for the toast of the evening, "The health of W. Fox Esq., and the Liberty of the Press," which was given in a very able and complimentary manner by the chairman, who presented to Mr. Fox a memento which was well calculated to keep alive the nature of the attempt that had been made to curb tlie liberty of the press. It consisted of an obelisk abonfc a foot high, on whicli was neatly engraved on a silver plate the following inscription:— ,

THIS MONUMENT "WAS ERECTED TO RECORD THE TRIUMPHANT • VINDICATION OP THE. LIBERTY OF THE PRESS, At Canterbury, November 18, A.D. 1858, BY W. FOX, Esq., Who annihilated the pretensions of J. Varnham and W. Bowler, in their attempt to stifle PUBLIC OPINION. , On another silver plate was engraved The following are the names of the Intelligent and patriotic,jury -at-. " H. A. SCOTT, FOREMAN: A. C. Croft, G. D. Lockhart, J. Palmer, J. T Peacock, F. E. Stewart, T. B. Wynter, C. K. Vigers, C. W. Bishop, A. R, Creyke, E. A. Hargreaves, and A. J. Alport. . The front panel was made to open, disclosing a plate not of Corinthian but of real Brummagem brass, the inosUuitaT>le material,^ was thought, on which to engrave the following inscription:— To commemorate the names of _ J- Varnham and W. Bowler, Who assailed the Liberty of the Press at Wellington, but which attempt was happily frustrated by a Jury, Nov. 16,1858.

This handsome little monument was the liandywork of Mr. Marriott, and the engraving was executed in a style that'would have reflected credit on any artist. The presentation, originally intended as a burlesque, caused considerable merriment especially when a small carved fox was, at the request of the guest of the evening, attached-to the pedestal. :

Messrs. Fox, Brandon, and Titzherbert spote to the toasts of the evening, the first at some length, fceveral songs were sung, and other speeches deli--vered, and-the company separated about 12 o'clock.