FAREWELL BANQUET.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 27 March 1909, Page 3

FAREWELL BANQUET.

A farewell banquet was tendered to Mr P. J. Hennessy, President of the local Chamber of Commerce, member of the Borough Council, Harbour Board, and School Committee, in Perreau’s rooms on Thursday night. The gathering was representative of the town and district, and accommodation at the tables was taxed to the limit. Senior Cr Stiles occupied the chair, and the guest of the evening was seated at his right. The Chairman read apologies for absence from Messrs Ed. Newman, M.P., John Stevens, J. G. Wilson, William Ross, and others, who all expressed the most kindly sentiments towards the guest. Mr W. Ross made a suggestion that it would be beneficial to the hemp industry were Mr Hennessy asked by the Government to inspect and report upon the hemp industry, etc., in. various countries he intended visiting. After the Rev. Mr Aitken had said grace, the following toast list was honoured: —“The King,” proposed by the Chairman, and accompanied with a verse of the National Anthem. In proposing the toast of “The Guest,” the Chairman said he thought it must be very gratifying to Mr Hennessy to. see such a representative gathering present to do him honou: - . Mr Hennessy had always striven to do his best in local public matters, and had not been actuated by selfish motives. He regretted that on account of failing health Mr Hennessy was taking the trip abroad. He v/ould carry away with him the good wishes of his fellow townsmen, and the hope that he would come back fully restored to health and be enabled to take up his public and private duties with renewed vigour. As a borough councillor, the guest always had a thorough grasp of details ; at times he spoke forcibly but not with the intention of hurting anybody’s leelings. He had occupied every position of honour in the town —as Mayor, President ot the Chamber of Commerce, and School Committee, and had filled them with honour. He had just missed being elected Chairman ot the Harbour Board, owing to his unavoidable absence from the first meeting. It was fitting, therefore, that the citizens should evidence their appreciation of his public services. The Chairman also referred to Mr Hennessy’s and Mr Alex. Speirs’ efforts in having a clause inserted in the Municipal Corporations Act, conferring extended borrowing poweis to local bodies. He referred at length to Mr Hennessy’s efforts to constitute the Harbour Board. As a private citizen Mr Hennessy had a soft side to his nature which was touched by the needs of others and many people were grateful to him. He had pleasure in conveying to the guest the hearty appreciation of townspeople. The toast was drunk enthusiastically and with musical honours and cheers.

In rising to respond, Mr Hennessy was greeted with prolonged applause. He thanked them very heartily for their expression of good will. If someone had said something to get his “paddy” up he would feel iu a better mood to talk, but he was afraid kind things were not congenial to his nature. He had done no more than what be considered to be his duty as a citizen and was therefore not entitled to any special thanks although he appreciated their tokens of goodwill. He was pleased to see three old friends present whom he remembered when he first landed in Foxton—a broth of a boy from Ireland, 31 years ago—and possessed of a beautiful Cork brogue (laughter). The friends referred to were Messrs T. Bovve, Hillary and Jenks. As time wore on he took a lively interest in local public affairs. There bad been a little excitement at times and if he bad ever thrown a missile it was done with the force of conviction behind it, not because he had any intention to hurt any one’s feelings.

In proposing the toast of “ Parliament, coupled with the name of Mr Ed. Newman,” Mr F, W. Frankland said he thought they had chosen au especially bad man for that duty. As a recently defeated candidate for Parliament, it appeared to him to be savouring of arrogance for him to ask them to drink that particular His misgivings were changed to delight when he was informed that the toast of Parliament was to be coupled with the name of Mr Edward Newman, their sitting member. He regretted his absence. He was glad of the privilege of expressing, in public, the special esteefflr that he entertained towards Mr Newman. He referred to the recent general election struggle, and said that Mr Newman had borne himself throughout that campaign in a way to leave no bitterness behind, Was scrupulously fair and honourable, and courteous to his opponents. Aside from party politics, he was a gentleman m every way, eminently fitted to represent this constituency in the national Parliament. Despite the personal disappointment, he liked to linger over the memories of that campaign. He then contrasted the legislation of the New Zealand Parliament with that of other nations—to the latter’s disadvan-

tage. It was only necessary to travel in order to realise how truly frightful are the conditions of life for the mass of mankind in other countries, as compared with what they are here. He thought the newly elected Parliament both needed and deserved a more than usual measure of our sympathetic support, because it was no ordinary situation to which it might ere long have to address itself. On the wisdom of its deliberations more than ordinarily great issues might bang. He referred at length to the grave issues in the Home Parliament, and expressed the opinion that the crisis that had overtaken us could have been avoided if Mr Lloyd George and Mr Winston Churchill had not advocated a “penny wise and pound foohsf” policy in the immediate past. Mr Frankland concluded a very telling oration by reterriug to the interest Mr Newman was evincing in local matters, and said he would make a worthy successor to Mr Stevens. The toast was drunk with enthusiam.

The toast of the “ Borough Council ” was proposed by Mr Horublow, who paid a high tribute to the work of the past and present Councils. He thought the Council should advocate a loan for drainage and water supply purposes. A pan tax of 17s 6d per pan had been proposed by the Council. This was estimated to produce .£338 12s 6d per annum. This pan tax was equivalent to a rate of 1 3-i6d in on the unimproved rateable value of the borough. This amount would provide interest and sinking fund* on a loan of ,£BOOO over a period of 41 years, which should be more than sufficient to cover the cost of an up-to-date sewerage scheme. If a 2d rate was struck it would provide a loan ol approximately ,£13,000 which, provided the water from the Manawatu was found suitable after filtration, would be sufficient for a combined high pressure water and drainage scheme for the borough. He would do his best to forward the scheme. He paid a tribute to the Town Clerk, who, he said, held an unique position in the Dominion, in so far as rate collecting was concerned. During the past five or six years that official had succeeded in collecting annually every penny of the borough rates. Crs Jenks, White, and Stiles responded. Cr Jenks referred to the long association with the guest in the Council. Cr White referred to the fact that it was impossible for the Council to carry out schemes if it had not to money to do so. Difficulties which appeared to be mole hills, when tackled, became mountains. People bad no cause for complaint of a 17s 6d pan tax to clear filth from their back yards. Cr Stiles thought the scheme suggested by Mr Hornblow a good one, and referred to other Council matters.

In proposing the toast ot the Harbour Board, Mr R.Moore, who has been closely associated with Mr Hennessy in the formation of the Board, outlined the steps taken from the commencement of the agitation until the Harbour Board Bill became law. He regretted, without desiring to cast any reflection on the present chairman of the Board, that Mr Hennessy had not been elected to the position by reason of his knowledge and the great interest he had displayed in bringing the Board into existence. The toast was responded to by Mr Hennessy, a member of the Board, and the Rev G. K. Aitken. Mr Hennessy said the toast of the Harbour Board was very congenial to him and also to those present. It was said that fair play was • characteristic of the British people, but it did not apply to the Foxton Harbour Board. Fair play had been altogether foreign to it so far as the Government were concerned. It was a case of might against right. ■ He dealt with the subject figurately and after illustrating how a parent sought the welfare of his offspring, said that in 1876 a child was called into being by legislation and named the Foxton Harbour Board. It was endowed with a heritage viz., foreshore, pilot reserve, wharfage dues, etc. Its guardians were the then members ot the Harbour Board, who failed, through some reason, to exercise the duties which devolved upon them, and never obtained or even demanded the wharfage dues conferred by statute upon the Board. Similiar Boards were established at the same time to control the ports of Wanganui, Patea and Waitara, Each Board, excepting Foxton,claimed the privileges conferred upon them. The Foxton “child,” however, grew ill through the neglect on the part of its guardians, and ultimately died. Owing to the neglect ot the local Harbour Board at that time (1886),it, together with several other Boards, with less natural advantages than Foxton, were dissolved. The revenue accruing from the wharf after the Act of dissolution was passed, was collected and absorbed by the Railway Department, whereas the profits from 187610 1894 should have been placed to a trust account according to statute, and held for the purposes as set out in the Act of 1878: The Harbours’ Act 1878 Amendment Act, 1886 (clause 3), gave the Governor-in-Council power to exercise the function and duties of the Foxton and other Harbour Boards on those Boards being dissolved. In 1894 a special Act was brought down, authorising the Government to collect wharf dues. He contended that the Government had no legal right to expend the surplus revenue collected per medium of the wharf during the period the Board was formed till the amending Act was placed on

the Statute Book, authorising the collection of dues. lie then referred to his interviews with Cabinet Ministers, touching the revenue question. Referring to the deputation that waited upon Sir Joseph Ward in Palmerston, wherein Sir Joseph Ward in reply to Mr Stevens, stated that it was quite true that the Railway Department had taken the revenue, but it must be remembered that it had provided the capital to enable that revenue to be obtained, and it had kept up the maintenance of the necessary wharf until the district decided to form a Harbour Board. Mr Hennessy said Sir Joseph Ward was in error, and that the wharf was constructed by the Public Works and not by the Railway Department, as was done in the case of Patea, Wanganui and Waitara, and then handed over to the Boards above mentioned, as a quid pro quo for the foreshore taken by proclama--1 tion for railway purposes. Further,Sir Joseph Ward had stated that there were several similar wharves under the Railway Department in the colony, and if the Government were asked to hand over the wharves, it would have to refuse in three cases out of five. Mr Hennessy said his reply to this was that there was no analogy between that statement and the conditions obtaining in reference to the Foxlon wharf. Sir Joseph had also said that Foxton had failed to accept its responsibilities as was the case with Patea and Wanganui, and the Railway Department had had to exercise those functions at Foxton. Mr Hennessy said, to his mind, the foregoing admission by Sir Joseph made the Government’s position in regard to the wharf untenable, because they had been handsomely repaid for anything they had done. Ministers had also stated, said Mr Hennessy, that it would be creating a precedent if the Government handed over the wharfages to the newly-constituted Board. The Board was asking for its birthright, and he ridiculed the precedent argument, and instanced precedents continually created by the Government. The present Government were only perpetuating a policy laid down by previous Governments, and were not seized of the whole facts and history connected with the local port. He had pointed out to the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones that if the Foxton Board were granted the wharfages, the Government would effect a saving of about £I6OO a year by the improved facilities of the local port. He defied the Government or any one else to show where a similar state of things existed in regard to the management of harbours in any.part of the world. It would be necessary to keep on hammering at the Government until the Board obtained justice. He was of opinion that the Ministry, of which in point of loyalty he would not concede a second place to any r man, did not thoroughly understand the position in regard to legislation and history connected with the Foxton Harbour. Referring to the future policy of the Board, he said he was under an obligation to Mr Frankland, who had placed at his disposal certain literature in reference to dredging, etc., and cited works for deepening harbours that had been accomplished by suction dredges etc., in different parts of the world. He had information in reference to a dredge which at a cost of from to would considerably lower the Manawatu bar. He concluded by stating that the port was now only in its infancy and was capable of being merged into one of the most important shipping centres iu the Dominion. He paid a fine tribute to Mr Moore, solicitor to the Board, for unstinted legal assistance rendered.

The Rev Mr Aitken, who had been associated with Mr Heunessy on the first deputation that waited on the Minister for Marine, when the latter gentleman had suggested the formation of a Harbour Board, referred to the great dredging works which had been carried out on the Clyde and at Brisbane and of the methods adopted. He concluded by expressing the hope that when the leading lights of the Foxtou Harbour were erected they would be called the “ Hennessy ” lights in recognition of Mr Hennessy’s efforts in establishing the local Board.

Other toasts were : Chamber of Commerce proposed by Mr G. W. Morgan, and responded to by Messrs Hennessy (president) and Rae-Howard (secretary); Flax Industry proposed by Mr Alex Speirs, and responded to by Mr O. E. Austin (flaxmiller) and Mr P. T. Robinson (secretary Flaxraills Employees’ Union) ; The Press proposed by Mr Alf. Fraser, and responded to by Mr Hornblow. The health of Sir Joseph Ward and appreciation of his gift of a battleship on behalf of New Zealand, was proposed by Mr Thos. Bowe, and drunk with much enthusiasm. Reference was made by the Chairman to Miss Hennessy, who is to accompany her father on the trip. The proceedings, which were of a most congenial nature throughout, were brought to a close by the singing of "Auld Lang Syne.” Those who contributed vocal and other items were Messrs RaeHoward, Smith, Hornblow, Bullard, Woods and phonographic selections by Mr Bradley. Mr Eerthold presided a( tbe piano.