Banquet to Mr Murray Smith.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1681, 10 April 1886, Page 2

Banquet to Mr Murray Smith.

(BT ELSCTRIO TELKOBiPH.— COPTWOH'i.) (BPEOIAL TO UNITED PRESS ASSOOIAT ON.) London, April 8. The banquet given to Mr Murray Smith on the eve of his retirement from the position of Agent-General for Victoria, was most successful. Fully 300 -were present, including the Marquis of Lome. The Duke of Cambridge, m proposing the health of Mr Smith, said that he (Mr Smith) had rendered signal assistance to the Empire on colonial mutters'. He strongly urced the establishment ot Imperial unity. Mr Smith, m rising to respond to the toast, was most enthusiastically received. He eulogised the founders of the Federal Council, while lat the same time he lamented that the Government of New South Wales had not assisted m it. He looked upon the death of Mr W. E. Forster as an Imperial misfortune. He thought that the - question of Imperial Federation had already been indirectly solved, and referred to the fact that four Australians had occupied seats m the representative crews of Cambridge and Oxford m the rei»>t boat raoe. Sir Arthur Blyth, Agent- General for Souih Australia, proposed the healtn of tho Chairman, and the Duke of Cambridge m replying advised the other colonies to imitate Victoria's defence scheme. The Earl of Granville, m proposing " The Empire," referred 11 to the miraculous growth of the colonies, and stated that Mr J. A. Froude, the historian, who had recently returned from Australia, was charging the Colonial Office with apathy respect ing them. Mr Smith, he said, was the best type of Agent-General, and he could not refrain from praising the singular eloquence which that gentleman possessed. Personally he (Earl Granville) was m favour of creating more army and naval cadetshij>s_ for competition by^ colonial youths, ISind advocated the for-* mation of an Australian Military College.' The toast of "The Colonies" was responded to by Sir Saul Samuel. Lord Rosebery said that Mr Smith had, during his term of, office as Agent-General, endeared himself to Englishmen, and his speech to-night was worthy of the oldest statesman. The Duke of Manchester eulogised Sir Alexander Stuart and the New Sontli Wales Contingent.

The Times commenting on the banquet, states that it was a reraorkable testimony to the universal respect and goodwill m which Mr Smith is held. Sir John Macdonald, Premier of Canada, was unable to be present owing to serious illness