DINNER TO LIEUT. PAYNTER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 59, 9 March 1877, Page 2

DINNER TO LIEUT. PAYNTER.

At the invitation of A. J. Richmond, Esq., M.H.R., the Stoke Rifles and several residents in the district and visitors from town met at dinner at the Turf Hotel last night to welcome back Lieut. Paynter, the rifle champion of New Zealand. At eight o'clock the company sat down to an excellent dinner, which was prepared and placed on the table in a manner that reflected the greatest credit upon Mrs Tidd, the landlady, and her daughter, Mrs Wilson. The chair was occupied by Mr Richmond, on whose right was the guest of the evening; Captain Marshall, Captain Lightfoot of the N.V.F.8., and Lieutenant Hodgson of the City Rifles, being on his left, the vice-chairs bieng taken by Captain Pitt of the Nelson Artillery and Captain Bunny of the Artillery Cadets. The cloth having been removed, the health of her Majesty the Queen was drunk, after which Mr Richmond proposed the toast of the evening in the following words:— Gentlemen and Volunteers— l will now ask you, not only to drink Lieut. Paynter's good health, but also to give him a warm and cordial welcome back as the Champion Shot of New Zealand, and also to welcome back the Champion Belt, which it is his honor and privilege to have brought back amongst us again after we have lost sight of it for so many years; in fact, ever since it was won by Mr Morse in 1863, just fourteen years ago. Lieutenant Paynter, gentlemen, has not only won this honorable distinction, which ought to be, and, I have no doubt, is an object of ambition to every volunteer, and which they ought to be proud of and strive by every effort to obtain, but by his skill he has also been snecessful in gaining several other prizes, amongst which is the Challenge Cup, given fnr the highest score in the match between i lie North and South Islands, and money prizes to the amount of nearly £100. Judging from these performances, we •in Nelson, gentlemen, can be justly proud of our Champion Shot. No one can for a single moment doubt but that this proficiency and skill in the use of the rifle must come from sober and steady habits, intelligence, and great attention and constant practice. To the volunteers present here to-night, especially to the younger men, I would say, that if you ever wish to gain the honorable distinction that your Lieutenant has just attained, and wish to retain, now that he has brought it, the Champiou Belt, amongst us, thenl say, follow his example and be~ steady and sober in your habits, be constant and diligent in your drill and practice, and go forth as he has done and do likewise. I will not detain you any longer now, gentlemen, but will ask you to drink Lieut. Paynter's good health in the most cordial manner, and give him a hearty and warm welcome back again as the Champion Shot of New Zealand. The toast was enthusiastically drunk with three times three and several cheers more. Lieut. Paynter replied as follows:— MiRichmond, geutlemen, and brother volun teers, I can assure you that If eel exceedingly proud of the honor done me this evening. I am naturally very much gratified at having won the much coveted belt, and am the better pleased because I hope it will be for the benefit of the volunteers in this district, that it will have the effect of increasing their number and efficiency. I was connected with the Volunteers before I came to Stoke, in those troublous times in the North Island in 1861, when there was no lying in feather beds and saying when the assembly sounded, " I don't think I'll go to parade to-day." There every volunteer had to do as he was told without any question, the alternative being the black hole and a clean clip. lam glad to say that this last never fell to my lot, for I always obeyed my superior officers. We had then hard work, hard living, and hard fighting, and were under strict discipline, and martial law, and, although I don't want to see martial law proclaimed where I am again, I think it would do some of you boys good. By strict attention to my duties, steady practice and perseverance I have attained the proud position I now occupy, and I do hope my success may have the effect of encouraging other volunteers to pay careful attention to their drill, and to render ready and willing obedience to their officers. Speaking is not in my line, I don't mind hard work, but am not much of a hand at fancy work, so I shall say no more than that I heartily thank Mr Richmond for his kindness in asking us to meet here this evening, and you gentlemen for the kind and cordial manner in which you have drunk my health. Mr Richmond then proposed the health of the Officer commanding the district, paying a well merited tribute to the unflagging zeal of Captain Marshall, and pointing to the efficiency of the Volunteer corps in Nelson as 1 the result of the interest he took in his Work. The toast having been drunk with all the honors, Captain Marshall, in replying, said it was perfectly true that lie took a deep interest iv his work, but that no efforts of his could secure the efficiency of the volunteers under his command unless they themselves were determined to attain it by attention to their drill and obedience co their officers, and this he was glad to say was the case in Nelson. Mr 'Richmond proposed the health of the Artillery Company, coupled with the name of Captain Pitt. It was a company of which any town or district might well be proud, and had established its superiority over one of the crack companies of New Zealand, the Wellington Artillery Company when they met and competed at fhe last Easter encampment held in Nelson. . Capt. Pitt returned thanks, acknowledged the compliment, which he considered a well deserved one, paid to his men, and referred to the good feeling which prevailed among the Nelson volunteers. Mr Blundell proposed the health of Captain Lightfoot, Captain Garrard, and the Fjre Brigades of Nelson. Though engaged in" a different service, they were not surpassed in efficiency by any oi the other volunteers. He referred to the graceful coinpiiinent paid by them to Lieutenant I?aynte,r in the manner £c which they turned out to escort lihn home op. Tuesday night. Captain light| 0,9.1" responded, saying that he was proud to say' .t%fc /ill phe praise awarded to the Fire Brigades was 'well deserved, and he doubted whether a more efficient body was to be found in all New Zealand. \lf Esmond proposed the health of the City Rifles', $* p'lfal company iv the district, the members of wfjicU'U.ey^j; fj*ped out j on any special occasion wijthoujtiiifcra'ciipg t,be attention of the bystanders by' the steadiness and accuracy of their movements. Lieut. Hodgson replied, saying that the Nelson City Rifles was a company to belong | to which would be a credit to any man. . Mr Richmond then proposed the health of I the Cadet Corps, to which Captain Bunny j replied, saying that some of the best men iv the adult companies were those who had received their first lessons iv drill and discipline in the Cadet Corps. Lieut. Paynter proposed the health of their host, Mr Richmond, whose kindness and thoughtfulnoss iv asking them to meet on Such an occasion he should never forget. The toast having been dujy honored amid loud and prolonged cheering, Mr Richmond j. etu -nct\ thanks, saying that he hoped they had Vll on 1 "^ themselves as well as he Utfct.4. illL LIJ |Li i»1 i himself had, in mil* 11 ca f he was sur(J must have spent a very pieYu. !int evening. Captain Pitt proposed the healin ot tliat " fine old gentleman and soldier," the Iloii Major Richmond, to whom the volunteers of Nelson owed a deep debt of gratitude for the

unflagging interest he took, in everything that contributed to their welfare. Mr Richmond having replied, the toast of the Press was proposed and replied to, and the party broke vp 1 shortly before 11, after spending a most pleasant evening, the enjoyment of which was largely added to by a number of capital songs that were sung between the toasts.