NELSON.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 100, 1 May 1847, Page 1 (Supplement)

NELSON.

DINNER TO GOVERNOR GREY. [From the Nelson Examiner, March 13.]

A. public dinner to his Excellency, the' Governor . was given by the Gentlemen of Nelson,.on Thursday last. Capt Hoseasou, and the officers of the Inflexible,, were invited ; but as the steamer, had to leave the harbour with the afternoon tide, two of the officers only were present. Capt. Hoseason, how-., ever, kindly permitted the baud of the steamer to be in attendance. By the kindness of the Rev. C.. L* Reav, the Church School, which was the only room in Nelson sufficiently large for the purpose, was-, placed at the disposal of the committee, and upwardsof sixty persons sat down to table. The.guests were; his Excellency the Governor, two officers of the Jti~ flexible , Colonel Wakefield, Mr. Thatcher (his Ex-, cellency’s private Secretary,) Mr. Crawford, a gentleman from Wellington, and the Rev. C. L. Reav. The Hon. C. A. Dillon filled the chair, and Mr. Do-» mett and Dr. Monro acted as croupiers. The table, was supplied with the best of everything which.couldS! be obtained, with the exception of fish,, the of which we heard regretted. The,desert was en-. tirely the produce of the, settlement, and 'consisted! of peaches, grapes, melons, and apples. On the removal of the cloth, the. Chairman “ The health of the Qpeeij.’ r - The Chairman gave, as the second, toast, “The* health of Prince Albert.”'

The Chairman gave, as the next toast;, < ‘TKe; health of his Excellency the Governor,’? and expatiated on the benefits which Captain Grey had cqn.ferrcd on the colony. He drew a vivid picture of the; wretched slate of the. colony when his Excellency arrived here;, and contrasted.it with the piesent aspect of public affairs. ' He observed, that his Excel-' lency was the first Governor of the colony who liatL possessed the full confidence and esteem of the 'people, which, as far, as Nelson concerned,, was not for benefits lavished upon it by a large ‘Government expenditure, but arose solely from a strong, sense7af his Excellency’s justice and wisdom. The toast was then drank with the most rapturous applause. The Governor rose and said, 1 beg to refurn my most sincere thanks to ray friend in the chair, for the very kind manner in which’ he has proposed ray health, and to you all for the flattering way in which it has been received. It gives me great pleasure to meet on this occasion so many of the Nelson settlers; My attention had been directed to this settlement long before my arrival in New Zealand. At the time of my return to England from Australia, in 1840, the plan of the Nelson colony was just being and I had to meet on several occasions its lamented! founder, the late Captain Wakefield,' whom I had formerly known. Owing to this circumstance, when, in South Australia ! watched with interest the arrival of the first expedition, and of the early body of coloi nists ; and afterwards sympathised deeply'with them in the difficulties and disasters they encountered itt the early period of the history of the settlement. But: throughout this period I never felt any doubt as to the eventful success of the undertaking : and my confidence was founded upon a knowledge of the’ racier of the persons engaged in it. Nelson has had the advantage of being founded by a class of men whose character, previous station in life, and abilities must have entitled them to distinction in any community ; they were accompanied or followed by a body of emigrants from among the working classes, forming with them a thoroughly British.community,, which I felt satisfied was capable of overcoming any difficulties they niight encounter. That those predictions are being realized, the events of this day sufficiently prove j the agricultural exhibition' which, we witnessed to day, together with the rich display of fruit upon these tables to night, show that your climate and soil are eminently suited to the most useful productions of the earth. , And that you have surmounted the many obstacles which impeded your early progress, and are now on the highway of suc-s cess and prosperity, is to me satisfactorily demon-, strated by the fact that Nelson is the only,settlement in New Zealand which yields a revenue more than equal to all the expenses of its Government. I find* also, that in pastoral capabilities Nelson is not behind any portion of the colony. And in one respect,, and a most important one, Nelson stands pre-eminent not merely above the other settlements in New Zealand, but perhaps above any community of equal ex-, tent in the world—l allude to morality. Since learning the excessively small amount of crime occurring' here, 1 have become rather alarmed at the idea of spending .£BOO on a gaol, seeing how little it is required, and considering how much more usefully the money might he employed. Again, your settlement contains extensive coal mines, and, from the geological formation of this portion of the colony, I have no doubtthat its mineral resources are great,and will one day become of incalculable value. Upon the whole

looking at the capabilities of this settlement, and the character of its inhabitants, I feel confident that it is destined to become a great and important community. In some future day perhaps, in some distant country, it will be a pleasure of my old age—should my life be spared so long—to hear of the sons of the present settlers distinguishing themselves in the council and government of, their country, to recognise the names uf those now.seated around me, and I shall then look back on the present day as one of the happiest oi my life. _ _ The'Chairman’gave “The Memory oT~tliose' who fell at the Wairau,” which was drunk in silence. The Chairman proposed as the next toast, “Pros-perityto-the Sister Settlementsr’ Mr. Crawford returned thanks on behalf of Wellington, and said that the settlers there had always entertained the kindest feelings towards Nelson. He hoped soon to see those settlements bronght nearer together by the aid of steam navigation, and then a greater intercourse would spring up, which could not fail to be highly, beneficial to, both. The Chairman proposed “ The Health of the Rev. c. L. Reay,” and said that his approaching departure from Nelson was viewed with universal regret. Mr Reay had come among us very soon after our arrival and had always identified himself with the settlement, while his conduct as a’christian Minister had commanded ouf warmest esteem.

The Rev. C. L. Reay, in returning thanks, said that though his duty called him elsewhere, he- must; always consider.’bimself as a Nelson- settler, and .entertain the strongest regard for the place and its inhabitants; He had offered to join the first settlers when he heard they were about to leave England, un accompanied by any religious instructor; and ihoughhe subsequently came to the colony under other auspices, yet Nelson was the spot to which he was directed.* He hoped on some future day that he might return among us. • The Chairman proposed “ The Health of Captain Hoseason and the officers of the Inflexible and expressed great regret that circumstances had deprived us of their company. • Mr. Sullivan returned thanks.

• Mr.* Domett Said the toast he had to give, though last on the list, was far from being the least in importance. Indeed, the stewards seemed to have formed their list on the principle of rocket-makers—-the Urighest part of the explosion, the showers of silver stars, and bursting balls of gold, were kept for the last. Thinking thus of the toast, he need hardly say that he could not even attempt to do justice to if. It should stand on its own merits, and luckily it was one of such a kind that it had only to be named io be responded to cordially by every one, to be accepted, unlike many other toasts, without the slightest possibility of hesitation, mental reservation, or any qualification whatever; To beauty and talents td‘amiability and kindness,, every body was cvei ready to'pity the tribute of admiration, 1 esteem, arid respebt. ‘ That tribute lie called upon them to pay, in flowing bumpers', and with hearts equally full of sincerity,' when he proposed to them the toast of “Health arid 1 Happiness to Mrs Grey,’’' (loud cheers.)' The iriahner in iyhichThey received his toast must be taIcen as an expression of the desire of the 'settlers of kelson—a desire they had in he might say wUh those of the other southern settlements, to become'better acquainted with Mrs Grey—to see her among them. . The Gpyernpf, in returning .thanks, said, that Mrs. Crey would.fully appreciate the very flattering manner in which her health had been drank. .She,had a strong desire to visit.Nejson, and it had been his intention to have brought her with him on this occasion but circumstances prevented his dojug , so. On his next visit, however, Mrs. Grey should certainly accompany him. His Excellency then gave “ The La-; dies of Nelson,” and spoke in the most flattering ierras of the,way in which they had borne their part during the troubles which the . settlement had encountered. Whatever success now awaited, it was in no small degree attributable, to their admirable conduct.

Mr. R Wilson returned thanks on. behalf of the ladies.

. The Governor gave.“ The Health of the Chairman.” That gentleman had set an admirable example to thq young men of family in abandoning the case and luxury which his station could command, to engage in the noble work of founding a new colony, This task he still attempted to carry out by liberally supporting whatever tended to advance the prosperity of the settlement. ;i

. Mr. Dillon thanked his Excellency for the compli-* jnent he had paid him, and the company for the manner in which his health had been received. The peo-i pie of Nelson had stood by one another like one family, and it was through this that they had succeeded in so remarkable a manner, .it was always his desire to view them.in this light, and to act with them whenever his services could be. useful. Shortly after this his Excellent y retired, but the great majority of the : company remained, and formed themselves into a compact body around the chairihaii. ■ ■ Mr. Jollie said that a oast had hitherto been passed over, which ought no longer tu be delayed. It was the health of a gentleman to whom the settlement ■was under great obligations for his able and energetic advocacy of its interests in the Council of the colony. Mr. Jollie concluded some farther remarks by pro posing the “ Health of. Mr. Alfred Domett,” which was responded to in the warmest possible manner. Mr. Domett returned thanks, and proposed the “Health of Dr. Monro,” as one whose labours to the service of the settlement entitled him to great praise.

Dr. Monro was highly flattered by the handsome manner in which Mr. Domett had proposed his health particularly as that gentleman differed with him on some subjects which affected the welfare of the settlement. Several other toasts were drunk, and many capital songs sung, before the company thought ofdispcrsing which they did at length about three in the morning, all highly*gratified with the occurrences of the evening.