COMPLIMENTARY BANQUET TO HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5451, 16 September 1878, Page 2

COMPLIMENTARY BANQUET TO HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR.

.At the Empire Hotel, on Saturday evening last, a complimentary* banquet was given to his Worship the Mayor (J. DransfielJ, Esq.) by the members of the City Council. Several guests were invited to honour the occasion, and.the affair was throughout a mo it successful and enjoyable one. All the members of the City Council were present, with the exception of Councillor Hunter,'whose absence was caused by indisposition ; and ex-Couucillor Allan was prevented from taking part in the proceedings on similar grounds. .The Ministry was represented by the Hon. Mr. Sheehan (Native Minister and Minister of Justice); the House of Representatives by Messrs. G-. E. Barton, M.H.U, and Mr. Seymour T. George, M.H.R.; the Legislative Council by the Hon. Mr. John Martin; the bar by Mr. W. T. L. Travers (City Solicitor); the banking interests by Mr. Tolhnrst (Manager oi the Bank of New Zealand); and the mercantile interests of the city by Messrs. E. W. Stills, Lipraan Levy, and other gentleureu. As the oldest member of the City Council, the chair was occupied by Councillor Greenfield, who was supported on his right by the guest of the evening (his Worship the Mayor), the Hon. Mr. Sheehan, Mr. George, M.H.R., and Mr. .Llprnau Levy; and on his left by Mr. E. W. Mills, Mr. Barton, M.H.R., Mr. Tolhnrst, and Mr. Travers. The vics-chairs were filled by Councillor George and Councillor Moss. The proceedings commenced .shortly after eight o'clock, when the company sat down to a spread of the most rechcrchi kind, the menu being of such a character as to maintain the excellent reputation which Mr. Lichtsoheindl has already acquired as a caterer. During dinner, and at intervals throughout the evening, the proceedings were enlivened by some good and appropriate music, dispensed by Messrs. Spiller (violin), Raymond (piano), Curry (cornet), and Marshall (double bass). As soon as ample justice had been done to the bill of fare, the toast list was commenced. The Chairman proposed the toast of “ The Queen,” which was received with every demonstration of loyalty, the band playing the 'National Anthem. The Chairman next gave “The Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Royal Family,” which was also enthusiastically honored, the band playing “ God Bless the Prince of Wales.” The toast of “ His Excellency the Governor” followed, and was drunk with enthusiasm, to the strains of *■' Rule Britannia.”

Dr. Diver said he observed that his name had been put down on the list to propose the next toast—“ The Army, Navy, and Volunteers.” This was a toast which was most deservedly diunk with enthusiasm all the world over, and it ought to be drunk with enthusiasm, especially at a time like the present, when the Eastern Question was engrossing so much of the public attention. He did not wish to say a word that would have a tendency to detract from the credit that was due to the great Premier of England with regard to the Eastern Question, but at the time he was arranging this great business at Berlin, Earl Beacousfield was quite certain that he had at his back an united service that was always “eager for the fray,” and ready to defend the country's honor and the liberty of the Queen and the British nation. (Loud cheers.) He begged, therefore, to propose “ The Army, Navy, and Volunteers,” and he would ask the company to honor the toast with three cheers.

The toast was drank amid cheers. Band : “The Bed, White, and Blue." Mr. Teaveks (who was repeatedly called on to respond) said it would be presumptuous on his part to attempt to rise for the purpose of returning thanks on behalf of the services which his friend on the left had proposed. He (Mr. Travers) never had the honor of belonging to any of these sendees. The only Queen he ever served was the Queen of Spain, and he looked upon that as a more accident in his lif stime. The army and navy of England had always done their duty so efficiently that it did not require him to say much about them, and he did not think it would become him to return thanks for the special honor that had been done to these services on this occasion. As an Englishman, however, he was proud of the army and navy of England, and he felt sure that whenever they were called upon they would do their duty as they had always done it in the past. So far as the navy was concerned, he believed that if England to-morrow were pitted against the whole world the navy would be able to treat every ship they saw as a prize ; and the army would, he was equally certain, be able to give a good account of themselves in the field. (Loud cheers.) Mr. A. Maginitv also responded. He was an old volunteer officer, and had the pleasure of doing a little service for the country. He felt proud of the wiy in which Dr. Diver had spoken of the army and navy of (England.’ It the time should ever occur again when the services of the colonial forces would be required in the field, he had no doubt they would be found to do their duty. He hoped the time would, not come again, but if it did he felt sure the colonial forces would be found at the post of dnty when wanted. (Cheers.) Ex-Councillor Geoege, on being called upon to propose the next toast, said he had been entrusted with the very important duty of proposing “Her Majesty's Ministers,” Fortunately for him, it was not necessary to make any lengthened remarks in proposing this toast, as he felt certain it would at once commend itself to their favor. The members of the Ministry were perfectly well able to take care of themselves, and it required no effort on his part to say what fine fellows they were, and all that kind of thing. Therefore he would say no more, but would at once propose the toast of “ Her Ministers,” coupled with the name of, the Hon. Mr. Sheehan.

The toast was drunk amid loud cheers. Band : “ Up in a baloon, boys.”

The Hon. Mr. Sheehan was received with loud and protracted cheers on rising to respond. He said : Mr. Chairman, Mr. Dransfield, and gentlemen,—l assure you I feel quite taken aback at the enthusiastic way in which this toast has been received; and possibly there can be no better proof of the confidence which the Government have in themselves than the fact of sending their youngest and most inexperienced member to taka charge of their interests at this dinner. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) The music was appropriate—“Up in a baluou, boys"—looking to the fact that I am leading a forlorn hope “ When Johnny comes marching home.” (Laughter.) It is difficult to determine what one placed in my position ought to say on an occasion like the present. One must be careful not to say anything that might have the tendency, perhaps, to convert what is. a friendly meeting into what would be a scene of angry wrangling, because you cannot toll who is present, and whether what you might say might not be concurred in by the whole company. Therefore, it is not my intention to-night to talk much on general questions ; but you will perhaps allow me, as an outsider, to speak about Municipal matters, and if I detain you for a tew minutes I think you will agree that I have not wasted your time. We have passed through a crisis so severe that it has been followed up by an oai thquake this morning. (Laughter.! You have just passed through your Municipal elections, and as usual parties have gone to extremes. In Thorudou Ward the people of that district have returned one of the most popular men who have ever kept a public-house, iu the person of Mr. Maginity—(cheers) —while at the other end of the town, the ratepayers have been so scrupulous that they would not take Port, and declined almost to touch Coffey. (Laughter.) Extremes, you see, will sometimes meet; oud I am sure, in regard to Tborudon Ward, that I feel a certain amount of pleasure resulting from the return of Mr. Maginity. .(Hear; hear.) Understand, gentlemen, that I have no personal feeling against the other candidate ; and if it is necessary to refer to that gentleman for tho purpose of illustrating what I am going to say I shall not utter a word that will reflect on him personally. But as it appears to me, he spoke, and wrote, and.published a foul slander on the native-born people of this colony. Sir, we are not deficient in the phosphates of life; wo may bo deficient in cheek. (Laughter.) I think we have got quite enough of both, and knowhow to exercise both faculties on proper occasions. X am, as you know, a young man. I have not served long in the wheel of State, nor have I, like another gentleman here, ever sewed the Queen of Spain. (Laughter.! Gentlemen, “Evil be to him who evil thinks." (Hear, hear, and laughter.) I will now say a few words iu sober earnest. I am the only member of the Government present. The others w-onld g'adly have come, hut for—(l don’t mean a pun)—divers reasons they have stayed away, but this much I may say for the whole of them that they would have been glad to be present to-uight out of respect to the people of Wellington, and out of compliment to their present Mayor, Mr. Dransfield, or shall I call him by a name by which ho is better known—Joe Dransfield i (Hoar, hear.) That goes down better with me. There is a more solemn ring about it than Mister. This city has been fortunate in having at its head men of a good stamp, and I am sure tho citizens could not have had a better Mayor than

Major Drausfield. ' (Cheers.) By his commercial standing, his foresight and enterprise, , I consider that Mr. Dransfield has done a great deal to advance the interests of/this great and important city. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) They tel! me that he is about to retire • from office. (No, no.) Well, one cannot tell what will be the result. He has been offered the Crown before, as we all know, and he refused it. I shall be glad if it is offered to him thrice, and that he will not make the mistake of the illustrious Cmsar in refusing it the third time. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Whatever may he Mr. Drausfield’s shortcomings—and who is without them !—yet on the whole we may consider that in his hands the interests of this great city are safe. (Cheers.) I should be really sorry to miss his jolly face from the civic board ; but if he retires, as I trust he will not do, it will be for the purpose of recruiting his civic finances, to come back and give bigger banquets, and more frequently than before. (Hear, hear, laughter, and cheers.) I tell you what it is, it is no joke the government of this city. Your receipts and expenditure are greater than were those of all the colony fifteen or sixteen years ago. You hold in your hands the sceptre of commercial enterprise if you choose to keep it. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) • Your city is well named Wellington, after one of our greatest heroes. This city, founded by the modern Trojans, is not a city from which you are to send forth armies to accomplish conquests, but from which you are to spread commercial empire over the South Seas. If you are enterprising public men, and equal to the occasion, you can make this in truth what it was formerly called in derision—the Empire City., (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Depend upon it you have a groat, future ,■ in store for this city if its interests are properly attended to by those entrusted until the direction of its civic affairs. (Cheers). I ' shall not take up your time further,on this subject, but I will simply say on the part of the present Goyernmeut that I can look back to the term wo have been in office and cannot call to mind a single unfriendly action towards this city (cheers). You have been frightened lately by the Separation scare, but it wag just as harmless as the earthquake of this morning. It gave you a slight sensation, but nothing more. Depend upon it, gentlemen, that if the present Government contemplated Separation, it would be done openly and above-board. We don't intend to do any Guy Faux business and blow the country up with gunpowder in the dark. With regard to Wellington, I can speak for myself and say that; although I came from a city which was formerly the seat of Government,' I have learnt to like the people of Wellington, and the place .itself—(Hear, hear) —and X have ceased to remember that grievance ; and I assure you I do not . entertain a particle of envy at beholding the enormous progress which the city is making. (Cheers). No one can judge of its progress belter than myself, because I have been in the habit of coming backwards and forwards to Wellington for a number of years past. Its progress has been something like the extending ripple caused by dropping a stone into a deep pond.- In 1872, there was hardly a house in Cook Ward, and now it is full of business places, and neat, ornamental residences. If you be only true to yourselves, in,-fifty years time I believe there will be no city in the colonies able to hold a higher hand than Wellington. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) So far as we are concerned, so long as we remain in office, whatever we can fairly do, having regard for colonial interests, will be done for this place. No matter what you may hear, or what people may say, or what may appear to be our mind, depend upon it we shall do nothing unfriendly towards Wellington, or forfeit the respect and esteem of the man whom we now honor as the guest of the evening. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I hope to meet him at many gatherings of this kind; and X do trust I never shall have anything of this kind brought before me—such a toast as that of the retiring Councillors. I hope we shall never be called upon at any time to drink the health-of retiring Ministers. As to the Ministry, X say for them sic cst o perpetua. Vie are just as bad as our predecessors ; let ns have seven years. (Loud cheers.)

Councillor Maginity, in proposing the toast of “ The Parliament,” thought he could safely say that the present Parliament of New Zealand would bear favorable comparison with any previous Parliament, and although there was an absence of seme of those eminent legislators whose eloquence had formerly been heard in the House, yet he would undertake to say that the various matters submitted for consideration had received that amount of attention which all legislators ought to pay to their duties, and that every question was fairly and intelligently discussed. (Hear, bear.) In alluding to legislators who had passed away, he might refer to a number of gentlemen who throughout a long series of years had takes' a prominent part in the politics of the country—men who had left .their footprints behind them. He alluded to Crosbie Ward, Sir David Muuro, and Sir Donald McLean, whose memories would ever occupy a prominent position in the minds of the people of _New Zealand. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) He felt —being one of New Zealand's children—that the youth of New Zealand owed a deep debt of gratitude to those, who came away in the early days of the colony, who forfeited the pleasures that they could have enjoyed at home, and came here to make this a great country; and he would say this, that in the history of the settlement of colonies he believed that New Zealand stood pre-eminent, and for this high distinction they were Indebted to those gentlemen -who had endeavored to make this country what it is. (Cheers.) The Hon. the Native Minister was kind enough to make an allusion to him, and to speak of that hon. gentleman in the way ho could speak of him would ha almost like a piece of Arbenins Ward business—“ You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.” [A Voice: That's Scotch.] But he might say this, that those gentlemen they were indebted to for having come here to make this country what it is ; and he would take this opportunity of saying that they had left behind them a race of colonial borne youths, educated in the country, who woqld be, he believed, a credit to that laud which had given them birth. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Although they missed the fine appearance of Sir Donald McLean in the House, they had yet the consolation of knowing that another gentleman had stepped into bis shoes who was a colonial-born youth, and edaoatedin the country, and who he might say, before the abolition of the provinces came about, .matriculated for the position he now occupied in the Provincial Council; he had worked himself up as a colonial youth, and was now coupling the top rung of the ladder. (Cheers.) And now that municipalities had increased powers, he believed they should find their legislators culled from municipal bodies, and he was sure that the youth of New Zealand would ever aspire to prominent positions. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) As brevity had to be observed on this occasion, and aa his talking powers had been somewhat put to the test lately, he did not think they would ask him to make a very long speech, for ho could assure them it took all. his oratorical powers to persuade the people of Thorndon to return him to his former position in the City Council. (No, no.) He begged to propose “ The Parliament,” coupled with the names of Mr. Seymour George and Mr. Barton.

The toast was drunk most enthusiastically.

Band : “ We're a' noddin’. Sir. Barton, M.H.R., in answer to repealed calls, rose to return thanks, and was loudly cheered. After explaining the difficulty which he experienced in responding suitably to the toast, Mr. Barton announced that he was a very humble, ardent, and sincere follower of the present Ministry, and a very earnest admirer ot the present Native Minister. (A Voice : It is a common complaint.) It was a common complaint of which he (Mr. Barton) did not complain in the leash -The Hon. the Native Minister said that the people ot Wellington had the ball at their feet, if they choose to roll it, And that the' scare they had about Separation was like the earthquake of that morning—harmless. He (Mr. Barton) fully believed there never would be an attempt to make such a shake as Separation would involve. He would now come to a little real business, and in doing so he hoped he would not be considered log-rolling. He thought a great honor was due to their farmer representative for having brought forward the very same matter—he meant the Hutt-Waikanae Railway; and he hoped on some day or other, and that very soon, to see the matter brought forward by the present Ministry, and he could tell his hon. friend that he hoped he would know from the manner in which this matter was dealt with by some of the leading men of this city how much the subject was felt ; in fact, it was one of the matters dearest to their hearts that the Ministry should take care that this railway was pushed forward as soon as convenient; and he hoped tho work so well begun by his predecessor in the representation of this city would be pursued, and that Ministers would not be too long in having the necessary surveys made and the land purchased from the natives, so that the delightful and beautiful country which the railway .would traverse might bo brought into speedy communication with the city. (Cheers.) Tho

city of Wellington stood at an advantage. Whatever other cities might be. striving to do in thoir little agitations, they had not the Ministry in the’midst of them. "‘Wellington had this advantage, and . they could badger them, and make them do light in a thousand ways, hot that he was sure they would ever waafcit. (Hear, hear.) He would now turn to the toast to which it was his duty to respond. They had there represented both the tipper and the Lower House. They had there an hou. gentlemen, an old inhabitant of the city, And a worthy one, lately raised to a high honor amongst them by this very Ministry. He was glad at this fact of their recognition. Ho was glad to see their good qualities recognised; and at all events, that the city was recognised, and that they were allowed to have their proper amount of representation in the Upper House. Ho did not feel entitled to say a word for the Upper House, because it was well represented there that evening. He felt he must apologise lor rising before “his Lordship" rose—(laughter)—but although Air. Maginity called on the junior member of the Lower House first, they compelled him by their voices to first address them, mid if he had refused to comply he should have been guilty of discourtesy. He hoped, therefore, the Noble Lord would excuse him for rising. (Laughter.) He had no doubt his Lordship would tell them what he thought ,of the Upper House since he entered it. He had no doubt that gentleman would respond for that body, and show them that they could not better the constitution of. that. House except by putting in as many worthy men as they could get in Wellington, (Hear,hear.) CouncillorMngiuity bad been good enough to say that the Parliament had suffered a little iu the changes that had taken place, when the eminent men ho spoke of were lost to it. Lately the members of Parliament took a trip down South, and in that southern trip they had many eminent men amongst them. One of the most eminent men who had ever been associated with New Zealand, who had been his personal friend for years, and whom he had known ns a personal friend long before ho knew him as a political friend, was a-man against whom he (Mr. Barton) would be the last to permit a derogatory word to be said in his presence; the man he spoke of was Sir Julius Vogel. (Cheers.) In the course of the passage down South he was sorry to say an effort was made by some to make it appear that there was a desire to throw a slight upon the well-merited honors which ought to bo and were heaped upon the head of Sir Julius Vogel. (Hear, He (Air. Barton) was present at every banquet and meeting that took place, and he could say that no attempt was made by anyone to do anything but honor to that name, and he was sorry to see it put in the papers, when he knew that such was not the fact. He was sorry to see it had been put in print that one of their Ministers would have the bad taste of doipg so. He did nothing of the kind. IE he had done so, he (Mr. Barton) would have been the first to rise to repudiate

such a thing if it had been attempted. At Christchurch what was done was this : A speaker spoke of the eminent merits of Sir Johns Vogel, and his remarks were received with the warmth which they deserved, and he hoped 1 this country would never do otherwise than show to those men who deserved well and had done-good to the country that the changes in political life might cause them to put men out of power, but never to forget the benefits they had done to the people and the country. (Hear, hear.) Daring the time that speech was made, and received with applsuse, as it ought to be, what was done by the Minister, also a worthy friend of his, was to call the attention (after praising Sir Julius Vogel himself) of the Canterbury people to the fact that they were by some accidental omission forgetting the name of a man to whom they, at all events, owed much—namely, Mr. Moorhouse —who made the hols through that hill which enabled Christchurch to get to the sea; and men sitting in that room would be able to bear him out that the name of Mr. Moorhouse was received with the applause it deserved. No one could say truthfully that ic was an attempt to detract from the merits of Sir Julius Vogel; on the contrary, it was adding to his praise. It could not be said that it was detracting from the merits of one who stood in the high and lofty position of Sir Julius Vogel, to call attention to the merits of another who, there, in his own country, ought to be recognised as a prophet, but was being passed by in his own presence ; and Mr. Stout, when he called ’attention to Mr. Moorhouse’s merits, did a worthy and proper thing, and it was received with the applause it deserved. He now came to Dunedin, and as a Dunedin man he could speak, because he confessed to them that although he was a member for this city of Wellington, and they had been kind and good enough to place him in a position of which he was exceedingly proud, still he could not forget that it was in Dunedin that he spent most years of his New Zealand life. He admitted that he loved and was proud of Dunedin, and those Northern men who went South on the recent trip would feel that his love for Dunedin . was merited and deserved. When the party got to Dunedin, at the great dinner which they gave them, and for which those from the North ought to be grateful—for it was a great compliment to them, even more marked than the way in which they were receive! at Christchurch—the thing cropped up again. After the magnificent display with which the citizens of Dunedin greeted their Northern friends, after their brilliant illuminations, at that banquet again the same matter was brought forward, and there again the name of Sir Jnlius Vogel was received with the applause which it ought to be received with, and would always he received with. And he was glad to find that on the previous night, in the Parliament itself, the name of Sir Jnlius Vogel was received with cheers from the Ministerial side as well as from the other side of the House; and he hoped no one would attempt to fasten on Ministers or their followers any desire to detract from the merits of that gentleman. (Hear, hear.) The same name was brought forward at the Dunedin banquet, and was cheered by all present ; but he regretted to say that somebody mistook, or supposed for a.moment that one of the speakers—a Canterbury member, and one of the Ministers—wished to detract from the merits of Sir Julius Vogel. Although the representative of a Northern constituency and a visitor, he (Mr. Barton) felt as a host and an old citizen of Dunedin, and as such he regretted what occurred on the occasion. When the Minister in question (Mr. Pisher) rose and mentioned a name other than the name of Sir Julius Vogel—and he only did it in the same way as Mr. Stout mentioned the name of Mr. Moorhouse—some persons ic Dunedin, who were warmer partisans than * wise heads, chose to take it as a matter intended in the light of an offence to Sir Julius Vogel. He (Sir. Barton) wished this to be understood—and he wished those who were present, like himself, to bear testimony tj it—that never was a fouler slander uttered,- or a greater mistake made, than to say that anything was done or said in any way to detract from the merits of Sir Julias Vogel, and the answering response from nearly 400 throats at the mention of Sir Julius Vogel's name was a loud and ardent cheer sufficient to indicate the opinions of those present. Ho wished to mention this fact, and the only thing he felt ashamed of in Dunedin was, that a visitor—one of their Ministers —even if he hadsaid or done anything out of taste, should have heard a hiss from any part of the room. The counter cheer that followed, however, showed that the heart of Dunedin was right, and that the feeling of the people of Dunedin was the feeling of gentlemen. (Loud cheers.) This was a matter in which the credit of Parliament and one of its late members was mixed up, and therefore he had referred to it-at such length. Although it was not to be expected that their views should harmonise on all political questions, still there was the strongest desire amongst members of Parliament to recognise the merits of all who had preceded them. The great work which had been commenced by Sir Julius Vogel had been carried on by succeeding Ministers, and again this Hutt-Waikanae railway came to the fore. He was glad to seo that iu the Government’s great scheme for pursuing railway construction the people of Wellington were not forgotten. They had commenced with a grand birth, and he hoped they would pursue a grand career in the future. A great future, he believed, was in store for Wellington if this Hutt-Waikanae railway was constructed, and for New Zealand generally. He believed that if they took a country seven times the size of New Zealand they could not get out of it what they would- be ultimately getting out of New Zealand., (Cheers,) Nobody could go down South and see that grand city of Dunedin without seeing what the capabilities of this country were when they were - put to good account. Grand as that city Was ho felt there was no city in New Zealand that bad made such progress within the last four years as had been made by Wellington. (Hoar hear.) .No other city had doubled its population, as Wellington bad done, and there was no city which would have the grand prospect before it which Wellington would have before it in the very near future when the HuttWaikanae railway, was constructed, Let them

not grudge other cities their progress ; Wellington would be able to hold its own with any of them. (Hear, hear.) Please goodness, they would know how to treat their Southern visi-, tors when the time arrived for the opening of that great railway which would bring all parts of the North Inland into rapid communication with each othii*. (Loud cheers.) Air. George, AI.H.R. (who was loudly cheered) thanked the company most heartily for the great honor they had done him in calling upon him to respond to the toast, and ou behalf of the branch of the Legislature to which he belonged he bogged to tender his most sincere thanks. After the very able speech which they had just heard from his bon. and learned friend, he did not intend to make any lengthened observations; but there was one remark he should like to make. When he came forward as a candidate for Hokitika, one objection r ised to his candidature was, that electing him would be giving another member to this city. But such was not the case. At the same time, he would have great pleasure in helping either of their members to carry any measur. s through, as long as they were just and Lair to the remainder of the colony. (Hear, hear.) Before sitting down, ho wished to offer one little piece of advice to the band, and he hoped it would be tak**rHn good part. Iu future, when the toast of “X ho Parliament p was proposed, he would advise them not to play what they struck up in this instance, because it was as much as to say that when some hon. member was addressing the House the others were nodding. (Laughter.) The Hon. Air. John Martin, M.L.0., was received with cheers. He said : This is all very well, gentlemen, all very well; but when I received a kind invitation from the Councillors yesterday to meet them to do honor to his Worship the Mayor, I had no idea that I was to be called upon to spsak; no, no; \ou know perfectly well that X am not an orator; but, gentlemen, as my name has been coupled with the Legislative Council of New Zealand — gentlemen who have done their duty for many years as straightforwardly as possible, and I have no doubt they will continue to do so—T, as one of its distinguished members, will do what I oau for the welfare of New Zealand. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) The Hon. Air. Sheehan: Will you permit me to say half-a-dozeu words ; I feel compelled to do it after the speech of fche.hon. member for Wellington. His speech reminded me very much of a local advertisement, which sometimes begins philosophically, and sometimes poetically, and winds up by informing you that J. Huxley makes suits for £4 10s. (Laughter.) The moral of that speech was not so much that the toast of the Parliament deserved to be drunk with enthusiasm, but that the Hutt-Waikanae railway ought to be made. Even in the midst of the session we have other work thrown upon us'than what is purely of a Parliamentary character, and this railway is one of those matters that have engaged my attention. I may say that I have summoned the native officers of the district to be here on the ISth of the present month—to be here with me to arrange for the purchase of the whole of that country from the natives. (Loud cheers.) I have also to state that the Survey Department has been called upon to bring out their reserves, so that the work of purchase and survey will go on together, because we mean business. (Loud and prolonged cheers.) The Chairman called on Ex-Councillor Macdonald to propose the next toast. Ex-Councillor Alacdonald said: Mr. Chairman and gentleman,—We have come here tonight to do honor to our Alayor. (Hear, hear.) I say that speaking as a City Councillor, and in doing that honor we have the assistance of a number of our friends and a member of the Aliuisfcry. The task that has been allotted to me of proposing his Worship’s health is a very agreeable one. I don’t know why I have been specially selected, because I think I am the youngest Councillor, It must be, perhaps, because we have crossed swords with each other several times in the Council, but in doing that we have never lost that respect and esteem for each other which we should mutually entertain when wo know that we have argued out our differences honestly and faithfully. (Hear, hear.) There is no man to whom the city of Wellington owes greater gratitude than to his Worship the Alayor, Air. Dransfiold. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I say that advisedly, and without fear of contradiction ; for amongst all the public men who have taken part In the affairs of this city there is no one of them who has devoted such an amount of time and ability to municipal work as his Worship the Alayor. (Cheers.) When I tell you, gentlemen—and there are some not very old settlers to whom the information may be new—that he has taken an active part, in municipal matters since 1865 ; that with the exception of a very short time he has been identified first with the Town Board and then in the Municipal Council for the past thirteen years; more than that, when X tell you that for three years as Chairman of the Town Board, and for five years as Alayor, he has been for eight years at fchfe’head of municipal affairs in this city, you will understand me better still when I say that he has devoted an amount of time and attention such as no other man has given to the affairs of the city. (Hear, hear, and cheers'*. And when we think of the gigantic strides which Wellington has made ; if I . tell you that the total.revenue in 1865 was £2BOO, and that its total revenue for 1878 is between £50,000 and £60,000, you will tinderstand that Air. Dransfield has contributed in no small degree to the building up and welfare of this city (cheers). His name will be identified with the city for long years to come in many of its most important works, such as the purchase of the reclaimed land and the wharf. If it had not been for his hard exertions, coupled with those of certain other members, that important purchase, which •will be one of the best investments and most valuable assets, of the city in the future, would not have been made. It is an endowment that in years to come will bring the name of Dransfield up ■ in the memory of the children yet unborn in Wellington; and looking at the exertions he has made iu these latter times to get the To Aro reclamation through, X think he deserves the gratitude of every citizen. (Hear, hear, and cheers). I have only had nine months’ experience of Air* Dransfield as tho presiding head of the Corporation, but during that time I have found him,along withmy fellow Councillors, ever ready to put his hand to tho work in the best possible manner. He has extended both courtesy and kindness to every member, and I have never found fault with him doing his tenure of office. I hope that a career of usefulness so loag exerted in the service of this city will not be permitted to end this year, as I hear it will. (Cries of “No, no," and cheer?.) I sincerely hope not, because it is one of the difficulties in an elective conslitution that the • moment a man begins to thoroughly understand'hia work and become useful lus time comes for going out, and he goes, and some new face comes on the scene who does not understand his predecessor’s plans, and the consequence is that some great works are postponed for a time—possibly altogether. Therefore I hope that the Alayor will reconsider the determination that he expressed some little time' back, that he hardly felt inclined to stand again. I hope he will give the Council and the city the benefit of his great experience in municipal work, and that he will again come forward for election. (Cheers.) I say this most sincerely. lam sure you all fully appreciate, as I do, his many good qualities, and I will ask you now to drink his health with all that enthusiasm that I know my fellow Councillors capable of, and the guests I see around me. . I give the toast “ His Worship the Alayor." The toast was drunk with three-times-three.

Band : “ For he's a jolly good fellow." His Worship the M.WOli was received with loud cheers on rising to respond. He said : Mr. Chairman and brother Councillors, —X feel it very difficult to find suitable language to express my feelings of the manner in which my health has been drunk, and the kind and generous manner in which you have always treated me. I know well that I have many shortcomings, and I know well that tho honorable position which Councillor Macdonald has been good enough to say I hold up to tho present time is duo to the fortunate circumstance of having had such able Councillors to assist me. (Hoar, hear,) X have said it frequently, and repeat it again, that the city in the past year has been exceedingly fortunate in its Councillors—(Hoar, hear) —and I only regret that wo have lost soma of them who were amongst U 3. I hope we have lost them only for a short time, and I think their places will bo very difficult to fill, I feel a very heavy responsibility at the present moment in expressing myself in suitable terras with reference to municipal affairs. You, I am sure, will agree with mo when I say that tho municipality o( this city has got a groat work before it, if it is up to its work. If wo aro able to carry through Parliament tho Bills that we have prepared, tho revenue of this city will he, as tho Hon. Mr; Sheehan has said, I believe, equal to what that of tho colony itself was only afowyearsago. This will show tho greatness of tho work before us, and I only wish that some of those gentlemen who criticise municipal doings will come off tho stilts and help us to carry out theso institutions in the way In which they ought to bo carried out. Wo require our best men to come

forward and take part tn pur municipal institutions,. X need not complain,,however, when I refer to some ten or twelve years ago ami sse the different interest now taken iu municipal affairs. Wo have now coining forward, and 1 refer particularly to our late . elections, men who I am satisfied will be a credit to the , city— (Hear, hear)—men who I believe will do their duty in placing the city of Wellington in a position that will be a credit to the colony. In reference to our late trip to the South, I had an opportunity or seeing what that great country is, and no doubt it is a grand country, but I believe that- if we had the same advantages as they had showered upon them, we should have made even greater progress than is now visible. Their railway communications are something wonderful compared to ours, but in a very few years, when it has the same opportunities presented to it, this portion of the North Island will show up in a very different position to what It has done. I could, if I had been possessed of the elt)-’ qnence of the Hon, tho Native Aliuister, have teld you many important things to-night, but I must be contented in my own plain, unvarnished language to tell you that I feel very much indeed for your kindness, and I cannot express in the terms X could have wished to have done tho feelings I have for the kind and generous manner in which you have treated me. I beg to thank you again, (Cheers.) The Hon. Air. Sheehan here rose and said he would ask the company to excuse him, for leaving then, as be had scarcely had three hours’ sleep. Before going he wished to make a practical suggestion. lie would advise the company to lock tho doors, aud not re-open them until Air, Dransfield consented to stan.i again. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers). (The Hon. Air. Sheehan and Air. Seymour George, AI.H.R., then withdrew). - At the request of the Chairman, Councillor Maginity sang “ The Irish jaunting car” in excellent style. His Worship the Mayor proposed the next toast, “ The Retiring Councillors," coupl d with the names of Alessrs, George, Macdonald, and Allan. In. proposing the toast, his Worship regretted the of these geutlemen-frora the Council. Alunicipal institutions were becoming very important, and he hardly thought they had received that amountof consideration from the community which the deep interests at stake warranted them in demanding, (Hear, hoar.) Some people found fault with the way iu which the business of the Council was conducted, but why did not these people came forward and assist in carrying out the work ? They were told that they knew nothing about shipping matters, aud it was suggested that the harbor should be placed under the control of a board apart from the City Council. Ho would say to the ratepayers of Wellington and tho merchants of the place “Do not have nominated board?." (Hear, .hear.) There was nothing like locally elected board?, and if locally elected men did not do their duty the people could make the place too hot to hold them. He that thought the present state of things, if worked well, was as good as they could possibly have. The city authorities were the proper persons to have charge of harbor matters, because tho interests of the city were wrapped up in the interests of the harbor of Wellington. If any one told him that these were divisible interests, he would tell that person that he did not understand the thing at all. The prosperity of the city of Wellington depended a great deal on the way its harbor was managed, and therefore its management should rest iu the hands of those who were elected by the citizens themselves. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) He begged to propose the-toast, coupled with the names of Alessrs. George, Alacdonald, and Allan. The toast was drunk amid cheers. Band “Auld Lang Syne." -Councillors George and Alacdonald responded, both gentlemen remarking on the excellent set of permanent officers at present in the employment of the City Council. . Air. P. Aloeller urged that the question of direct steam communication with England should be taken up, aud he hoped the Alayor, in his usual energetic way, would cause a public meeting to be called to consider the matter, as it they left it to chance they might lose it. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Councillor Allan proposed “ The New Councillors,” saying ho was quite satisfied they would do their duty.

The toast was drunk with enthusiasm. Band—“ There’s a good time coming." Councillor Thojipson, in returning thanks, expressed a hope that Air. Dransfield would not retire from the Mayoralty. Councillor Young returned thank?, stating that he would do all in bis power to provide increased accommodation for shipping. Councillor Alilleu also responded. Mr. Travers, City Solicitor, iu proposing “The City Council of Wellington," said an impression had got abroad that in this city rings had been created and jobs attempted to be perpetrated, but these suspicions were- unfounded so far as the City Council itself was concerned. He believed that some time ago there was an attempt, which had been frustrated, and properly frustrated, to establish a kind of ring in connection with the works of this city, and they were indebted to the City Council for having itself put its heel on anything of that kind. Ho thought it was to the credit of the whole Council that any attempt of that kind was at once checked. He would couple with the toast the name of Councillor Fisher, who came forward prominently, not to expose any shortcomings on tho part of the City Council, bub to prevent that pressure being brought. on the City Council which would have rssulted in evil to this city. (Cheers.) He (Air, Travers) believed that the more independent, the more free from any bia*, the more unfettered by any coalition outside of it, the more would the City Council be able to advance the whole interests of the city ; and he trusted the City Council would do as it had always done, namely, go forward in its work without regard to local outcries or attempts to bring pressure to bear on them to advance personal interests, (Hear, hear.) As City Solicitor,* he must say that nothing had ever come under his observation that could be characterised iu the slightest degree as a combination amongst Councillors to do anything bub what was for the good of the city. (Cheers.) All its proceedings appeared to him to be fair and aboveboard. Mr, Dransfield had shown a single-minded desire to advance the interests of the city. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) He believed, also, that successive Councillors had been moved in all their actions by a single-minded desire to advance the interests of the city. He believed that if tho views of Air. Dransfield had not been thwarted ou more than one occasion this city would have been in the possession of endowments of enormous value, which had been permitted to slip through hia fingers by the short-sightedness of others who opposed him. (Hear, bear.) It was important that the mrnageraent of the harbor should rest with the City Council—iu a body directly responsible to the citizens of Wellington. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)

The toast was duly honored, the band playing, “ He’s a jolly good fellow.' ’ Councillor Fisher briefly returned thanks.

The toast of “ The Permanent Officers of the Council" was next duly honored, and Air. Graham (Town Clerk), aud Air. Baird (City Engineer), acknowledged the compliment. Councillor Alagimty proposed “The Press," and in doing so spoke in most eulogistic terms of Air. D. M. Luckie, whoso name was coupled with the toast.

Mr. IjUCKIK made a neat and appropriate speech in reply, and his remarks were loudly applauded by the company. The banquet proceedings now being practically at an end, tho company expressed a desire to hear what the Mayor’s intentions were with reference to tho Mayoralty. The Matob said that as at present advised his intention was not to stand again • but he thought that three months was too far ahead to ask a man to decide. He might bo under tho sod before then. (A Voice': Oil, no ; you don’t look like that.) Mr. W, SEED, flecfotary of, Customs,said that }f it went forth that Mr. Dransficld was determined to stand ho would bo carried in at the head of the poll. They only wanted tho assurance from him that night, and there was no doubt ho would be again placed in tho same position as’he now occupied. Mr. P. MOELLEit said ho would bo one of the candidates for the Mayoralty if Mr. Dransficld did not stand, hut ho hoped his Worship would assure the meeting that ho would again come forward, (Hoar, hoar.) Councillor IhsilEU said ho had been frequently announced as an embryo Mayor (Laughter)—although this was not quite the pronunciation that was given to tho word. (Renewed laughter.). As he said at the ban(juot a month ago, if Mr. Dransfield did not intend to stand, he (Councillor Usher) intended to bo amongst the candidates. Mr. Dransfield told him ho did not intend to stand, and from that time ho (Councillor li'isher) had formed the determination to present himself ns a candidate, and ho. would carry out this determination to the last hour. If Mr, Dransfield said ho was going to stand, his (Councillor Fisher’s) name would certainly not be found amongst tho names of the candidates, but it hinged

solely upon that.. Should Mr. Dransfield say that he .did not intend,to stand, ho-(Councillor Fisher) should go ou, and fight it out, not,to the bitter end, hub certainly to the end. Ex-Councillor Alacdonald Imped the Alayor would express hts intention that night. (Mr. Buckie: Affirmatively.) The interests involved were too large, and it did 'hot do to wait till the hast moment for the announcement. At this crisis Air. Dransfield ought .to come forward. He trusted . Air. Dransfield would sec his way clear to say “ Yes " at once. (Hear, hear.) Councillor Allen also hoped his Worship would say yes. Air. E. W. ATills thought it would be a graceful act if Air. Dransfield said he would stand. They could hot afford to lose him. (Hear, hear.) No one could compare with him now to carry out the duties of the position, aud he would ask of him as a favor to say he would stand for the position again. (Cheers.) Councillor YOUNG said that Mr. Dransfield’s refusing to say he would stand would be a calamity for the city of Wellington. Ho hoped that to settle the matter Air. Dransfield would say he would stand. (Hear, hear.) The Mayor : I am afraid, gentlemen, you are led away by the good things of which we’ have partaken this evening. (Loud cries of “ NOj no.”) Will you permit me to say that it is impossible for mo at this moment to say whether I can stand or not ? . There are reasons why I cannot say so at this moment which X canuot explaiu. I will promise you this—that within' a month I will state most positively my intention. I might again repeat that.it is my present iutention not to stand again ; but I will state distinctly in a month. That will give you two months’ time to select. The proceedings then terminated.