THE LINCOLNSHIRE DELEGATES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2147, 7 February 1880, Page 2

THE LINCOLNSHIRE DELEGATES.

Messrs C 1 rant and Foster, delegates from the Lincolnshire Fanners Association, arrived in Timarn shortly after six o’clock last evening. The members of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and a number of leading merchants, gave them a hearty welcome, and subsequently entertained them at dinner at the (irosvenor Hotel. In the absence of Mr Elworthy, President of the Association, Mr Evans presided, and Mr Woollcombe occupied the A’ice-chair. In proposing ‘‘The Health of the Delegates,” the Chairman stated that in the back districts of South Canterbury there were between 100,000 and 200,000 acres of land still available for purchase and settlement at T2 per acre. The toast was drunk with musical honors.

Mr Grant, in responding to the toast, said : Mr Chairman, Vice- Chairman and Gentlemen, —I beg sincerely to thank you for the cordial reception you have given us on our arrival in this very prettily situated town of Timaru. You know, gentlemen, I need not enter into details as to (he object of our visit to this colony. We have come out to learn whether it is a better country than the old one, and we arc going through the length and breadth of the land, to judge of its capabilities and adaptability for English farmers. A good deal of the capital of the English tenant fanners is now gating into the pockets of the landlords, and they are beginning to question whether they had not better become landlords themselves by purchasing their own estates and farming them for themselves. 1 have said very little in going about New Zealand, but 1 will say this,

that I sec smiling faces everywhere ; I have seen no careworn expression on any visage I have met 'with. We have looked about to see what progress farming lias made, and in my own mind Ihave tried to picture this country as it would appear thirty or forty years ago—before the first wooden house was erected, and when the only resident was the Maori. Having so pictured it, Ido not wonder at the joy and gladness 1 see depicted on the countenances of all. I know the first-comers had great difiicultics to struggle against, and overcame them ; had great trials to endure, and endured them manfully. All honor to the men who could found such a colony as this, and bring it to its present state of perfection. I am sensible that an immense amount of satisfaction must glow in the breasts of those who have turned what was, in many instances, truly a wilderness into smiling fields. I am here not to envy you, but to congratulate you upon what you have accomplished, and if I have any feelings of regret, it is, perhaps, that I was nothcrc to be a partaker of your trials, and thus also a partaker of your joys. What may be the result of our visit here I cannot say. I can only say that so far as we have gone we have been very much gratified, and you may be sure that our report will be a very favorable one. There is one point I will touch upon here, and that is that we appear to be too late in the clay to obtain any cheap bargains in land in Canterbury. There have been gentlemen here with their eyes open to what is good land. I do complain of this : wo might get good land at second hand, but if we come you must not charge us too much for your properties. Our friends at Home have some capital, but their capital has been very much reduced, and you must not be hard on them. Amongst them are men possessing £40,000 or £50,000, and I should not be surprised at many such coming out here and investing in property. (Hear, hear.) I am sure if they come you will wish them crery success, and if we come ourselves, I feel sure that we shall meet with a very cordial reception among you. (Applause.) I beg most sincerely to thank you for drinking our healths in so cordial a manner.

Mr Foster, in responding-, said there were one or to classes of people which appeared to he still required in the colony—agriculturists with capital in their pockets, and laborers with capital in their hands and arms. Manufacturers and miners two develop the resources of the country were also needed, and if these were obtained there was nothing to prevent this colony speedily becoming a great and glorious country. He could

say with all bis heart “ God speed the day.” (Applause.)

The other toasts consisted “The General Assembly “proposed by the Vice Chairman and responded to by Mr Wakefield M-TLR.; “ The Army Navy and Volunteers” proposed by Mr LcCren and responded to by Captains Woollcorabc and Hamcrslcy; “ The Agricultural interests” proposed by Mr James Granger and responded to by Mcssrs"Ford and McKerrow ; “ The Mercantile interests ” proposed by Mr Bclficld and responded to by Messrs I). McLean and H. Green; “ The Ladies ” “ Press &c.”

The programme sketched out for the delegates consists of a tour to-day over the country lying between the Opihi and Parcora rivers- To-morrow they re-visit. Temukn, were they have arranged to meet a number of Lincolnshire men now settled in that neighborhood. On Monday they will inspect the country between Tirnaru and Blue Cliffs, including the Kingsdown and Parcora estate. On Tuesday they will proceed to Waimate, and from thence continue their journey southwards.