THE DINNER.

Southland Times, Issue 951, 15 May 1868, Page 6

THE DINNER.

i ■■:■■ ■■• _The InvercargiU Company gave a return v j dinner to their Riverton friends in the evening at 7,the Prince of Wales Hotel. The chair was oc--7 cupied by Captain Instone, and the vice-chair by -'■'■ Captain Harvey. Between thirty and forty gentlemen sat down to an excellent repast that did credit to the caterer, Mr G. Smith. Every "cfelicacy of the season was in profusion. After • full justice was done to the dinner, the table ; . ; -was cleared, and the convivialities of the evening . commenced. The Chaibman- proposed the 'Queen.' He J did not deem it necessary to make any remarks, ■as he was confident that it would be freely res- , ponded to by every individual present. Enthuastically responded to by all present. The Vice-Chaxesiajt, in proposing the health cf the * Royal Family ' said — On this occasion I couple this toast with the name of the Duke of Edinburgh. The recent cowardly attempt upon .his life by the man O'Farreli, was to be execrated by every one, and he was certain that there was not one present who would not sympathise with ■ the Prince and his Royal Mother, not one who ,- -would not testify his loyalty and attachment to -: %r British Crown by drinking to the health of the Royal Family, coupled with the name of Prince Alfred. Ail must feel thankful that His >; Royal Highness so speedily recovered from the ... ,^ oun<i received. While deeply regretting and 7 'denouncing the act that had prevented his visit- *--> ing this colony, he would call upon them to make -:. this a bumper toastV Responded to with loud ... r cheering. ... . _-_■.. The Chaibmjlk proposed 'His Honor the " " Superintendent.' It was received with applause. <?-■--■ The Vice-Chaibmast proposed 'The Army and -;• Navy,' coupled with the name of Mr Longuet. .He said the success of the Volunteer movement had been greatly facilitated by what might be termed a contingent or reserve force. He alluded -to the honorary members, who, by their contri- -. butions, aided in securing the efficiency of the ... regular- corps, and were prepared to join their associates if necessity arose for active service 7 (Cheers.) " r . /Mr Lon&uet, in replying, expressed a deep interest m the Volunteer movement, and although owing to circumstances he could not be an active I pember of the company to which he was attached, - -it xould receive his hearty support, and he would be m the ranks when wanted. _ The Chaibkait then proposed—' The Success- • lul Competitors,' coupled with the name of Cap- * tarn Harvey. He freely and heartily asked the toast .an, enthusiastic reception. He must con- : fess that he was disappointed at the result, never * having thought that his men would have been -•■ thrashed; they had been, however, and he was not altogether sorry for it. It "would tend to form a spirit of friendly emulation between the two companies, it would induce more constant and steady practice, be a spur to desire to excel, - and also bring them into more frequent intere course and honorable competition. He congratuplated the InvercargiU Riflemen upon their triumph, and hoped to, meet them at Riverton soon, when he hoped the position would be reversed. He could not help saying that the adop- . tion ot the Hythe position somewhat unfavorable to his men, who had chiefly practiced the layin*dowa position. (Applause.) :.: Captain Habvey, in reply, expressed the ex- ,,.. fa-erne gratification he felt in meeting so many of the Riverton Volunteers on this oocasion. He freely reciprocated the sentiments of friendship --and trusted, whether they won or lost, the same kindly spirit that had been manifested by both , companies during the day would ever be maintained. He .congratulated the InvercargiU ten for the victory they had achieved. He was not disposed to crow notwithstanding. He could not take any part of the triumph to have arisen from <v his skill in shooting, unless mating the very K smallest score entitled to honor. He could not . say .that he did not strive to excel— he did ; and did his best to make a high score, and failed. To ; faU sometimes is a healthy restorative :it serves to "remind you that to do anything weU you must j pnever neglect it, that to be a crack rifle shot constant practice is. required. He, however, could toll, them that the- position he held as the i 'smaUestr scorer might have been a case of mis- • -taken confidence. •To use the colonial phrase , he had .been "sold" by a friend, why, not ...liking the look of his rifle, induced him '"(Captain Harvey) to cast lots as to which *-'of the two should test its capabilities, and 7-dfc -fell to his lot to do so, and he claimed the ..charitable belief that it was the rifle and not the man that caused the bullets to miss. He felt almost sorry that InvercargiU had won. He had

been writing to the General Government, representing, in strong terms, the indifferent character of the rifles supplied to his company, and he was afraid that tho news that InvercargiU Riflemen, with their much-worn medium rifles had beaten the Riverton Volunteers with their superior long Enfields, that he might faU in obtaining for the InvercargUl Corps simUar weapons to those supplied tb the Riverton Company. He hope , however, such would not be the case. He again thanked the Riverton men for the hearty manner in whioh they had responded to tho toast, and the unmistakeable spirit of honorable and friendly competition tha-*- had been displayed on this occasion ; that it may long last, and be the means of establishing frequent re-unions of a Uke character, that other companies might be formed, and the Southland Volunteers reach a state of efficiency, that will not only render them renowned throughout the colony as crack shot 9, but become, wliat they should all aim to become, thorough soldiers, ready to defend their country with courage and science if catted into active service. (Cheers.) The Viob-Chaibman then proposed ' The Unsuccessful Competitors,' coupled with the name of Captain Instone.

Captain Instone said he could endorse the sentiments of his brother officer, and he felt assured that when the next match came off at Riverton it would be found that the same honorable competition would be maintained, the same friendly feeling would be displayed, and J if his men were again beaten, ho did not think they would be, the defeat would be taken iv the same good temper as had been hitherto maintained, They had unexpectedly beeu placed in the position of the unsuccessful competitors, but he believed that he gave expi-ession to the opinions of all wher. he said, if you do beat us next time it wiU be a wonder to vs — if constant practice wiU gain the day it shatt be adopted. He was gratified to find the Invercargill Company so far advanced and he believed that this meeting would give au impetus to the movement of a most beneficial nature. On behalf of the Riverton Volunteers he returned thanks for the enthusiastic way in which the toast has been responded to. He hoped that at no distant day to have the pleasure of proposing l instead of responding to the toast of the unsuccessful competitors. (Continued cheering )

The Vice-Chaiuitan said the next toast he had to propose was one that he ~knew would be drank in a bumper, it was ' the Champion Shot of Southland, Mr Crisp.' In proposing this toast he had to express deep . regret that this gentlemen had missed the' steamer in which he was to proceed to Wellington to compete at the Annual Colonial Match as the representative of the Volunteers of this province. He felt that had not that unforeseen accident occurred Southland might have walked off with one of the first prizes. Erom the reports of the district matches in the other provinces, with the exception of Otago, no competition had arisen Ukely to prove superior to the gentlemen mentioned. However, that could not now be helped, and he hoped that when the time arrived for firing the next Colonial Match, Southland would be able to send not only Mr Crisp but other comrades weU qualified to contest for ihe championship of the colony. (Great cheering.)

Mr Cbtsp in a few appropriate remarks returned thanks. He certainly did regret that owing to imperfect information as to the time of the sailing of the vessel in which he should have saued for WeUington, to be in time for the Colonial Match, he had lost the opportunity of ' bringing to Southland some trophy of victory. | StiU he would persevere and by hard practice | strive to be prepared on the next occasion to go with even greater confidence in his success than he had on the occasion aUuded to, and hoped he might have Southland companions equal to himself. He thanked them for the handsofne manner i in which the toast had been drunk. (Cheers.) The Chairman proposed the ' Volunteer Officers of Southland ' coupled with the name of Lieutenant Giesow. He said aU would acknowledge that gentleman to be an active and. efficient soldier. He had evinced an interest in the volunteer movement, that displayed an indomitable determination on his part to make the company to which he was attached aU. thafc volunteers should be. The invitation was responded to amidst great cheering. Lieutenant Geisow in reply said — I thank you for the honor you have done me. I have done my best to merit your good opinion, and am happy that I have succeeded in doing so. Frequently I have found great diificulty in finding time to do all that I could desire. It has often happened that on such occasions as the one we now commemorate I have had to ride all ni"hfc to enable me to be present, but have seldom j failed to be at my post. I thank you all for the expression of good will towards me. (Cheers.) Ensign Wade proposed the 'Officers of the Riverton Company ' He hoped that the" good feeling now existing between the two companies would never be disturbed, but that each succeeding, match might 'serve to cement the unity of interests that existed. He would couple it with the name of Ensign Reed. (Cheers.) Ensign Reed, in an. appropriate speech, replied. He hoped that unity, combined with friendly rivalry would bo the motto of all, and that eacli year would increase the efficient sctivity of all connected with the volunteer movement. (Cheers.) Tho Chaibman proposed ' The Highest Scorer of the InvercargiU Ten.' Mr Geobge Reese responded. The Vice-Chaibman said the next toast he had to propose was one tliat every Volunteer would heartily drink, viz., ' The Press.' To the support , of the Press throughout the whole of the British dominions might be attributed in a great measure the success of the Volunteer movement, and certainly in Southland it had done good service in in aiding and encouraging those desirous of promoting its advancement whenever an opportunity arose. The support the Press had given them every Volunteer should acknowledge as valuable and warmly acknowledge it. "(Applause.) ' air Ham (" Southland Times"), in responding, said that out of the many times he had beencaUed upon to respond to 'The Press,' he had never done so with more pleasure than he did on this occasion. He believed that Volunteers did not underrate the services rendered in the creation and progress of a movement that has made England almost Ll vincible with a comparatively small standing armyj that had rendered the British Colonies able to dispense with the presence of Imperial soldiers without diminishing the power to resist aggression should such be attempted. In New Zealand this**' had been especiaUy conspicuous. For years a large Imperial mfiitary force was kept up, at a cost that speedily -created a debt, the leaden weight of which threatened if longer continued to plunge the Colony into extreme poverty. It -was by the persistent efforts of the press to evoke a spirit of self-reiiance that mainly led to the Volunteer ; movement in this Colony — a movement that has r relieved the colonist's from a great burden, and placed ifc in the proud position of being able to fight its own battles with its own Volunteers, and that more successfully than when it had to have thousands of Imperial soldiers to do it for them. He and those associated with him felt a deep interest in the Volunteer movement, and had he was proud to say, given ifc unswerving support. IndividuaUy, he would say that so deep was the interest he took in training our youth to become men, nofc effeminate representatives of men, thafc he would assert thafc if in writing or working he could promote the cause he would never be found wanting. (Cheers.)

The toasts of * Sweethearts and Wives,' and * Our Absent Members," * The G-uests of the Evening,' was next proposed, and approbriately responded to.

Mr Q-. Reese said he had a toast to propose, and although coming about lasfc, he did nofc tliink ifc should be deemed leasfc. Ifc was ' Our Host.' He did not think that there was a single one present but what felfc agreeably surprised afc the spread thafc had been placed before them, considering the shorfc time given Mr Smith for making his arrangements. Thero had been everything eatable and drinkable that man could desire placed before them in splendid style • in fact the

whole affair had been managed in a manner that reflected the highest credit upon Mr Smith. (Applause.) " - Mr George Smith, in responding, said it afforded him great pleasure to find that his efforts to place before them as good a spread as possible had succeeded in eliciting an expression of approbation. He regretted that the short time he had to prepare it prevented him making it all he could have desired. He had done his best under the circumstances, and he thanked them for the satisfaction expressed. (Applause.) > Most of the toaßts were accompanied with the chorus of " he's a joUy good fellow " &c. During the evening Captain Harvey, G. Reese, Paxton, F. Henderson, "Wilson, and others sung popular songs ; indeed, everything went off with the greatest eclat. The entertainment concluded a little before eleven o'clock by the whole company joining in singing the National Anthem.