BANQUET TO MR H.H. ADAMS, WAIORONGOMAI.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 255, 14 April 1888, Page 2

BANQUET TO MR H. H. ADAMS, WAIORONGOMAI.

()\ TiniiNi'iv cvc'iiMT List :i Banquet w ,i^ trit r i' i"i '" M ' H ! f A ]■!!)}>, fini/n cc r (M oi the hue PiAtLorv C( mpaiiy, and now inan,iL r(i r of tin 1 Mount Aeohn (I. «nd s M ('« .)• "i tlio Werihiko Public If ill, W.iioi oiu, r onini ; which was tastefully ili'i'Hi -iti'il w'th e\ ci i^icens, etc., for the o'N-iNitm. The catep'ng was en-tm-t.'.l (" Mr S T. Smardon, of the \\ r ai'Mi'Hi, > ' > MMi Hotel, who cat rii'il out lii^(luti"s in a manner that gave the gioatcst <.iti-i'actinn ; iho menu included a vaii''tv of LfoO'i things in fact the vpMMil u'ts all that am]<\ bo dcs'ivoi]. ThiM«' ucii fnnr faMes, nnc across tin 1 top of the hall at which the ch.unnan jiip-iil«»il, ami lhu'o others oaeli ovtoinl hilt fntin that fsi^f. HKMitioiK 1 '! to the end of thohf.ll. Mr 11. K. Whitaker tilje.l tin 1 pnmt inn of (Mi airman, ami it is almost mijxm lion-, to a'lti, prcsiilfil in a ttiantici that s.;»\i' univer-al satisfaction — for" Mr Whit.ikiT i- well-known as niakin^a fir-t-ela-s chaiiman at social itiL;s, ami. with a t.iefc peeuliarlv his own, rr.riie 5 out, .1 jMo^ramnie a^ \l should he iloni\ On the 1 i n i 11.1 1. of the Ohaiiman m-> the Guest, of the evening, anil on his left Mr .John W'aNon (TliHtncs). Mr Mills ofTUpietl (he vice-chair. There wen; fully one him lro.l ami twenty ijupsls present, amongst them ropiesenlntives fioin AticlJand, 'i'haiues, Waikato, and fiom all fclio surrouit liuu districts. The hour named foi 1 cornmen- j cmL r the |u-onM>din^s was 7 o'clock, huti it was fully h:df-past before a M.art was | uuulo. Full justice having hecn done to the abundance of food thim^s provided. a start wag made with the ILst of toasts set down for tho evening, thirteen in number. ( I ). 'The Qupn,, ; " (2 ). '-The Prince of Wah-sand IJoyal b\mn\y ;" (. X), "The(}overnor," were (list propose 1 by Ihe chairman, all of which wen; duly honoured. Thech/urmaii next proposed that of 4 .''The (iuestof tho Evening, ' J\Fr Fl. 11- Adams, and in doin^ so said : They weie al"l met, there f.o-ii'^ht to do honour to 'Mr Adams, who was well known lo most of those present. Tf, was 1 usinl on such occasions to only say nice thinys of those beino- toasted, and (o ?pe;ik of them as though th(;y were incapable of doinuf wron^. Now hi: did not intend p.-n in^>- he had never met ;i better man, or to make u^o of a lot of (l.iltery, but Cli i «=a he could say, he had now knovrh Mr Adams for a number of years ill >d believed him to be a thoroughly honest and s(,iai>j lit forward man. N<> nun could go through lifo without, having his actions unpleasantly discussed, but he felt sure Mr Adams must fe<-l very proud »(> seei"t,' such a laru;e and repre-j-entathe trallieiing present thatnighi to do him honour. With ie-pect to MiAdams he would as|< ; C<"ild lln-y s«y he had e\er done finythin^j/i connection nil!) fhr> portion he lie) 1;" that, ho Ind not to do in curving out, his msiiuctious?

He w,i«i if\n() (o goc a number of members, of the Pinko County Council thine, lie considered Piako one of the finest count it's in the north island, being largely interested in both the agricultural ami mining inhislrie-, ft combination of intends that could not. yield other than magnificent results. Tn conclusion he would only add, in the face of so l.ugc and representative «q-alliorin*» their guest must say to himself : How nm I held in ])üblic estimation ? He was :>!ad to see so many come together that night to do honour to the Guest of the evening. The toast having been duly honoured, thrre cheeis wore given for Mr Adams, (all joining in sinoinir, He's a jolly good fellow, etc., ) and three more for M/s Adams and family next. (Song, Doctor Wriirlif .) I\lr Ailam^ responded, and in doing s,iid : lie thanked those present most Miieeiely for the manniM 1 in which they had tli unk his health (."nd that of Mrs Ad.unv, etc.) and was glad to know they appieented his action in introducing AiHtialian capital into the disttict. lie must say after his visit, to the mining disliicK of the United States some little time buck, he gicatly felt, the need of capit'il to open up the mines. The late Battoiy Company were willing, hut their capital was too small. To open U|> the mint's in the ground they possessed would loquire an expenditure of at least XI O,OOO to put in crosscuts, etc., and thoroughly develope tlu 1 uiouud. The i opinion he had uriived at with lespect i to mining in this district was ; that no one system Mould suffice to tre.it the ore, a combination of system^ would be necc-saiy in oider to obtain the best results, so much <>\ the ore i cidl; n\ a \ery lefrneforv character. They had now got capital, and the b' i -,t of capital available in the Ausdaiun Colomesj into the distiict. Jle wished to s:iv, with respect, to his late em])lo\ims, thiit he considered the community mound him owed them a debt of urat tude for what they had done in connection with the mining indu.stiy, and he hoped (be day would \e*, come when they would be able to repay it. His late etnploMMs bad sacrificed many thoiisnnds of pounds in earning <>u ! woik in connection with the mines ; m his opinion those capitalists who had come from Australia and invested in I tin' district, had got hold of a Lrood j tluni", that would yield them Ljood ni- • t crest lor their money, and the icsult of I their coming would be that others would follow. With inspect to Mr W. R. Wilson, the rrentleman who had purchased the late Battery Companies mining pioper(ie«, he first, met him on tin 1 occasion of h.s visit, to tin 1 United Stales, about a year and a half iilto, when he travelled more or less in his company for ue.nly a month. He fnnm) h ; n) to be a thoionirhly practical m m on all mining mutter':, and an c\peit, and promisod him before they p"fteil, lh if if he ever heard of a good thing m <!n i way of mining- in this Colony (o let him know of it, and he had now done so. In conclusion he would vi Mi to add the Coromnn-lel TYrim-siili nn?, in his opinion, the backbone of the Auckland provence. (Hone. Mr C. Gordon). (&.) " The late Propriotois — T3attery Company " The Vice Chairman was invited to propose this toast, and in doing "o said : lie was sorry he had not. learnt a speech (made he believed by Mark Twain) that would suit for all occasions. It was customary on such an occasion is the present to forget all unpleasantness and only remember the good rlon<\ (ire.ofc progress had br«en made durinef tho past si v u^'iis m the district. The late proprietors of the B.itfory had d< ik> a i^renf, deal for the mining indu^n , an<l all rogrett^d their reward bad not been equal to their deserts. He was sure nil hoped the interest they retained in the property purchased by the ivw company, would pay them bet tor than if they had retained it all. The ton^t having 1 ecu duly honored with three times-three and " Jolly Hood Fellows," etc. Mr W. T. Firth responded brieilr, and thanked all for the kind manner in which the toasfc had been received and diunk, and expressed the hope that with the introduction of fresh capital much hidden wealth would be brought to Imhfc, cfc. (Sono, Mr C. Tuck.) (0.) "The present Proprietors", proposed by Mr I). Murphy, who said : Jle had no doubt whilst they retained tho .services of the present manager, and with the assistance of experts to come, they would be bound to have .success. The toast was moot heartily received. (Song, Mr C. Me Liver.) Mr Adams responded on behalf of the last toast hiul said, there could be no manner of doubt in the new company they had i^ot Die men and the money to do the needed work. lie would wish the name of Mr J. McCosh Clarke to i'coupjed with thejtoasl, as he had been appointed loc.il director of the new Company, and in Messrs J, McC. Clarke and W. U. Wilson they had got •nil they need ask for ; and he was sure all ui^hel them hearty success in their undei t'ikin<;, and for his own part he quite believed they would attain it. (Kouo, Mr F. Pflvit.tj. (7 ) The County Council and Local Bodies, proposed by Mr 11. McLiver, who said : Outside, tho Battery Company none deserved more credit for win! they had lone for the district than Pi dvo County Council. They had .formed various tracts, constructed the Warorongmrui tramway, and earned out other useful and important works for the benefit of the dtsirict/, and had incuried a good deal of abuee fi;bm latepayers

in other pm Is of the county, etc., for go ■loin*?. Tho fact that quartz couM be sent down the line for over three miles for 2s O'd per lon was something the district could foci proud of. In his opinion were it not for that tramway, forming as it did * main road right through the hill, the present proprietors would prohnl ly never have looked at the property that had so recently changed hands. They had every reason to feel gratefnl to the Comity Council for all (hoy had done for (he district, and In 1 \\\ heil to t-tate th.it only that very day himself and Mr Gavin hud waited on the Council requesting that certain lepairs be effected to the Upper JTill track, etc., arid they had given them f dl they had asked for. He hoped the Council would go on as they had been doing that day, and open up the country lo prospectors. J Je wns glad they so fully recognised the imrioitance of the mining industiy. The tori'-t was'diunk with applause. At this stage of the pioceedings the Chairman read the following telegram, handed him by Mr Hot fc, who had just received it from Paeroa signed by Messrs A\ . G. Nicholls (Chairman Ohinemuri County Council, and J. M. JRobson) : — '' Kindly apologise for our unavoidable abstnee from banquet to Mr Adams. Our sympathies are with yon. We wcie detained at Thames, at a long and successful inierview with the Hon. Minister of Marino, re getting the proof imatiou extending the limits of Thames Ifnfbour Board rescinded." (Song, MrEllerv). Cis. Murphy, Heany, Brunskill and bill's responded on behalf of Pinko Council. In the course of his remarks Cr. Murphy paid : He thought when Mr McLiver propound the toast, he had foigotteu that the Waioioneromai tramway was constructed greatly through the effort* of the Chairman of the evening, Mr 11. E. Whitaker ; to whom great praise was undoubtedly due. He wished to say al^o, that this district owed much to a former member of the County Counc'l, he referred to Mr J. C. Fnlh. When Mr Firth resigned In's seat in the Council, To Aroha lost the best friend it had in that Council. Cr Heany apologised for tho absence of the County Chairman, and remarked that no member of the Piako County Council that he know of took more intop^t, in the prosperity of tin* district ; Cr, Murphy bad also done ail he could towards obtaining good ron('« Messrs J. A. Dobson, Chahman of To Aroha Town Board, and T. Gavin, Chairman of the To Aroha Hot Springs Domain Board, responded on behalf of tin Hoards they lepresonted. (Son-. Mr T. G. Sander). (S). " The Visitor." Mr F. Pavitfc in pioposing this toast, said he was sure (hey wen nil very pleased to see so many visitors present that night, he bad no doubt some good would result finiii their coming and having a look amund foi themselves, and he hoped thai when they went away, it would be to leturn a am. (^ong, Mr J P. Vauso). Me^rs Wickham . Tuck, and O'Xoil lesjionded on behalf of the visitor. Mr Wickham said he had known Mr Adams for a long time on the Thames, and wished him and the now Company every success. So far as To Aroha, was concerned, it w,is undoubtedly about as healthy a place as one could live at. During the ilny he had paid a visit to the Hot Spiing« Domain and inspected the spiings and baths, etc., and he honestly believer, the place had a big foitune in them — apart from the mines— and he quit o believed that before long visitors from all parts would throng to Te Aioha. Fn fact hohad no hesitation inlying tbe To Aroha baths would take the lead of all otheis of a similar character, so far as ho knew of. and he had visited nearly every part of the north Tsland. Mr Tuck, (clerk of Piako County Council.) said he hoped ere long he would be able to credit Te Aroha Riding with a few hundreds a month, gold(jelds revenue. He was so mixed up a')d so long associated with the affairs of To Aroha, that he felt rather surpiised at being one of those called upon to respond to the toast of " The Visitors " Mr O'Neill remarked that it was the impression in Auckland that this district was in for an era of great prosperity in gold field matters, and aftfir visiting the place, and having had alook around for himself, he must say he was quite of the same opinion. (Song, Mr A. Pownos). (9). "The Mining Industry," proposed by Mr J. Tlott, who said : There was nothing that would s:\ve a more geneial impetus to everything in the Colony than a revival of the mining industry and the progress of the goldfields, and it was very gratifying indeed to know that practical men with very large capital at their backs were now turning their attention to this subject, with every prospect of success. At Waiorongomai, Te Aroha, Waihi,Marototo, Thames, Coromandel, in fact, in all pirts of the Ilauraki Mining District., (hero were signs of a coming mining boom, and all was nctivity There was hope for this Colony in the future of thegoldfieldsabove all the other industries put together. What had done so much to make New Zealand what it was, as the gold 6 elds, what had advanced Auckland to the position it; held to day ? Undoubtedly the goldfields. A great, deal of money has been expended by Auckland residents and others during the past few years in fostering the various local industries such as the frozen mea 1 , trade, the iron works, sugar works, timber trade, etc., etc, and it was right and proper these should all be encouraged and

supported ; but he believed the business men of Auckland were now waking up to the fact that they had made a grent j mistake in pot fostering more liberally the development of the gold fields, and undoubtedly nothing would put them i-ight and banish the cloud of depression so quickly and so effectually, as a re- , vival of the mining industry. There was nothing the Colony as a whole had more to expect from than the gold fields; for ns a source of future wealth and revei, ue, and as a means o( providing employment to our population, their value, could not. le over rated. But new j departures from Ihe old beaten tracks and methods of lifting the ore would have to be made. There was a great problem lo be solved, viz , how best to treat our lef factory oip S ? This had all along been the difficulty, therefore they had every reason to rejoice when such men as Mr W. R Wilson, t.C the Broken Hill proprietory took the matter in hand. The following figures would perhaps prove of interest as showing the impottnnce of the mining industry, judging it by ] ast results :—: — The gold produce of the world for 34 years ending with 1884 has been 200,164,957 ounces, valued at £802,995,251 The produce of silver for the world for the three years ending with 1884, amounted to 206,013,979 ounces, valued at £71,644,348. New Zealand: — Quantifcy and value of gold entered for duty for exportation from N.Z. from 1857 to 31st Mai eh, 1887, 30 years. From Auckland Goldfiold, 1,522,701 ounces, value £5,600,692. From Colony, 11,081,345 ounces, value £43, 488,735. The value of gold Gelds revenue, including gold duty from 1860 to 1887, (31st March), amounts to £2,159,551. The numbe- of miners employed in the Colony for the year ending March 31st, 1887 were 11,178. During the past few years this district had passed through a time of severe depression, owing to the gold mining industry languishing, and roany good men and true had lost heart, and left the district for fresh fields and pastures new ; but there were those whose faith in the great future of this district as a goldfield Dover wavered, and he believed they would not lie disappointed in their expectations, and that they would yet see many who had gone away returning to settle amount them. Aheady in the course of the past lew weeks two strong Companies had been formed in the district, one at Wa'rongomai, and one at Te Aroha. There would be no need for rivalry between companies here, unless rivalry of a generous character, as the grand old hills would give an abundant harvest to many capitalists and to a largo and contented population, when new and improved methods of treatment had boon brought to bear, and the mines more systematically opened-up and worked ; and it now appeared as if the distiict was about to have a chance such as ifc never had before ; and yet it probably was but the thin end of the wedge, as there were hundreds and thousands of acres of auriferous and argentiferous land at their doors awaiting the capitalist and the miner to go up and posso^s it. Speaking of the miners as a class he wished to say, he had never lived on a gold field prior to coining to TV Aroha some five years ago, but, <?incethenhe had been broughtinuchincontacfc with them, and he felt glad of the present opportunity to state that a more intelligent, open-hearted, courteous, selfroliant class of men he had never met with at Home or abroad. He would now ask them to drink success to the mining ' industry, and wished to couple with the toast the names of Messrs T\ Gavin, G. Price, and G. Bull. The toa*t was enthusiastically rr chived. Messrs G. Price, (of A. and Q. Price, Thames), Bull and uavin responded. Mr Gavin in the course of his remarks, said that farmers would derive a great advantage from the revival in , mining, and if there were a few hundred miners at work on the hill they would not have to go far to find a ready market for their pioduce. It was well known there were hundreds of reefs that. would handsomely pay for working, if they had a satisfactory means of treating the ore, and they now hoped soon to see such established. (Song, Mr C. Gordon). 10. " The Agricultural Industry," pioposed by Mr Dobs m who said : With the exception of mining, there was no industry the fostering of which would so tend to advance New Zealand. Like others the farmers had had thoir share of the bad times, but he hoped they would soon paticipate in the prosperity they all hoped to sop ere long. Messrs Wood and Samson responded. (Song, "Dr Wright). 11. " The Piess," coupled with tin* names of Messrs Wickham (Auckland Weekly News), and J. Uotfc, (Akoiia and Ohinkvup.i News) was next proposed by Mr J. Watson, and responded to by the representatives mentioned. 12. " The Ladies," proposed by Mr E. W. Burton, and responded to by Mr Duncan E. Clerk. 13. " The Host and Hostess," proposed by the chairman and responded to by Mr Smardon. This brought the list of toasts set down for the evening to a close ; after which the following toasts were proposed and duly honoured. — "Mr P. Ferguson," who, as the proposer Mr D. E. Clerk remarked, had gone Home to raise foreign capital for the developement of the goldfiold. " The Chairman " proposed by Mr Adams ; " Messrs McLiver and Gavin." proposed by Mi^ Taylor. The meeting broke up shoitly before twelve, many remarkirg it was one of the pleasantest gatherings they had ever attended.