The Daily News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1901. THE BANQUET TO MR. NEWTON KING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 221, 30 September 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1901. THE BANQUET TO MR. NEWTON KING.

The public banquet tendered to Mr. Newton King on Friday evening was a Well-deserved compliment to one who has probably done more than any other man to estiblish the prosperity of Taranaki. The name of " King " may fairly be said to be a household word in Taranaki, and has been one of the most prominent in the settlement since the late Mr. Thomas King, father of Mr. Newton King, opened a branch of the Bank of New Zealand in New Plymouth in 1861. Afterwards, as chairman of; the New Plymouth Harbour Board for many years;, the late Mr. King rendered most valuable and ungrudging service to the district. His memoiy has also been honoured by naming the Harbour Board dredge after him—a name which, we hope, in the near future, to B"e borne by a much larger and mop efficient . dredge. Walking in his father's footsteps, Mr; Newton .King's name is synonymous with all that is .honourable and" progressive. From the firs'; starting of his career he recognised that it was the produce of the farmer which was to make Taranaki a progress. For /ears Mr. Newton was almost the only medium between the Taranaki pror ducer and the purchasers, In the days when nearly all produce had to be disposed of by what was little better than barter Mr. Newton Kin?, by his attention to business, his integrity, enterprise and skill, made a name for Taranaki produce. In these days of large co-operative factories, with Home buyers almost tumbliDg over each other to secure the output, one stands aghast at the enormous responsibilities undertaken by' Mr. Ksn'g on behalf of the producers of Taranaki. Those were the days of slow sailing" vessels, when no one could tell with any certainty when or in what condition bis produce would reach the consumer. As a stock and station agent also Mr King has enabled hundreds of struggling settlers to get their feet on-the first rung of the ladder by the terms upon which he let them have stock, and many a noble herd which is the pride of its owner and of the whole district can trace its origin back to Mr Newton King's yards. We suppose thgt there is hardly a successful venture in TargjiaJfi bjat what is indebted for a large measure of its success to the assistance and advice of Mr King. Often bis name alone has inspired confidence; but more frequently he hais taken a leading public part in all that was for the good of the district. Frequently, however, he tns been the power behind the throne, others receiving the credit due to him. Those who conceived and so successfully carried out the binquet given in his honour on Friday admirably voiced the feelings of the majority of the people of Taranaki. Naturally on many subjects we, and many others, hold different views from Mr King; but in spite 9f that it is safe to say that Taranaki'is proud of Mr King, of bis success in business, and of his rtc'icude and enterprise. After, as Mr ]png aptly put it the other evening; discounting lathe most liberal ipanner all that may tje said of bim, there is a solid and endjiring substratum of esteem, respect, jind admiration of which any mail may well be proud,