DINNER AT THE WALLINGFORD HOTEL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 987, 5 August 1882, Page 3

DINNER AT THE WALLINGFORD HOTEL.

The opening of the Wallingford Family and Commercial Hotel, as a Temperance Hotel and Boarding-house, was celebrated last Wednesday evening with a dinner given by the enterprising proprietor, Mr F. Storey, to his friends and numerous patrons. The dinner was certainly of a first-class kinds ; the tasteful and artistic manner in which the table was laid being no less a feature of it than the excellent quality of the viands. Of course there was a complete absence of anything in tire shape of intoxicating liquors, but their place was filled by a great variety of temperance beverages, to widen the guests did full justice. The host occupied the chair, and Dr Hayes the vice-chair. After full justice was done to the good things provided, and the usual toasts ffeie honored, the Chairman proposed ‘ The Army and Navy and Volunteer’s, coupled with the names of Messrs Uprichard, Mason and Dr Hayes, who briefly responded, pointing out that Volunteers had proved themselves ready for any emergency by the willingness with which they went to Parihaka, and that they would be found equally willing again if a necessity for their services arose. Dr Hayes next proposed ‘ The Host, and in doing so expressed a hope that he would succeed in his new undertaking, lire toast -was drunk with musical honors. M r Storey replied, thanking them for their presence there that evening as well as for the manner in which they had drank his health. He would do all in his power to conduct the hotel in a manner that would give satisfaction to his customers, Mr Uprichard proposed ‘The Trade and Commerce of Temuka,’ coupled with the names of Messrs Job Brown and K. F. Gray.

Sir Brown thanked them for the manner in which the toast had been drank. He was one of the oldest inhabitants of Temuka, and saw it under differeat circumstances. He saw it when it was much smaller than it was at present, but he could not say it was flourishing, in fact it was going behind if anything. However, it was a proof of advancement that they were assembled that evening to celebrate the opening of a temperance hotel. Such institutions would suit admirably for those who had left intemperance, and if places like it were more numerous he was sure that * Trade and Commerce ’ would benefit by it. The temperance movement was making headway in the Old Country, and he was glad to say they were not behindhand In Temuka. Here there were many men and women sticking well to it, and the institution was growing. There were various reasons given for the falling off in the ‘Trade and Commerce ’ of Temuka, and he believed intemperance had a great deal to do with it. He could say that he knew that the cause of the failure of many who had gone from this town was intemperance. If the money wasted in drink had been spent on reproductive labor ; if, as the Temuka Leader had frequently pointed out, more attention had been paid to local institutions and to the development of local industries, Temuka would have been better now. He had come as a servant but he stuck to his principles, not to drink or touch liquor, and he was glad to say he had put something by for a rainy day. , He had worked his way up, and he believed the secret of his success was total abstenance He had never reason to regret it, and had never denied his principles. In fact he never knew anyone to lose anything by standing firm to his principles. He was glad to see a temperance hotel started in Temuka, as he believed it would do good, and that it would be a success.

MrK F Gray felt very diffident in handling the toast of ‘ The Trade and Commerce of Temuka.’ There was no doubt that the business of Temuka had fallen off, and he had often puzzled his brain to find out the reason. He often thought that it was a sequel to the depression which was felt throughout the colony, but on after consideration felt that it was not, but that it was due to the people being so disjointed. Younger places were going ahead rapidly. When he came down first there was only one house in Ashburton and now it was a flourishing town. The great secret of Temuka not going ahead was that the people in it did not pull well together, and in consequence other places were outstripping it altogether. He had, however, hopes for Temuka yet. Great changes were taking place, there were 1 good reports of the freezing process by

which me t 'was taken .to the London market, mid as this would undoubtedly improve the grazing interest it would also improve the town. He was not so old a resident as Mr Brown, but still be had been a long time in Temuka. Since then some bad made a fortune and some had not, but all bad done tbeir best. He hoped this undertaking would be a great success, and had no doubt it would be a great convenience, and largely taken advantage of by persons who did not wish to go to hotels. Mr Wills proposed ‘ Success to the roof tree ■we are under,’ coupled with the name of Mi J. T. M. Hayhurst. He was not sorry that the house had not obtained a license as he felt sure that a year hence, the proprietor of it would find himself better off without it.

Mr J. 6 T. M. Hayhurst thanked them for the manner in which they had drank the toast. Mr Storey had got very little assistance in getting the place up ] it was left altogether in his hands, and it would be henceforth. He hoped it would be a success, and in fact he was now rather glad that a license had not been got for the house, as he believed it would get on very well without it. There was enough licensed houses in the town already for the amount of drinking that was done. He thanked them for coupling his name with the toast. Mr W. Storey proposed ‘ The Press’ coupled with the name of Mr Twomey. Pie felt sure they all would agree that the Temuka Leader had done a great deal of good in the place. Mr Twomey thanked them for coupling his name with 1 The Press, and drinking the toast to the tune of ‘A lolly good fellow.’ The Temuka Leader had been referred to on more than o«e occasion that evening, and consequently he would depart a little from his usual custom of saying very little in response. They might have no great opinion of the Teeuka Leader, and perhaps it had not done much for the place, but it was difficult for it to do so, as it would not be easy to drive a 10-horse-power machine with a 1-horscpower engine. As regarded what it had done, it had always pointed out that if they united in concentrating all their efforts in fostering and encouraging local institn" lions they would be far better off. He quite agreed with Mr Gray that the disjointed state of society was the cause of their backwardness. - He felt this when trying to get up the meeting for the purpose of getting the railway to Kakahu. He found then that on this most vital question the people would not pull together well. He took to himself the credit of being the first to move in that matter. When the loan proposals were first mooted he pointed out in the paper that this railway ought to be made, and had used every effort since to bring the matter before the public. Mr Gray could tell them that when he was on his way to see Mr Postlethwaite, he (Mr Twomey) impressed on him the necessity of urging Mr Postlethwaite to take the matter up. (Mr Gray : Hear, hear.) He tried to get Mr Ensor to bring it forward at the Road Board meeting, and at last got up a requisition to Mr Talbot to hold a public meeting to discuss tho question. Nowit was taken up by the whole district: there wore meetings being held everywhere, and petitions were being got up in favor of it, and he felt pretty sure they would get it. If this railway were started it would do great good to the town. It would give an immediate impetus to trade, and ten chances to one if it took a start on the onward journey at all it would continue going ahead. Certainly the matter might have been taken up at any rate, but he (Mr . Twomey) Was the first to more in it, and therefore claimed a share of the credit. As to. the future of this town it would depend upon themselves. While they kept so disjointed as they were it could not go ahead. All the natural elements necessary for success were present, and it needed only enterprise in its inhabitants to make it a town of importance. It needed that the people should feel a sort of local patriotism - take a pride in the place, and join together to devise, means for pushing it ahead. That was what was wanted. It was true that the Temuka Leader had frequency pointed out the advantages of starting and fostering local industries. If things could he done profitably elsewhere, why should they not be done here ? If butter and cheese factories, linseed factories, paper mills, etc., worked so successfully elsewhere, why should they not do so here. Had they not the convenience of a railway, splendid roads, water-power to turn machinery, together with being in the very heart of the finest agricultural land in New Zealand, and why, therefore, should it not go ahead 'I It was all nonsense to talk of their being too near Timaru. It was sufficiently distant to become a prosperous little town if its inhabitants combined together to make it so. If they concentrated all their energies on fostering and developing local industries, if they took a pride in the place, and felt that whatever can be done elsewhere could bs clone here, the town would succeed ; but if they went on as they were now going there was very little hope for it. (Applause.) Dr Hayes moved a vote of thanks to Mr Storey for the yery excellent entertainment he had

given them that evening. He was sure that all would agree vith him in saying that the dinner was an excellent one, and in wishing him, most heartily, success in his undertaking. Mr Job Brown seconded the vote, of thanks, and paid a high compliment to Mr Storey for the excellent manner in which the dinner was got up. During the evening songs were sung by Messrs P. Storey, Ashwell, Taylor, Harrison, Uprichard, and E, Brown, and a most enjoyable,time was spent. After it was all over the guests were shown over the house, and expressed themselves thoroughly satisfied with the excellence of the furniture.