PRESENTATION CONCERT TO MR ALFRED COX.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1025, 2 November 1882, Page 3

PRESENTATION CONCERT TO MR ALFRED COX.

The presentation concert given in the Volunteer Hall in honor of Mr Alfred Cox on the occasion of his leaving the district was as successful as could possibly be wished. The hall was splendidly decorated with flowers and evergreens, and presented a very effective appearance. The chair was occupied by Mr Angus Macdonald, and there were many from Geraldine, Orari, Winchester, Waitohi, Pleasant Point, Tirnaru, and all the intervening districts present, and the Volunteer Hall was crowded to excess. The following programme was gone through v ery successfully : Overture (piano), Misses Fish ; song, 4 Noble Boy of Truth,’ Mr Edmonds ; song, 4 ln the Gloaming,’ Miss McNair ; musical selection 4 Flotte Burshe von Supie,’ Miss and Messrs Morris ; duet, 4 The Gens d’armes,’ Messrs Aspinall and Ashwell; song, 4 The old Try sting Tree,’ Mrs Rout; duet, 4 The Sailor Sighs,’ Mr and Mrs Edmonds ; Chorus, ‘To Rome’s Immortal Leader,’ Glee Club. Overture (piano), Misses Fish; song, 4 Oh Fair Dove,’ Mrs Edmonds ; song, 4 The Warrior Bold,’ Mr Aspinall; musical selection, ‘ Marsoniello Miss and Mr H. Morris ; song, ‘ Beauty Sleep,’ Mrs Rout ; comic song, 4 My Grandmother’s Chair,’ Mr Ashwell ; song 4 Robin’s Return,’ Mrs P. H. Barker ; double quartette, ‘The Ashgrove,’ and the whole wound up with ‘ Auld Lang Syne,’ and the 4 National Anthem.’

After the overture, which was played after the interval, Mr Angus Macdonald presented Mr Cox with an address very handsomely illumined, and in doing so said he felt proud of the position he occupied. A few weeks ago he had been asked by the Committee to meet them for the purpose of arranging how the presentation should be made. They met, and he (Mr Macdonald) was selfish enough to suggest that the presentation should be made privately, and there were others as selfish ns he was himself. Since then he had a letter saying that the ladies cf ’ Temuka were dissatisfied with this, as they were not given the privilege of assisting. He would always think more of the ladies of Temuka. He had seen in the Australasian that the world was governed by four boxes : the jury box, the witness box, the ballot box, and the bond box ; and there was no doubt about it that the latter box was the most powerful of all. It was asked at the meeting who would make the presentation, and Mr Barker said that he (Mr Macdonald) was the fittest to do so; Well he (Mr Macdonald) thought so to. although he himself said so. He believed he had known Mr Cox longer than anyone else. He might have said he knew him since he was a boy, only he was the happy father 1 ' of two boys when he first knew him. He would not detain them any longer, but read the address as follows : “ To Alfred Cox, Esq, 44 Dear Sir, —On your leaving South Canterbury we wish to convey to you the assurance of our high esteem for your 1 personal qualities, and our acknowledgement of the truly beneficial influence which you have exercised upon all around you during your residence amongst us. “ We desire to approach you to-day in the capacity of a private citizen, rather than as a public man, but we cannot forget that in times past you took an active, and always a useful, part in the public affaiis of the colony, or that to you was due, in a great measure, the establishment of that admirable form of local government which made South Canterbury first independent, and then prosperous, and . afforded a model of local administration

which hus never since been rivalled for simplicity, economy, or effectiveness. “ Those who are now addressing you, however, include many who can only have known you since your retirement from public life, and whose esteem and attachment, therefore, is solely the result of your private beneficence. “We see in you one who has successfully endeavored, by patience, consistency, and steadfast adherence to a lofty guiding principle, to elevate and improve the moral, social, and domestic condition of all classes of the community among whom you have lived. “ You have boldly and firmly upheld all that is right and true, and discountenanced all that is wrong and false, and you have done so with a magnanimity, a gentleness, and a forgetfulness of self which have furnished a most valuable •nsample of conduct, and of manners. “By the aid of your family, every member of whom has been a fellow worker with you in these efforts, you have diffused peace and goodwill, inculcated sentiments of honor and kindliness, and illustrated the power of unobstrusive, but unwearying benevolence. “We beg your acceptance of this expression of our respect and affection for yourself and your household, and of our hope that you may long be spared to enjoy the society of those who are dear to you, and to spread still further the influence of a noble life.’

There was one * thing he regretted and that was that he was not the composer of the address. There was nothing too little •r too much in it, and every word was wall deserved. They were there that evening not to hear the concert but to do honor to whom honor was due, and that was Alfred Cox. (Great cheering ) Mr Cox. who appeared very much affected by the enthusiasm with which ho was received, said; Mr Macdonald, Ladies and Gentlemen, —I have frequently appeared before you, but never with the same diffidence that I do tonight. I have appeared before you in your enjoyments and recreations, but never in such a difficult position as on the present occasion. I little thought when told that it was the intention of my friends and neighbors to give expression to their regret at my intended departure from amongst them, that so many of you would come together to take leave of me—in other words, that I and my family had so many friends here or elsewhere. The noble qualities that you have credited me with, the beneficial influence said to have been exercised by me during my sojourn amongst you, will not unnaturally be set down by those to whom you and I are strangers, by men who have never lived amongst us, as a friendly exaggeration. Be this as it may I am, however, inclined to think that it is good for us all that we should commit ourselves on occasions to an open expression of approval of a high ideal of excellence, although in our endeavors to realise and illustrate it in action we may conspicuously fail. My friend, Mr Macdonald, in speaking of the ‘ days when we were first acquent,’ has carried us back through a long course of years—to the very verge of pre-historic times. As he has told you, we first met in Australia. He then was sunning himself in the presence of that interesting section of society whose life resembles that of the Lillies of the field, ‘for they toil not, neither do they spin ;’ when I next saw him he was living the life of a labouring man on the banks of the river Waimakiriri, proving to the world that when necessary he could do the work of a cook, a shepherd, and a bullock - driver, making himself generally useful, and picturesquely posing under a canvas tent, and leading generally the life of a xespectable Arab. When I first saw him he was clothed in'broad-cloth and linen ; when 1 next encountered him in New Zealand he was habited in a smock frock, with sleeves tucked up, ready for action, teaching, or ready to teach, settlers— Canterbury pilgrims as they were spoken of—what to do, and how to do it; in a word, the envy of the men, the admiration of the women, and the delight of all small boys, who, whenever he appeared in the streets driving his bullock team, gave him a round of applause. It was about this time that an old professional bullock driver spoke in high terms of approval of his skill in handling the beasts, saying that for a swell he was as good an off - side bullock driver as he had ever seen out of the Old Colony. Well, ladies andgentlemen, more than twentyeight years have passed since I first pitched my teuton the banks of tbeTemvika river, not a mile from this hall. I can hardly trust myself t® speak of my early anticipations, and dreams of future prosperity. Time has brought about great changes in the face of the country. What was then a wilderness is now a country pleasant to look upon, and the home of thousands of well-to-do people. Some of the pioneers of settlement have gone to their last home ; many yet live enjoying the reward of their enterprise and energy, and looking with satisfaction upon the success, the well-earned success, of the many who came into the field somewhat later in the day ; acquiring by tbeir energy, industry and thrift, a comfortable independence. Since those days of which I speak, a generation has grown up, born, bred, educated and arrived at maturity, under our very eyes. Friends, I am more than pleased, I am proud, beyond

my power of expression, to see before me the representatives of well nigh every condition of life—of those who have clone well, of those who have not clone so well, of the small as well as of the great, of the young as well as of the old, of the gentler as well as of the sterner sex —and I cannot help asking myself the question, what have I clone, of what nature am I that the old and the young, the representatives of the three nationalities that have clone wonders in the old world, whose prejudices even we speak of with pride and enthusiasm, should come forward to confess their friendship for me. Is it that I have no country that I can call my own ; that I cannot boast of the honor of having been born in England, Ireland or Scotland ; that I urn, after all, even as your children, your sons and daughters are, only a colonist 1 Now, my friends, if this be a true explanation of your respect and sympathy, your attachment to me and mine, suffer me to say that I am satisfied, and I don’t want to be considered and spoken of as other than I am, viz., a colonist ! In reflecting that you have come together to do honor to me and to those near and dear to me, I am not ashamed to confess that, although dark clouds hang around my horizon, so that the sun of my prosperity is well nigh eclipsed, although I may be no longer classed amongst the prosperous or most happy, I am, as I ought to be, amongst the proudest of men. Perhaps the word that I have adopted to express my feeling is not happily chosen. The word pride has got a bad name through its being mostly applied, or misapplied, to a state of mind or manners that men in their best moods are properly ashamed of, but this little word has more meanings than one. It moans elevation of character, as well as insolence and arrogance of demeanor. Yes, there is a (rue pride as well as a false andfpernicious pride. A true man will ever take a pride in the elevation and prosperity of his neighbor, and, although hesitating to express his feelings, will feel elevated, raised above himself, full of gratitude and pride in reflecting that he is understood and appreciated—cared for by those amongst whom he has long lived and with whom he has yearned to be in sympathy. The address speaks of my past connection with the district as its representative in the Parliament of the Colony, and of my success in getting passed into law measures for which I was responsible. I have no desire to over-estimate that service. I did what at that time seemed to me in the interest of the Colony as a whole, as well as of the district I had the honor to represent, but, after all, the little that I did at that time was but inserting the thin end of the wedge that has since been driven home by stronger arms than mine. As to where my home may in the future be, I cannot at present tell you. Meanwhile we go to Christchurch, where I have friends of long standing, who are more than ready to welcome us. But in leaving South Canterbury I have the feeling thac I am going away from home. It would have been well for me had I never left this district; but, friends, although I am leaving the district I am not leaving you. My instinct tells mo that I shall continue to live in your hearts, and I ask you to believe that wherever 1 go I shall always feel proud and happy in having elicited so hearty an assurance of regard as you have in this address given expression to. An old heathen—a philosopher, falsely so called—once said that the man who hath many friends, hath none. Don’t believe it, Believe rather the teachings of a higher authority. Listen to the voice of Heaven itself, which has found an echo, a response, in the hearts of true men tor upwards of 1800 years—that love begets love ; and bear in mind always that no man has ever developed into, touched, or has had even a glimpse of, the highest type of humanity, who has not striven, under God’s help to put into practice the command, ‘ Love thy neighbor as thyself.’ Friends, I am unable to say more. I thank you for your expression of regret at my leaving yon. I have been made aware of your liberality, and I have had proof of the delicacy that has restrained you from speaking openly of the contents of chis (holding up a letter which was handed to him by the Chairman.) I am proud of your good opinion, and I will strive, God helping me, to live up to the standard that yon have openly and enthusiastically declared your attachment to. Let me tell all those who are curious in such matters that I am an Australian by birth, that my father and mother were English, that my wife is Scotch, a small circumstance that 1 shall never be suffered to forget, and, remember this -is a secret—that the neatest thing in the way of compliment that I ever had paid me, and by an Irishman, was that if I was not an irishman I ought to have been one. (Great applause.) Votes of thanks to the lad'es and gen liemen who took part in the entertainment, and to the chairman, terminated the proceedings. A ball ivas afterwards held.

Other matters of importance, which owing to the lateness of the hour have been omitted, will be dealt with in our next issue.