BANQUET TO MR MURRAYSMITH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1491, 10 April 1886, Page 1

BANQUET TO MR MURRAYSMITH.

London, April 8,

The complimentary banquet to Mr Murray-Smith on bis leaving for Australia took place last evening. Fully three hundred guests were pres'nt., among them being the Duke of Cambridge, War! Granville (Secretary of State for the Colonies), Earl Rosebery (Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), Earl Kiuib; j rley (Secretary for InHin), Mr Osborne Morgan (Under-Secretary for the Colonic), the Marquis of L >rne, Sir Arthur Blyth (Agent-General of South Australia), and Sir Saul Samnel (Agent-General for New South Wale*.). Earl Granville occupied the chair. The Duke of Cambridge, in proposing the health of '«Mr Smith," eaid that he (Mr Smith) hal rendered signal assistance to the Empire on colonial matters, lie strongly urged, the establishment of Imperial unity. Mr Smith, on rising to respond to the toast, was most enthusiastically r. - ceived. He eulogised tha founders of the Federal Council, while, a? the same time, he lamented that the Government of New South Wales had not assisted in it. He looked upon the death of Mr W. E. Forster as an Imperial m>fortune, He thought that the quesihm of Imperial federation had already been indirectly solved, and referred to the fact that four Australians had occupied seats in the representative crews of Cambridge and Oxford in the recent boat race. Sir Arthur Btyth, AgentGeneral for South Austraii», proposed the health of "The Chainmn," and the Duke of Cambridge, in replying, advised the other colonies to imitate Vic toria's defence schenu-. Earl Granville, in proposing " The Empire," eulogised the patriotic taking which resulted in the despatch of the New South Wales Contingent to the Soudan, and he referred in terms of praise to the men who served in the force. Me was in fa\or of much closer connection between the colonial and Imperial forces than at present existed, and expressed the hope that the AusTalian colonies would co-operate in placing King i George's Sound in an adequate state of defence against foreign attack. Referring to the rec diviste question, Earl Granville stated that the French Government had suggested the immediate abolition of the system of deporiint? convicts to the Pacific Islands in exchange for certain concessions on the part of the British Government. The Cabinet, however, decided to beguiled by the Australasian colonies in the line of action adopted in dealing with the subject. He referred to the miraculous growth of the colonies, and stated that Mr J. A. Froude, the his'onan, who had recently returned from Australia, was charging the Colonial Office with apathy respecting th*>ra. Mr Smith, he said, was the best type of AgeniGeneral, and he (the Chairman) could not refrain from praising the singular eloquence which that gentleman pos. seesed. Personally he ( Karl Gf«nvi!h ) was in favor of creating more army and navy cadetships for competition by colonial youths, and he advocated the formation of an Australian Military College. The toast of •' The Co'onies " was responded to by Sir Saul Samue'. Lord Rosebery said that Mr Smith had during his term of office as Agen'General endeared himself to Englishmen, and his speech that-night w*s worthy of the oldest statesman. Tl-e Duke of Manchester eulogised Sir Alexander Stuart and the New South Wales Contingent. The Times, commenting on the banquet, says that it was a remarkable testimony to the universal respect and goodwill in which Mr Smith is held. Sir John Macdonald, Premier of Canada, was unable to be present, owing to seriouß illness.