PRESENTATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2043, 8 May 1890, Page 2

PRESENTATION.

On last Monday evening, in the Crowa Hotel, Temuka, a presentation of a substantial character was made to Mr K. F. Gray, in aecognition of his public services to the town and district. Mr J. T. M. Hayhurst occupied the chair, and said that they had met to present Mr Gray with a token of the esteem in which he had been held in the district. They would have been glad to meet Mr Gray on any ocoision except the present, which was to bid him farewell. He had, they all knew, madd up his mind to leave the colony for America, and it was a matter for great regret to them all to see one of their oldest and most useful citizens leaving them. They had, however, resolved that they would take leave of him in a becoming manner, and hence the cause of their meeting. Mr Gray had taken a prominent position in all local matters for the last 26 years in Temuka. He was, he belieyed, the originator of the Town Board, which, they all would admit, had done much good to the town, and he took an active part in every movement for the advancement of the place. He would now beg of his acceptance of a testimonial of the esteem in which he was held, and would at the same time propose health and prosperiiy to him wherever he went. They all would miss him as one of their oldest Justices of the Peace and as one of their best public men. The health of Mr Gray was then drunk in bumpers of champagne, and with musical honor?.

Mr Gray, in reply, said he was deeply sensibly (if the kindness of his friends, who had taken this way of testifying their good wishes towards him. He thanked them for their good wishes, and the kind sentiments which the chairman had given expression to, as well as for the substantial testimonial with which they had presented him. It was with feelings of deepest regret that he was leaving them, as he had thought he would have spent the rest of his life in lemuka, but he felt ife a duty to his family to do so. It might, perhaps, be rather late in life now to try to make a new home in another couutry, but he was determined to try it, and he hoped that he would yet be successful. (Cheers.) He had not been so successful in Temuka as he could have wished. For several years he had been looking forward/to better times, but they appeared now as distant as ever, and he feared they would remain so until the lands of the colony were properly settled. He remembered speeches made 20 years ago on the subject by Sir Edward Stafford, and his words had come to be true. Sir Ed ward Stafford said then that it would be impossible to go on successfully without settling tha land, and he added that he was prepared to ride roughshod over all the land laws of the colony to sacure this end. But after all that was said then, and all that has been said since, and all the warnings which had been given, the land remained locked up still, and there was nothing but general stagnation throughout the colony. There was nothing for a man to do. There was no trade, no commerce, no employment, to be found for one's family, and this was the reason he was leaving the colony. He had always taken a great interest in everything in Temuka, and he would continue to do so wherever he went and it was his earnest wish that better times would soon come. He really regretted having to leave, and he could not find words to express his gratitude to hia friends for the kind manner in which they were treating him. (Applause.)

Mr M. Quinn proposed the toast o f "The Trade and Commerce of Temuka, , coupled with the names of Messrs Blyth Clinch, and Findlay. He thought the toast an appropriate one, as Mr Gray had for many years been associated with the trade and commerce of Temuka. He well remembered 19 years ago when Mr Gray was the owner of a large foundry in the town, and when he paid in wages about £6O per week. That was a great industry, and it was a pity it was not carried on. (Applause.)

Mr Blyth, in response, regretted to say that trade was not so good as it usod to be, but still there was a crust to be picked up in Temuka, and it would give him great pleasure if Mr Gray could make up his mind not to leave it. He had been connected with Mr Gray in many things for several years. He had been with him on many local bodies, and had always found him a most agreeable neighbor and colleague. (Cheers.) He was in hopee | that they would end their days together, j and he would greatly miss him. He had ] only to wish him success and prosperity \ wherever he went. (Applause.) Mr Findlay, like Mr Blyth, knew Mr Gray for many years, and would greatly miss bim. He had finished his apprenticeship with him, and he could eay that a j better master he could not wish for. As ; regards the trade in Temuka, he might say that it had got worse since the railway passed through, but he did not think that things were any better in other places He regretted that Mr Gray was leaving' but as he had made up his mind to go ho could only wish him success and prosperity. j Mr J. M. Twomey proposed the toast of I Agricultural and Pastoral Intrests " coupled with the names of Messrs Quinn liadham, and Brogden. There was no doubt but all interests were dull, but if it a solace to them, he did not think Temuka was any worse off than other places. (Hear hear.) They had some of the best land beneath the canopy 0 f heiven, and their citizens were as hard working as intelligent, and as industrious these bets that tho cause of the stagnation in trade was not due to either the fand or I the people, and that there must be a deeper cause. For many pears he had put it down to machinery, which was increasing the facilities for production and d.imnisning consumption, by throwing P6 k? l°fu of -« er ? ploymenfc - 0n statistics published by Sir Lyon Playfair he had come JoXinSX f Sion , that ; here were ab ™t 70,000 000 of people m Europe who never got half enough to eat or drink, or wear Give these people enough and what would S? he „ P u rU !f ° £ gr - in " ln thiß res Pect they all had great interest in the move ment going on in Europe now to «et a reduction in the hours of labor. If the hours of labor in Europe were reduced tn eight it would result in giving employment to a great many people who were now idle. These would ba spending monev and there would be a better demand for the products of the soil. One thin- was absolute y certain. They could notgeUi-h prices while working men were starving so it was to the intercut of all to see,

everyone employed and getting a o od wages. As regards this colony, what*was wanted was more population, and it was sad to see ita beat citizens leaving daily But this must be the case so long as the" laod remained locked up ; it was absolutely impossible to go ahead while this was the case. He had thought this matter "*" ( out, and had come to the conclusion that the best thing to do *as to compel the , owners ot large estates to cut them up and let them to tenants on a twenty-one years' lease ; the rent to be 5 per cent, on the property tax value. (Applause.) Let them look at the estate of their chairman His estate had been util.sed in this wav, and he would ask, what would Temuka" havs been if it had been a sheep-walk, like other estates ? (Cheers.) Compare that with' large estates which advertise for married couples without encumbrance How can they expect population to increase when only married couples without encumbrance will be allowed on these estates ! (Cheers.) He would not detain them longer, but propose the toast.

Mr Quinn thanked them for the manner in which they had received the toast. Agricultural interests had certainly been improved by the meat-freezing, as it enabled farmers to give a spell to their land. The fact that the South Canterbury Refrigerating Works had increased its freezing capability from 300 to 700 per day was a great thing for the district. .They had had a splendid harvest, but'the prices were very low. Still there was a good price for wool and other things, and farmers would be able to hold their own. He believed the times would goon take a turn. Twenty-six years ago men were 6a 6d a d.«y, and ploughmen for 12s 6i a week. He believed that it would be a very good thing to have large estates cut up and leased to tenant?. T*enty-six years ago the father of their chairman brought men to the district to fence on his estate." They settled down as tenants on the estate, and were now some of their wealthiest men. There was no doubt bat it was better to have them leased than that they should* remain sheep-walks. He regretted that Mr Gray was leaving them, as he always found he had worked honestly and honorably in public and private life, and he sincerely hoped he would find a better field for his energies. Mr Bad ham knew very well what Mr Twomey was driving at in praising up the leasing system. He was just flittering their chairman (Mr Haybnrat) eo that he (Mr Twomey) might get him to back his bill. (Laughter) It was fine to talk »bout eight hours bat it would not suit. He had never worked eight hoars ; ho had worked all hours; but, of course, Mr Twomey had notbiDg to do only to cut clippings oat of papers--(laoghter) and he did not understand it. fhe fact was oats were Is per bushel, and necessarily other things were equally cheap. He regretted that Air Gray was leaving, more especially as he had heard his reason for doing so was that he was afraid of him (Mr JBadham). Well he would go to .America, but be would fiad none more expert in the profession, or none who could do the job cheaper than he could. Let thetn talk about their electricity, but he held still there was nothing like the old plan. (Great laughter.) He had now a toist to propose, and it was (i The health of Mr Quinn," who was the best collector for such purposes as this in the district. Mr Quinn briefly acknowledged the compliment.

Mr Gray proposed " The Prosperity of Temuki." He could assure them thai wherever he went he would always feel a great interest in the success of Temuka, Twenty-six years ago it took him an hour and a quarter to come from the Waihi, M for there were uo roads and nothing but ' mud and tuesocks ; so the improvement made was wonderful. A great deal of it was due to the energy of the inhabitants, and to their late lamented friend, the father of their ch-iirman. If other estates ' had been mannged like his tho population, of the colony would have bien much larger now. People can find no wotk for th-ir boys and girls, after having educated them, and that was driving the peoyle away. Temuka was specially favored j a this respect, and he hoped the d»y was I not far distant when it would be prosperous. He proposed «Q he L'rospenty of Temuka," coupled wi:h Hi- names of Messrs Biyth, Hayhurst, and M laon. Mr BMh recollected passing through Tecauki 30 years ago, when it was nothing but flix, and he had gn>at d fficnlty in finding his way through it. it was then » bog from the Waihi. He hsd heon in many places, but he siw none better, and a great deal of its prosperity wis due fcj the late Mr Hayhurt cuttiug up his estate (Applause.) Mr Hayhurst said that the Green Hayes estate had originally been le'. for Is p er acre for the first seven jears, and 3s or 4s after that ; but now, when l ta aes foil in, he had frequently 20 or 30 applicants tor the land, and some of them offend higher rent than he felt justified ln accenting, because he knew it cju'.d not have beet.made out of thel.nd. (Applause.) He had been offered 30i per acre for land part of which was a riverbed and he refused it. (Applause.) He r>ij Dot land nationalisation, but he believed m the land being cut up au d He owned lha best estate in New Zealand, and had the best tenaots He never had the slightest bother with them Mr Ma«on thanked t»im for the way the toast had been drank, and said he would greatly mi** Mr G->,y, who had alw.ys been a most honorable and useful citizen. The chairman proposed the to .at of rhe Press," coup ed with the names of. Messrs Twomey and Bidham, of the Buhner iioozar.

I Tho toast was duly acknowledged. Mr Gray proposed the health of "The Chairman.' He knew him since he <v aa a mere boy and he w»a ple.sed at the way bo had been working since be got the reins m l,i ß own hands. He would be gad to s,e him filling t l,e position to which he was properly one of the legislators of the colony. rheohairmaD thanked them very hear lily for the.manner in which the toast had been drank. Fie had travelled through America, and there was good land the™, but there was a great deal of bad laod. Uo tho way between Sun Francisco and flew Yori? was a desert, and he saw ihe train stopped 80 as to cool .he axles, which were taking fire. His f,fcher wrote to him often that there w .. s no P hce to settle down i n l ike Aajerilsa but be thought Temuka a 8 good as any he had seen In reference to his eutaring Parliament he had not the slightest notion of it. He found it better to look after his

own business. Besides his Temuka property ho had interests in Samoa, in America, and in Enghnd, and found it enough to do to look after Ihem all. Po'itics were not "worth the candle," and be would not have .anything to do with them, at present any rate. During the evening songs were given by Messrs Twomey, Badham, Findlay, BrogdoD, and Qainn, and the proceedings wound up with " Auld Ling Syne."