THE MAYOR'S BANQUET.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2983, 6 September 1878, Page 2

THE MAYOR'S BANQUET.

(Peb P&EBS Agency.)

' Cheistohttiich, Thursday, 10 p.m.

The much talked-of banquet catne off to-night in the Provincial Council Chambers. Altogether about 2CO guests sat down to the table. The chair was occupied xby the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Henry Thomson), supported on his, right by His Excellency the Marquis of Normanby and the officers .of H.M.S. Nymphe; and on the left by the hons. Messrs Stout and Fisher. The rice-chair was occupied by Mr John Ollivier, and among the guests were the Mayors of Dunedin and several suburban municipalities, as well aa Christchurch Councillors ,and many members of the public bodies. The dinner was supplied by Mr Morton, of Morton's Hotel, and was in erery respect | one worthy of the occasion. The reporters and the band were placed in the gallery, end during the evening the latter discoursed a number of musical selections in an excellent style. The cloth having been removed, the Chairman read a number of apologies from gentle* men who had been invited <Wtr who could not attend, among • them being apologies from Sir George Grey> v Sir William Fitz r herbert, and Sir John Richardson. The usual loyal' and patriotic toasts were proposed and drunk with enthusiasm. | His Worship next proposed; the " Health of his 1-xcellency the Governor," which was received with loud and prolonged applause. He said that ever since his arrival in New Zealand he had. afforded valuable services in connection with, all public,and beneficial institutions) (Cheers.) : His presence there upon that occasion was a further manifestation of the in'erest he took in all our colonial | undertakings. (Applause,) The toast ' was drunk with three times, three.

His Excellency returned his sincere thanks for the cordial manner in which the toast had been responded to." It Was indeed true that he took a deep interest in the welfare of the colony, and he* had great pleasure in being present on such an occasion as the present,' which was a most important epoch in the history of t!>e colony. It was the close of the first act of the great Public Works policy introduced into the colony by Sir Julius Vogel—and there was no one, remember'ng 1870, bat would admit that that

policy bad been\ a great public success. No doubt mistakes had been made in carrying out the policy, for they could not expect a, policy of. such rastjtoportatfee.to be carried outih its initial stages without mistakes. (Cheers). In a few weeks he hoped there would be complete railway communication between Amberley and Invercargill, making a stretch of line opened up of 488 miles. Was that nothing for a new country ? It was a matter of fact that, in propor.tion,to.the population, there were more railways opened up than ►in any other country in the world. (Loud cheers.) The Biases* of the last' loan in "Englandl v,tarnished .everybody, -and he believed; some of the 'credit of that was due_.to...a| gentleman to whom they gave credit for! the rett.r :It had-been rsaid sthat thf "s«btj ,was large in proportion per Jiead tjS\lhe| debt in England., .might be true,] but in proportion to the revenue it wasj very-; much less* (Cheers.) jMwrEx^ cellency then, h epoke, on the, marreHoiis; strides the country had made in.everyi respect .Ihe -\ lat^f ifeiw^,^jjjears;. (Cneers.) With the energy and interest' of the, people, they Might rest (Batisfied, , that ith,e ( dt bt was. qne which the o counjtry| cpuld aflford. to bear. (Cheers.} Se congratulated them sincerely' ujpori!<tne| event which they had that night met. toj celebrate, and he could only hope that the prosperity of the colony would con-| tinue to advance year by year, aft the future, as it had done ,in the past: (Cheers). , „ ,"' | The Chairman said iti had been suggested that vjfome mark of approUatioa ought to be given to Sir Julius Vogel] and it was proposed on the following day to send him a telegram congratulating hi in upon the completion of the line of railway between Chrisichurch and Dunedin. '•>'< .

Mr O. G. Ste^d proposed" His Excellency's Advisees," coupled with the name of the Hon. Bobert Stout. The Hon. R. Stout, who was very warmly received, said that . though' he desired to eschew politics, still tbe toast was one of a political character., Indeed, the very hall in which they slood was o of a political character, and when' it was first built it was intended that it should be a place of meeting for the General Assembly. Whatever side was in powerj he contended., ought to "receive' a fair co-operation at the hands of the House; The present occasion was one that transcended politics. Why, 25 years ago it topic twelve days to go" overland'from Christchwch to Dunedin. In connection with this matter, they should not forget the name of Mr Moorhouse, for,,after allj Sir J. Vogel was not the founder of the railway system. (Loud and J prolonged cb'eers.) It was due to tbe pluck of Mr Moorhouse that Canterbury had mad^ such vast strides in.railway, matters, ant) distanced all the other pavfs od NdwuZeai land. If the Opposition would allow them to. be so long- in .office/ .they would give another banquet in honor of the railway bet^eon ,the West Coast and Christchurch. (Cheers and laughter.) , „ - ,The Hon. J. T. Fisher also returned

thanks. • , '■ ! ", The Hon. H. B Gresson proposed the tOist of 'fTbe Army and JNavy,and Volunteers," coupled with the names of Capt. Townsend, of H.M.S. Nyncphe, Col. Brett and Major Lean/ •' > \ Capt. Townsend and Major-Leaa responded. Col.- Brett was not present. 3)r Turnbull proposed " The' Genetal Assembly of New Zealand," coupled with names of the Hon. Mr Miller, and Messrs O'Korke and Bastings. The-Assembly had achieved for itself a name worthy of

a great colony. . „_. The Hori. Mr Miller responded. He congratulated the country on tbe completion of the line between Christchurch and Dunedin, and he,hopedrthat-the ? railway would cement, the ,bonds, of friendship between the two .cities. „• i , " The Hon, ,G. M. O'Eorke responded ,on behalf of the House of Repjrejtentatives. They were all delighted with,their, visit to, the 'South, fond particularly with the rapid« strides 1 ,whicb,< railway ,'jworlcs Jnad made in- this rpart of' the colony. He hoped on some future occasion they would have the pleasure of celebrating the,junction'of,the.two]great cities of tbe North by the same means. (Chrers.) j Mr Bastings also returned thanks. The Governor proposed the next toast, which was that of " The Mayor of Christchurch." He said it had struck, him that the Lord Mayor-of London would very soon have to vacate the chair in the matter of hospitality if thin sort of thing went on. (Loud cheers.) Such meetings, as the present did a great de-1 of- good in bringing men from different parts, of the colony together. (Applause.)' <He thought, on behalf of all in the room, he might offer his sincere thanks for the noble hospi ality which had been extended to them that night. (Loud chcer3.) - His Worship responded, and said he felt extremely gratified at the manner the toast had been responded • to. It could not be denied that this was a preat "occasion, and would be remembered for a very long time to come. (Cheers.) He wished to apologise to the. gentlemen present for the great inconvenience which they felt from being over-c owded (V no, no'"), but on such an occasion, he had wished to have every public body represented, and he was thoroughly well satisfied with- the result. (Cheerg.) • , Mr John Ollivier proposed the next toast, which was that of " The Mayor and Councillors of Christchurch and Dunedin." It was just 20 years since, in connection with his friend Mr Moorhouse, he had proposed a system of. railways in Canterbury, proposing the same from one end,to another. He remembered the occasion when Sir J. Vogel (then Mr Vogei) said publicly that they owed nothing to him with regard to railways, but owed some* thing to Mr Wm. Setton Moorhouse: ■ The Mayor of Dunedin first responded on behalf of himself and brother Councillors. He trusted the iron horse would have the effect of sweeping away anything between the houses, if such existed.

Mr Thomson, the Mayor of Christchurch, also replied.

The Hon. John Hall proposed,the next toast, which was " The Promoters of flatways in Christahurcb," coupled with the name of Mr William Sefton Moorhouse.

Mr Moorhouse responded at some length. On rising he was received with ■ loud and prolonged cheers. He said he could not help but feel flattered with baring his name associated in the way it had been with the railways, and with Sir J. Vogel, who was to him as a mountain to a mole-hill. That gentlemen was no longer a popular politician, and ought to be dealt with tenderly; „ He had for a time played a brilliant part in the colony, and 1 even at the present time he was doing valuable service for the colony as Agent-General. (Loud cheers.) He was the unceasing advocate of the interests of the colony,

and ■I/all times did his best to bring.New Zealand into the ~yery best ranks among the colonies' of. the Empire, Sir Julius 'Yogelhad told NJ.he world tbatrhere' we, ' Had all things present to make this a ,great country. (Loud cheers.) In his "opinion New Zealand must give a-tone, if not laVs, to this part of the world, and bsfore long he believed she would be the premier among the whole of the Australasian colonies, and her flag would sweep the seas, for—supremacy- iavthe-Pacific^ (Cheers.) Several othef toasts were propossd, and the proceedings closed about half-past 11