Banquet to the Hon. J. Sheehan.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3092, 15 January 1879, Page 2

Banquet to the Hon. J. Sheehan.

After the speech of the Hon. J. She.eban in reply to the toast of his health, with which our report of ithe banquet concluded yesterday,, the following toasts were given:— 3 Mr Win. Rowe proposed " The Local Governing Bodies." He said he had been connected for a number of years with the local governing bodiei, and he believed they did their best to promote the interests of the district. Cr McGowan; on "being called upon to respond, did so in a humorous; but brief speech. ' The County Chairman responded on behalf of the County Council, and Mr Wm. Davies for the Harbor Board,'the latter paying a high compliment to the of Sir George Grey as Premier Itt' promoting the Harbor Board Act, and in giving evidence before a Select Com* mittee of the House on the question. Col. Fraser (received with applause) said he had to propose " The Mining and Agricultural Interest." He had every confidence they would yet see a complete revival of the mining interest, and the ngricultural interest had prospects of a brilliant future. The Government had done right in cancelling the Broomhall contract. He had known the beautiful lands included in that contract for years, and he could congratulate some gentlemen present who had secured lands for themselves in spite of all difficulties. . He trusted the Thames people would yet have the chance of settling on the lands in the Upper Thames, and he felt sure that in a few years the Thames Volley Railway would be the most payable line in the country. Mr J. W. Walker and Mr JB. Comer responded for the mining interest, the latter stating that his belief was, and

always had been, that there was more gold in the hills than had ever been taken out. Mr Wm. Murdoch rose'to respond for the agricultural interest, which, he was sorry to say, scarcely had an existence yet. However, as a farmer speaking to the noble array of citizens, he would like to impress upon them that the agricultural industry was one that ought to be encouraged. He was in favor of the Government opening up land on deferred payments, and so increase the industry which would be the mainstay of the couniry. At present farmers had many and great difficulties to contend with, but they would bvercoWthem, and their land would be as fruitful as any in the Colony for either fruit, grain or foot crops. The district had great claims on the Government, and he recognised that Mr Sheehan had done all he could to meet those claims. .Were it not vfor that he (Mr Murdoch) would not have come all the way from the Kauaeranga Valley to be present at the banquet. Readers of Roman history would remember that when a victorious, general or successful governor of a province Returned home after a period of service the Senate decreed : 4hai heyhad .deserved welL : of his* country! This applied J;o their- guest of tfyat eyeW ing, who. deserved well of the colony and of the .people, of-the Thames., He Z would) again, thank them for the way, the, toast" had been received. i . a . ,

Mr C. A. Comes also returned thanks for the agricultural interest. f The Hon. J. Sheehan. saiOe had Jq propose the "Representative NanMwi present."' He saw two present, and one (Hon. Hoani Nahe),,h» would; nQfr*aj; much of as he was a colleague of his, but he could tay that his word, Swart respected in the House onachsfth, sideg. Of Mr Taipari he me**Mi6t say much, as he was well knowir.ifeatll. With regard to one or twb other ni»H»s referred to, he might say that' tM"Te Aroha block was now absolutely, m the hands of the Government.:' l The' «Ir?eyj staff was inadequate; and he would en-j dearor to hare that righted. The law! for alienating the public land., was no, respecter of persons. It had to be ptt upi to;auction, but:a certain quaniii^jMHUL be set aside for sale on deferredjpaynwßi. He need not say much to induct ihmb to drink the toast. „ 1 Toast drunk with cordiality.' '-•' £*» The Hon. Hoani Nahe (interpreted by ,MrGrace) said: He thanked thein,Jpr •Laving allowed their guest to proposeihe Native people. It was right thay.sh^rid drink the health of the Native mem Will. They and the Europeans were all pullißg together. He was glad they were havilg a dinner in appreciation of Ministers that night. Mr W. H. Taipari thought it a gr*at honor to be called upon to return thanki. He was delighted at being chosen to speak. It was their (Europeans') duty to teitb their Maori friends. " j ' l Mr. A. J. Allom proposed:, "Ov Visitors." From bis long residence Kol* he would say the Thames people wen always pleased to see visitors. He would couple with. the toast the name of a gentleman coming from a sister colony, Mr Rusden, Clerk of Parliament in Victoria.,, (Cheers.) As an old Government official he greeted him heartily^ and *6ri behalf of the Thames people^ welcomed him cordially. He believed hai was a gentleman who wfcs intimately^ acquainted with the early history of this Colony. Me (Mr Allom) would also couple with the toast the name of Majoi Keddell, of whom he might say that thi Thames people didl/ not 'see;? enough; Whenever, the cares of, »tate and hii arduous duties' at. Coroihandel enabled him to take some relaxation, the Thames people were always pleased to see him. Mr Rusden* (wtq .was .igjreeted,with cheers oh rising to respond) said therewere several reasons. why in returning thanks he should not detain, them long/ and!one was the lateness of ; the hour. He hadj recently been travelling with their guest, through^ the Waikato r Jahd? from Te Awa-j mutu to the. Thames, and he had never, seen better agricultural land than they! 'had passed over. /There was scarcely in acre to be seen that with drainage could not be made fit for culture. He had to ac-j knowledge the great hospitality extended to.'him:by the people, of ;the cpuqtrjr^and; it had been so profuse that he was almost surprised he had survived to tell the story.; He might remark that his office in life was to listen, not to ta^k, and if he did begin to talk he might not know whßn to stop.; He had learned something amongst them; he saw^ the way ■.•■they worked Ministers. The JNalive Minister, their guest, he could say lived under a dispensation of telegrams, tempered with itele^ grams—he should: say distempered. He had seen him in the morning. inundated with/tetegrams, and the same thing corn-; tinued until late at night., Under the* most favorable circumstances no man could stand this long, although they had. commenced with him (Native Minister) when young. Thelipolony of New Zealand: had occupied his attention for a great number of years, since a long time ago he had met some New Zealand chiefs at the house of the Rev. Mr Marsden in; New South Wales. Since tbat- time he had heard of different events taking place, and coming over here he had! thought to see something of the Ilauhau atrocities, but although lie had ■seen! plenty of Hauhaus be had seen no atroci-f ties. He believed that the land question had induced the Maoris to resort, to violent measures in times past, which had led to Hauhauism, and on the^question of land there was a pretty strong hauhau feeling in human nature generally.! Perhaps some of the Haubauism was; traceable to a disregard of the conditions! embodied'in the Treaty of Waitangi; He* had met many men who recognised noble 'qualities in the Hauhaus, and it might be a .moot question whether what, had been' called the heroic work of colonisation had been carried out in such a manner as to cause no reflection on .the colonists. !|fHe would not detain them any longer than to thanU them for the way the r ,toast of "The Visitors " had 1 been received. Major Keddell, in responding, said thjey would scarcely expect a speech from him. He could hardly be loOkfd upon as a visitor at the Thames, being one of the oldest Wardens, and indeed one of the oldest in New Zealand. -He was sure they would npt.accuse him of flattery; wheii lie said he could endorse all that had been said in favor of the guest of the evening, whom be had known for so long, and upon whoso merits he could enlarge. Ho (Mr Sheeban) was a gentleman who had risen to his present position by force oftalent, and hegave promise of becoming the statesman of the day. (Cheers.) He would thank them for the toast. ' Mr R. McDonald Scott proposed " The Ladies," coupled with the name of the Hon. John Shcehan.

Mr Greenwood rose and aaid it was hit intention to bring into the country some industry for the ladies. He knew something of the woollen trade. He had brought out gearing for the manufacture of woollen trades. He was going to Europe shortly, and they would hare a manufactory. The item of labor was a bugbear. The Hon. J. Sheehan then replied for "The Ladies" in a humorous speech, tempered with brevity. Mr Carrick»also responded to the toast. Mr Mollhone proposed 1 "The Press," to which Mr Wilkinson and Mr Hopcraft responded. ■■■■■■'■■• ■• •• ■■ .•■■>-*.*■•«"■

The Hqn.J. Sheehan said there was one other' foast he would ask them to drink. It was " The health of the Chairman and-ViceChairman."; The ]fflm.mu well known to them, and on the principle that " good wine needs no bush," it was unnecessary to iefer to him at length. Their Chairman had only lately entera ori the slippijry patb- of public rfHR. He had been before a censor of public men. Ha (Mr Sheehan) believed the public would not hare cause to regret'having placed the Chairman ia his present position, for he had confidence that he would be equal to his predecessors in thicdriductibf his dutiesl'lflie should not, he (the speaker) would be much disappointed, and so would be the public 01 the f Thames. If Mayor proved* failure he cpald siiinplyi retirj»i and\piich into himself in leading^aijtiphjs in the Star (laughter anil' clUers)P^ f'* Vtfo fJ^f{^»»fN*nbrje4jF;^^^ kindly tor the nice tnuigs said about him•elf, and^the way the toast \VM^rJ«tired. I?%al quitd gratifyiSJ* *& f eP-'their guest •pt*k:in such terms of himself, and ,te r hop»d tjjjjt .when he left that scene he would beequallj; as complaisant in' business. Mr Sheefean held a hi^h position in their regard, and in Parliament, and he hoped he would-oontinue to maintain thoiw positioni, He had beeaassociited with princes, &c;; lately* anfl^e^had |*ad. r«ndenoe r that in his dealings with the natives tKeir' ; g^pst iv^s^mqua|ledin: his desire to do good for th^m. iP*fl«4 witnessediha cordialitly and confidence existing between ;Bowi and Hob. Mr ; Shtehan lately, and had been .turpris«d at the wit Hewi had «xpr«w«i 'himself towards Mr She»han. H© hoped th» latter would hivfr a lon* term df Greenwood hfr« paid a complimeat to the Cpunty Chairnian for the road fe $)&m&.f ! '-■■• »W-^* ■■^■■;'t^«iA ■ • mAnm iMMUtMnnA" And «? fl*vi,fl»w» 4Km