Dinner to the Officers of the Thames Contingent.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4023, 19 November 1881, Page 2

Dinner to the Officers of the Thames Contingent.

Major Murray invited the officers of the Volunteers and Heads of Departments ou the Thames to dinner last night at the Bowen to meet Capt. Wild man and the officers of the Thames Contingent just returned from the front. Among the guests were Major Watson, Captains Wildman, Jobnstone, Small, Douglas, Captain and Adjutant Schofield, Captain Barlow, Lieutenant-Instructor Grant, Lieutenants Clark, Burton, Lawless, McFarland, Coney, Crump, Perry, O'Sullivao, Gavin, Gordon, Drs. Callan and Kilgour, Staff Surgeons, QuarterMaster Symington, Capt. Farquhar, His Worship the Mayor (Mr Win. Wilkinson), tha County Chairman (Mr Alex. Brodie), the Her. V. Lush, incumbent of St. George's; the Key. -—Tebbes, incumbent of St. Matthew's Auckland; Hon. J. Sheehan, M.H.R. for the Thames; W. J. Speight, M.H.8.; Messrs McCcllough,* Ehrenfriedj Gudgeon, Buttle, &c. rl!ie band of the Thames Scottish played a selection of music at dinner, and after the toasts. Major Murray occupied the head of the table, and Major Watson, Capt. Small, and Lieut. Coney officiating as Vice-chairmen. After justice had been done to the viands. Major Murray read several apologies, received for unavoidable absence from gentlemen invited. These included one from the Rev S. J. Neill, Chaplain Scottish Battalion; Lieutenant: Hitching* Thames ' Bifie Bangers ? Sir !

George Grey, M.H.Ji, for Thames ; and H. Kenrick, Esq., fi.M. and Warden. Mr Kenrick in his apology Baid:—" I must ask you to accept ill-health as my spology for not accepting your kind invitation to meet the officers of the Thames Yolunteors this evening on their return from Parihaka. Few things would have given me greater pleasure than to take ,part in so pleasing a duty ; for, in common with Thames people, I feel very proud that our volunteers, by their discipline and conduct in the field, should have maintained the high character they have always borne." Sir George Grey tele« graphed as follows from Auckland:— 11 Dear Major Murray .—I received your telegram late last night. Regret I have engagements which prevent me going to the Thames. I would have been glad to accept your kind invitation, and to have shown my admiration of officers who nobly did their duty in time of apprehended danger.—G. Gbey." The following toasts were then given and duly responded to :—" HVr Majesty, the Queen," ' H.ft.H. the Prince of Wales," ''The Governor," "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers," " The Health of the Hon. John Bryce, Native Minister," " Health of Captain Wildman and the Officers of the Thames Contingent," "The Local Governing Bodies," "The Health of Major Murray," " The Press," " The Health of Colonel Roberts, Major Pitt, Officers and Members of the Field Force/ "The Ladies," "Th« Host and Hostess," and " The Band/ " Auld Lang Syne," and the "National Authem," concluded the proceedings.