THE PREMIER AT EKETAHUNA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4629, 25 January 1894, Page 2

THE PREMIER AT EKETAHUNA.

The Hon. R. Seddon was banquette! v at Eketahuna last evening by it large' ' and representative assembly of th» settlers. The affair was managed by Mr A. W.Hogg's Eleotion Committee, and was highly successful, The Hon, Mr MoKenzie, Minister of hands, j and Sir Patrick Bnokley were unable to be present. About fifty gentlemen sat down to supper together with a large number of ladies. The I chair was oooupied by Mr Sy version, | the guest of tbo evening (the Hon KSeddon) being on his right, and Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., on his left. After the edibles had been disposed! of, the toasts of" The Queen,"" The' Governor," and the "Army and ' Navy," were duly honoured. Mr H. Aulin proposed "The Parliament and Government of New Zealand," and illustrated tho benefits derived from the party nffw in offw,, by the bush settlers.

' The_ Premier in reply said that it Save him muoh pleasure to meelthose present. He apologised for the absence of his colleagues—the Minister for Lands and Sir P. Buckley, and stated that he had considerable difficulty in being present himself, but ha had determined to keep his promise to visit Eketahuna,- He. hoped that his next visit would be to open tho railway to Newman. Every efibrfc would be made to push on. the rail'-* way to conneot with. the WondvilleNapier line as soon as possible. The late railway appointments, the settlement of tho land, and several other matters of Government policy were touched upon by the speaker, The following toasts were then proposed' aud responded to:—"Farming and Commercial Interests" pro- / posed by Mr A. W. Hogg respondeilK. to by Messrs H. Aulin aud Nis'Lund. "The Local Bodies" proposed Mr t). M. Otmrgs responded to by Mr yon "The Liberal Party" proposed by Mr J, Smith responded to by tho Premier. "Tha Ladies" proposed by the Hon R, Seddon and responded to by Mrs J; Smith. "The Press" " Chairman " and several others followed,

Pleasant tnusio. was suppliod during the evening and songs were given by Miss Gardner, the Premier, Messrs A. W. Hogg, O.E. Brenmuhl, Hart and others, who were repeatidly applauded., Mr E. Smith proposed the health of Mr A.. W; Hogg, M.S.R., and dealt with figures to show that since' Mr Hogg had represented them over 1100,000 of public money had been spent in opening up the bush district etc, , . Mr Hogg, in reply, eulogised the present party in offioe on aooount of the interest they had taken in land settlement and urged upon the Premier the necessity of pushing on the railway to Woodville as being of the utmost importance to tho district.