THE REV. J. BERRY'S LECTURE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1175, 8 January 1880, Page 2

THE REV. J. BERRY'S LECTURE.

The Bey. Mr Berry delivered one of the most eloquent and interesting leoturea we have had the pleasure of listening to for many a year, in Le Quesne's Hall on Tuesday night, the subject being " My Trip to England." The chair, on the motion of the Mayor of Hamilton, was occupied by the Hon. the AttorneyGeneral, Mr Frederick Whitaker, and Messrs Grant and Foster, the delegates of the Lincolnshire Tenant Farmers' Emigration Association were on the platform. The Hon. Mr Whitaker explained that the object of the meeting was to hear a lecture from the Bsv. Mr Berry, who was probably known to most persons present. Mr Berry had recently been in England on matters connected with his professional duties, but while there found that people at home were anxious to get reliable information about the colony, and having it, took upon himself the duty of delivering a number of interesting lectures, which had had the effect of opening the eyes of people in the mother country to the advantages of New Zealand. Certain gentlemen had come out with him also, noth to spy the nakedness of the land but to make themselves personally acquainted with its suitableness as a home for. themselves and others. For some few years the agricultural interests had suffered «Teat depression, and it becomes a matter of necessity for farmers to choose between staying at home and being rained, or trying their fortune in the colonies. Those two gentlemen had not come out to speculate but to go through the country and examine for themselves and remit to England their opinion whether New Zealand was the prosperous and progressive colony it was rep esented to be. He was sure that we in the colony, who knew what its advantages were, that it only needed population to make it a great and prosperous nation, would afford thpse gentlemen every facility for impartially satisfying themselves, for they were desirous of sending the true state of the case to their friends, neither painting it too brightly nor obliterating the good qualities which it possessed. Mr Berry had done the colony good, and yeomen service opening the eyes of the people at home. There was an opening in all the colonies for people shut up in England, and the only wonder was that they did not come out and settle. Thanks to Mr Berry's lectures such a movement had been set on foot in Lincolnshire, and hundreds of the best class of settlers— men with capital and experience — were looking to New Zealand as their future home, waiting for the reports of their delegates (Messrs Grant and Foster.) That these gentlemen would receive a hearty welcome from all persons in the colony he felt certain. The Rev. Mr Berry then came forward and spoke for over an hour, giving humorous and affecting description of his trip and its results, touching on the religious, the commercial, and other great questions at home, ond especially on the depression in agriculture, which he attributed less to bad seasons than to the fact that steam was bringing America and the colonies so close to Great Britain that it was hopeless for the British farmer with high rents and taxes to attempt to compete. As Mr Berry will deliver the sumo

lecture at Cambridge this evening, we shall not enter more fully into its substance. The lecturer was frequently interrupted by the hearty applause which followed the enunciation of the very ! liberal and thoughtful remarks on various subjects which interspersed the address. Mr Grant said the reception which his ! colleague and he himself had met in Waikato was very gratifying. Ihey had visited many farms, and were met with kindest attention and hospitality. They (•intended to go round the inlands, aud see whether they possessed the attractions Mr Berry had attributed to them in England. There was great poverty at home, but there was much wealth", and many landlords liberally met thutr tenants, giving receipts for half- yo us' rents. He knew one noblemau, jir4 (laid, with a rent roll of £700,000 a-ye ir, an-1 whose personality would amount to £20,01)0,000, who returned a whole year's rent to his tenants. It was th.9 competition of colonial- grown produce which stared them in the face, and made them accept the alternative of remaining to compote with it or go to the colonies and join with them in produoing for the homo market. Mr Foster could not remain silent, but must join in bearing testimony to the kindness and hospitality with which they have been everywhere received J'hey were anxious to test Mr Berry's statements made in England. He was much pleased with what he had as yet seen so much improvement — in so short a space a wilderness in a few years turned into a garden had really surprised them. They were well-pleased with the appearance of Waikato, and whatever the result of their visit, should ever kindly remember its people and ftpeak well of its soil. The ' hairman said with respect to Mr Berry's book, it was something like Mr Berry— flowery ; but he had carefully analysed every statement, and there was not one that would not bear the test of analysis. If Mr Berry had kept within the four corners of that book in lecturing i at home ho had misled no man. A cordial vote of thanks to the lecturer I and the Chairman closed the proceedings.