BANQUET TO J. B. WHYTE, ESQ., M.H.R., AT COMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1292, 9 October 1880, Page 2

BANQUET TO J. B. WHYTE, ESQ., M.H.R., AT COMBRIDGE.

The banquet tendered to the lion, member for Waikato by the Cain-bridge,-portion of his constituents, in recognition of the valuable services rendered to the district in the matter of local Public Works, came off in the Public Hall, Cambridge, on Thursday evening, in an eminently satisfactory manner. The number present was much less than was anticipated, but this might to a great extent be accounted for by the fact that many gentlemen who had intimated their intention of being present were unavoidably kept away. The Hall had been tastefully decorated with ferns, evergreens, bush and garden flowers, under the suprfritendence of Mr William Reid, to whom |;he greatest credit is due for the brilliant effect which the decqrations presented. The stage was very tastefully adorned with banners, while along the whole length of the drop-scene was the legend ' 'Welcome" in laurel leaves. The appearance of this on entering the Hall was at once striking and pleasing. The catering was in the able hands of Mr Hewitt, who, with his manager, Mr Thompson, cannot be top highly complimented on the quality and variety of the collation, which consisted of all imaginable delicacies, laid out in the most tasteful manner. The spread, with the exception of the vegetables, which included new potatoes and green peas, was cold, but everything had been got up in the highest style of the culinary art. Indeed, we have seldom, if at all, seen a better table in the colony. The fluids were also of the best, and the otten dance was all that could be desired. The only thing wanting was the presence of a larger number of guests to do justice to the good things. A little after 7 o'clock the company, numbering between 50 and 60 sat down. The chair was taken by Mr R. H. D. Fergusson, of Gorton, having on his right the guest of the evening, Mr J. B. Whyte, M.H.R. Mr W. A. Graham, Mr E. M. Edgcumbe, and Mr Kennedy Hill, and his left, Mr J. P. Campbell, and Mr Searancke. The Vice-chair was occupied by Mr T. Wells, Chairman of the Banquet Committee. Nearly all the members of the Committee were present, together with the prominent citizens of Cambridge. Among the rest we noticed Messrs John Fisher, and R. Reynolds (Pukerimu), Allen (Pukekura), Mr W. L. Martyn, and Messrs Pearson (Pencarrow), Mr H. Reynolds (Eureka), Mr James Hume, Mr Brookes, Mr Primrose, Mr W. M. Hay, and Mr H. Steele (Hamilton), Messrs Chepmell, and Gubbins (Piako), and Mr Rhodes (Taniaherc). Grace having been said by the Rev W. Evans, an attack was made upon the edibles with much apparent satisfaction. The Chairmnn proposed the usual Loyal toasts which were duly honored. The Vice-chairman then read letters of apology from Messrs. E. Maclean, W. Cuinming, J. M. Clark, F. A. Whitaker, M.H.R., the Hon. the Attorney General and Capt. Steele, regretting that they were unable to attend and wishing those present a pleasant evening. He also apologised verbally for many settlers who had intended to be present, but who were unavoidably kept away. The Chairman then proposed the toast of "The General Assembly of New Zealand." MrJ. B. Whyte M.H.R. responded. He had hoped that some more prominent members of the assembly would have been present to respond to this toast, but such not being the case he had much pleasure as an humble member of that body in returning his thanks for the honour done them. The Vice-chairman proposed the toast of the Army Navy and Volunteers. Capt. Runciman responded on behalf of the Army and Volunteers. He had hoped that a gentleman better qua'ified for the task had been present he meant Colonel Lyon. He had never had the honor of belonging to the army, but he had been connected with the Volunteers ever since there were any in the country. He was sure the army would always maintain the high reputation for Valor which it had hitherto held, and instanced the brave conduct of the British at Isandula and Rorke's Drift in support of his belief that the service was not wanting in courage. He thought he might say the same for the Volunteers, although he hoped their services would never be called into requisition. (Applause). Lieutenant Fisher also responded as a very old Volunteer. From what he knew he believed the Auckland Volunteers to be equal to any in the colony. He could wish that the necessity for volunteering was done away with, but it was not yet, and their motto was "Defence," not "Defiance." Mr E. M. Edgcumbe responded on behalf of the Navy. The Chairman then rose to propose the toast of the evening, " Our Guest, J. B. Whyte, Esq., M.H.R." He said :— Mr Vice-Chairman and gentlemen : You .all know that it is a good old custom in England that when people wish to honor anybody by whom honor is deserved they ask him to dinner, and after dinner they drink his health. There is a great probability of this custom coming into vogue in New Zealand, and I am glad to observe it. I wish you all to fill your glasses to { the brim, for the toast which I am about I

to ask you to drink is one to which I am oonfident you will do the utmost justice. Itis tho health of tone hard working member of Parliament, Mr "Whyte. I do not, gentlemen, propose to make a political speech. Were I to do so, I would occupy the positipfc>of one, who ahould stand between a hungry man and his breakfast. You are all hungry, I know, to hear the speech of my honourable friend, and I will not detain you. I also wish to keep clear of politics, because looking: round I see many gentlemen here to-night who are not of Mr Whyte's way of thinking, which ciroumctance will, of course, confer a greater honour upon him. We have not met here to-night to celebrate any very great achievement of Mr Whyte'a, but to drinK his health as being an honourable, upright gentleman, and one in whom we can most confidently repose our truot. (Loud applause). The toast was received with the utmost enthusiasm, with musical honours, and three times three. Mr Whyte, who on rising was received with loud and prolonged applause, said : — Mr Chairman, Mr Vice-Chairman, and gentlemen : Even if I had been endowed by nature with the gift of eloquence, I am certain that it would have been impossible for me to find words suitable to express my sense of the gratitude which. I feel towards you for the kind manner in which you have received the toast of my health and the honor you have done me to-night. I thoroughly appreciate the honor, and I wish you to understand that I am fully awaro how little this is owing to anything I have done, but how much to the faithful kindness of my friends and the manly generosity of those who were, and may be now my political opponents. To them my thanks a»-e due, and their presence here to-night shows them to be the manly, straightforward fellows I always took them to be. On an occasion like the present it is as well, perhaps, to avoid ; all reference to party politics, but those of my constituents who are here to-night would hardly be satisfied if I did not touch, however lightly, upon what may be considered Colonial politics. It is easy for me to avoid Party politics, inasmuch as both parties are agreed that, in the present state of the I colony's affairs, a change of Ministry is I undesirable. I think I may venture upon this ground as I intend to give you my own personal opinions upon the leading questions now before the colemy ; and more especially as these opinions differ in many material points from those of the majority of the party which I have generally supported. For many years past politics have meant simply public works, and for many years to come — at least until all the borrowed money is spent — I fear they will mean very little else. Politics at present may be separated and taken under three different heads : (1) a little, now, perhaps, a very little, public works ; (2) retrenchment and taxation, and (3) legislation absolutely necessary. Following the example of some of my reverend and. honorable friend* in the House, I will, with your permission, divide my " discoorse " under these three headings, and will endeavor to say something upon each. First, then, comes public works, and especially those which concern ourselves. You will remember that owing to the report of the Railway Commission many railways were knocked on the head, and the votes for many others were reduced. In fact, all the railway votes in the South Island except two, indeed except one, were reduced, and the votes of 1379 either wiped out or reduced, while in the Nor f h Island, on the contrary, the votes were in all cases increased. Ail this you may be sure did not tend to make the Southern members f?vourably inclined towards new works. The railway in which you and I, and indeed all of us here tonight are interested in, was a new work, and considering all the circumstances its reception by the House was very favourable indeed, and had it been possible to have introduced it earlier, it would in all probability have been sanctioned. But this was not possible. The report of the Railway Commissioners was not laid before the House till late in July, when the Session was nearly two months old, and it would have been absurd to think of forcing a new railway upon the House before that report had been received, the more especially as members were weary of waiting for the Public Works .Statement and Estimates long delayed. It would, indeed, have been useless to have introduced a Railway Construction Bill until it was known what couisc the Government intended to pursue with regard to the Commissioner's report. The Public Works Statement was a long time coming, — ci very long time ; but that might be partly explained by the fact that the statement was a very elaborate one. The Statement itself was simple enough, but the printed matter attached to it was very voluminous, and took much time in its preparation. When the Statement was brought down it was found the Ministers asked for an alternative vote for the Thames- Waikato and Cambridge railways. This very naturally excited the ire of my Cambridge friends, but a little reflection would show that it admitted of explanation. It will be manifest to you all, that, to have proposed placing a vote on the Estimates for an unauthorised railway would have been absurd, anil the plan of asking for an alternative vote was the only one feasible. Our object might, perhaps, have been attained by bringing down the Railway Construction Bill before the Public Wovks Statement, but the House would hardly have stood that. You will see, therefore, that tfie Bill could not have been brought down much earlier, and a few days would not have materially improved its chances. However, it came clown as you know, and it passed its second reading, thereby affirming the principle to a certain extent. The result of the debate annoyed me at the time very much, as no doubt it did you ; but our consolation lies in this, that no time has really been lost. The money which might have been allocated to this work will all be required to build the bridge at Hamilton, and to complete the few miles of the proposed junction. The cylinders for the bridge are ordered and ought now to be on board ship, so that under present cirenmstances this work will be done. I intend to say very little regarding the opposition with which this Bill was met, because, after all, it can hardly bo wondered at. It was indeed to be expected, and the only thing I do regret is that certain rumours were set afloat in the Lobbies.to the effect that the railway was a swindle, intended only to serve the interests of certain large laud proprietors in the Cambridge district. These I was afraid might damage the Bill when it is brought on next session ; but I hope by that time they will be forgotten, ana that the Bill will pass and the Railway commenced. I feel certain that it would be a great boon to Cambridge, a greater boon to the colony, and in a measure, to the

whole world, inasmuch, aa it will rcnrlcr easier the meaus of communication with that great sanatorium, the Plot Luke District of New Zealand. (Applause.) You are all aware that the Hotorua Road is being 1 pushed on, and I cau assure you that it will bo continued to bo pushed forw.ml. Buftno I left Wellington the Minister for Public Works assured me that nothing would bo allowed to impede its prog: e-.s. The att lininent of a road for wheeled tr.iffic to the Thames is second only of important to this work. I hopo the railway to the Thames will be urged on, and though I have but little hope of seeing it finished out of the present loan, I still hope that every year a sum will be voted for the purpose of pushing it on, however slowly. In the meantime it is of the first importance that we should have a wheeled traffic road. The Tauranga road is also being pushed on ; it is only to be a bridle track in the meantime, but that is something 1 , and will lead to something more adequate. I am also glad to say that you will now also have increased accommodation in your post and telegraph offices. I wish to say at this juncture that the accomplishment of these various works is mainly due to your local efforts, and the commendable unanimity which you have evinced in all matters affecting: your interests. You have therefore to thank yourselves mainly for these things. I now come to the second head, "Retrenchment and Taxation." You have all heard of the uniform reduction of 10 per cent, and perhaps the more you consider the matter the more unfair does such a reduction appear to be. The Government, however, in dealing 1 with this question had simply a choice of two evil. They were ordered by the House, I may say by the country, to make immediate and sweeping reductions, and they had to choose between making the reductions in this manner or by turning loose upon the country from 500 to 1000 Civil servants. Great as was the hardship inflicted by the adoption of the former course I think you will agree with me that much more widespread hardships, and much more dissatisfaction would have been caused by the latter. The reductions are not necessarily permanent ; the salaries remain as before upon tho Estimate?, and if times get better, they will be again paid in full. In the meantime the people expect the Government to cut down the salaries and reorganise the service with a view to greater and more permanent saving. In doing this, the Government have to perform a very disagree xble aud thankless job, and ought to bo supported by the country. We are ready enough of course to support them when we are not personally affected, but we must al>-o refrain from getting- up a howl when it touches ourselves. In the Public Works, and the Telegraph and Postal Department great saving will be affected, but it is in the Railway Department that the effect of the reduction will be most observable. Now I come to that very agreeable subject taxation. (Laughter.) I wish you clearly to understand that I am giving you my own crude rough opinions upon this subject and not those of that party to which I have given a general support, as in some respects they are not the opinions of the present Government. You all know something about the Property Tax, and by and by you will probably know more and like it less than you do now. (Laughter.) The Government, as you are aware, have raised the Customs and Stamp duties, aud this will help a good deal. They have also imposed a tax on beer, beintr in f ivor of making it Gd, but I voted for the thicepenny tax (Hear.) I Aid this with very great hesitation , at first I was strongly inclined to vote for the 6d tax, but I came to the conclusion, after hearing and reading all I could on the subject, that that would have been too heavy a tax to impose upon one industry. (Hear hear.) It was said at the time that I had chosen the popular side of tho question, but I believe that the majority of my constituents would have preferred a tax upon beer, provided the equivalent of the increase would have been taken off the Property Tax. But after reading all I could about the matter, I came to the conclusion, as I have before stated, that the tax as proposed by the Government was too heavy for one industry to bear. I have now to speak of that very disagreeable engine, the Property Tax, and here again I wish to guard you agamst taking the opinions which I shall offer as those of the Party ; they are my own. I may say at the outset that I do not like this tax— indeed, for the matter of that, I do not know what tax I would like — (laughter). It will press very heavily upon me personally, and upon the large majority of my constituents. I do not intend to bore you with a lon<? harangue upon the incidence of taxation; that is a very big subject, and one with which I have not the presumption to deal at length ; but I will offer a few arguments of my own in favor of this tax as against any other. In the first plane, I understand that the rival policies in taxation are the Property Tax vcn><6 an Income and L.md Tax together. To my mind the two latter combined are manifestly unfair, because it simply means taxing- the same thing twice. Why .should we p.iy for the land and for the income derived from it as well ': Why should buildings go free, when laud has. to pay ? Why should merchants, shopkeepers, and mortgagees only pay onoo, while we are asked to pay twice ? They make their money oat of their bnildiu«h, their business, and their securities, wlr.le we make it out of our cattle, sheop, produce, and land, and".yed ".ve would have to pay twice. Why, fuither, should land be made to pay, when in many cases the mortgagee, who is the leal owner, escapes ? It was said this tax was very inquisitorial in its operation, but i-> it more so than the Income Tax ? In the one case you have to return the value of your property, and the other tho amount of your income ; that is all the difference. It is also objected against the Property Tax that professonial men go fiee, but this evil is not so great as it first appears. They are bound to contribute in some form to the revenue ; if they spend, they increase the Customs duties ; if they save, they acquire property, and thereby come under the operation of the tax. This does not quite equalise matters, but it makes them much better than at first appears. You all know that we — Britishers as a nation — put too high a value on land. That is to say, we are willing to give a great many more years purchase for land than we would for any other income producing commodity — or in other words, that we are content with from 3 to 10 per cent, of a return from land, when we would expect from 10 to 20 per cent, upon anything else. Therefore, the Property Tax will always be very heavy upon the land-owners; but so would the Land and Income Tax. We therefore all would, if we consulted only our own interests, go in for an Income Tax pure and simple ; but we have never had a chance of doing this ; the tax has always been coupled with one on land, and that, as I have before said, means paying twice for the same thing. .Supposing, however, we had this chance, there are many obstacles in the way of levying and collecting such a tax. For instance, how could farmers return an account of their income, most o£ their money is spent upon improvements and could not well be estimated ; very few f armors also keep books. Then again how could we catch the land sharks? It is easy to value their acres. It is easy to ascertain their mortgages, but it would bo very hard

indeed to find out the amount of their incomes — (\ laugh) — and we are all agreed I think that they should not escape the payment of a fair proportion of the revenue. It would be ju.st as hard to net at the incomes of the farmer. [The Chairman : Ye, for the reason that he hasn't any. (Loud laughter.) The Cnairman, gentlemen, may be right, but d,t the sanie time it must be admitted that farmers must contribute something 1 towards the revenue of the country /hear) and we must get at them somehow. Ihavesp3culatedin land a good deal myself, as you know, and I shall probably do so again, though not in native lands ut less the law is very much altered; at the same time I am of opinion that people should not be encouraged to go in for and hold large blocks of unimproved land. I said this on the hustings. I say so know, and I think that in voting for the Property Tax I simply fulfilled my pledge. My opinions on this tax differed somewhat from those held by the Government. For instance I did not agree with the proposed exemptions of personal effects. Above a certain limit I think personal effects are entirely owned by the richer classes, and are a fair subject for taxation. I urged this at the first caucus' of the Government Party. Under the Property Tax there ought to be no exemptions, in my opinion, whatever. Of course it is possible to bring forward the very best of arguments in favour of certain exemptions, upon machinery for instance ; but then the same arguments will hold good in the ca^e of cattle and shpep, and why hhould the latter bo taxed while the former go free ? The mechanic or machiuist gets his living by his machines and the farmer in like manner earns his livelihood by his cattle and sheep, and I will simply ask, speaking generally, is the mill-owner and machinist not as able to bear taxation as the struggling settler? A tax of \<L without exemptions would suffice. It has been said that the working man ought, not to contribute to this tax, but I have too hifrh an opinion of that individual to think for a moment that he would not be proud to pay his share of taxation. Does anyone mean to tell me that a working man who has accumulated £120 worth of property would look upon it as a hardship to have to pay 5s annually. I am convinced of this also that 5? or 10s paid in direct taxes will have a better effect in rousing men to a sense of the responsibilities which they have to bear than £5 or £10 paid towards the revenue by indiicct means, and they would exercise much greater care in the selection of their representatives. (Hoar, hear). I also oppose this exemption on broader grounds, and I maintain that a tax towards which there are only two contributors out of every ten electors is unsound in principle, and that is what the Property Tax does. It has been said that it taxes improvements, but so would an income tax, which, by taxing your income, taxes your improvements, because it is from these improvements that your income is derived. I will now, gentlemen, leave this subject ; at some future date I shall probably have to ask you for your verdict upon the view 3 and opinions which I, however imperfectly, have advanced. This brings me, then, to the third and last bead of my discourse, '* Legislation which is absolutely necessary." Among the measures brought down la*>t Session, but which did not become law, there was a very useful little Bill called the Town Districts Act. It would have given to towns like Cambride, which were either not populous enough or not ambitious enough to become boroughs, many of the powers enjoyed by municipalities, without the expensive machinery, and at the same time allowing them to participate in the system which the Treasurer proposed to introduce in lieu of the present subsidies to local bodies. I dare say you arc all familiar with the Treasurer's proposals, by which the powers of making grants to Road Boards would be vested in a Local Public Works Board. It has been found that the country cannot afford to keep up the subsidies, but it is also felt that there are many places which cannot do without seme aid from Government. It is, therefore, proposed to tax native and Government lands ; but the mam feature of this local public works scheme is thib : the Board will contribute £3 for every £1 raised by a local body for the construction and maintenance of main roads. Some people think this would mean another rate, but it does not mean anything of the kind. Suppose a Road Bo*.rd raised by means of its rates, say £500, and suppose that body decided that it was nece^aiy that £S0() should be spent upon the main road, they would simply .set a.side £200 for the purpose, and the Lucal Public 'Works Board would have to supplement the amount with £600. It will, I think, be clear enough that under such a system as this you will bo better off than before. Moreover, subsidies are unfair, because the system simply means pampering- the rich and starving the poor. At first sight this appears to be much the same thin«r, but there Is this important difference, that the mom>y must bo spent. It is possible under the subsidy sy.stem to levy high r.ites for the mere purpose of gptiing 1 a largo subsidy, which could be funded and not spout, and thi-, has been done to such a large extent in f-ome districts in the South Island that the Boards there are rich enough now to go on without tither rates or subsidies. But under the proposed system the money must be spent upon the main roads. The roads in this district which I understand will bo proclaimed main roads.for the purposes of new arrangements, ato, first, that from Mercer through T.mpiri, Hamilton, and Cambridge to Rotorun, and probably to Taupo; that between the Thames 1 and Wails ato, which will probably form part of the road between the East and West Coasts. I think that if the Government are willing to maintain these roads to the extent of 7o per cent. . the local bodies are not likolv to think it hard upon them when called to pay the remainiug 25 per cent. This Bill will also confer borrowing powers upon the Boards, but I hope local bodies will not be disposed to avail themselves of the privilege for some tima to come. At present the General Government are borrowing quite enough. It has been stated that the Board will consist simply of the Minister for Public Works, seeing that the other members of it are his subordinates, and it was feared that much political patronage would be exercised, but I can assure you that auch is not the case. The regulations laid down are very simple, the local board have merely to raise the required sum, submit plans and estimates to tho Board and they get their : grant. The Government has also passed a little Bill dealing with the County system, but this I can only characterise as tinkering with a larsre subject. There was also passed an Act to ammend certain things relating to public works, but the only thing importaut about it is that of giving power to the County Council to declare closed roads which have been stopped by road Boards. Then there was the Dogs Registration Act wnich will be found to be an improvement. Then there was tue much vexed Native Land question. On this subject also I can easily avoid party politics because members on both sides of the House voted quite independently -upon it. The only Bill which passed, was the Native Land Court Acfc which jubfc simplified the procedure of the Courts with this very great improvement, that the natives can now go to the Court without having first of all to raise funds from tho land

speculators or elsewhere, as heretofore, the Government nbvr advancing cost of surveying fees,&o.' This will have the effect of enablingthe man of moderate means to compete on something like fair terms with the rich man, and the natives themselves will get a better price for their land, i hopp gentlemen lam not wearying you, (" No no" and applause.) There were several other Bills dealing with the same question chief among which was the Natives Lands Sales Bill. I did not, as you are aware, altogether approve of the principles of this Bill ; it compelled natives o sell their land through the Waste Lands Boards, and through it only, and although this might be a very desirable change it would for some years have the effect of retarding very materially the settlement of the country because the nativeß are not at all likely to avail themselves of the system, at all events for some years to come. Still I say now what I said at the time the Bill was brought down, that I regard it as an honest attempt to do away with the exiscing evils of the system of Native Lands purchase, and I hope that some decided measures will be taken in the same direction next Session. Certainly, the Defence and Native Minister has shown himself to be in earnest in the matter. Mr Bryce is also doing his utmost to bring about a settlement of the difficulty on the West Coast, and it he succeeds in his effort as I think he will, he will deserve the gratitude of the whole colony (Applause.) The West Coast settlement) is a a necessary one. Then there was an Act to provide for the settlement of certain natives in the district of Waikato, which gives poweu to settle natives within the confiscated boundary on Crown lands. I was at first naturally opposed to this Bill, but I was assured that it was only intended to settle the natives on such lands as those in the vicinity of Rangiriri, which will not be required for the purposes of European settlement for many years to come, and that they will be bound down by conditions regarding residence, etc., that any deviation from them would revert the land back again to the Crown. (Hear, hear. A voice : And a good job too). We have also passed a Triennial Parliaments Act. I was aware that this measure was demanded by the country, and having promised to do so, I accordingly voted for it, but I may h&y that personally I am opposed to its principle; I do not now believe in it at all, and for this reason : that by the time a member retires under this Act he is just beginning to be useful and commencing to understand much that it is necessary a member should understand. However, it is useless now to discuss this question, the principle has now become la-w, and I Jo not think it will again be altered. The franchise has also been enlarged, and as you are no doubt aware everybody almost now has a vote. I am not going to talk about Liberalism or Conservatism, but surely that was a liberal measure. This Government, which is said to represent the propertied class, has given nearly everyone a vote, and at the same time provided a screw to wind up the propertied class. (Laughter and applause). Gentlemen, there is on a list before me a large number of Acts, about SO I think, but, perhaps it will not be necessaiy for me to review them all. ( ' ' No, no, " and laughter) . However, you will agree with me that the .Session has not been an altogether barren one. The only fault I have to find ■with it is that too much was attempted. I will now shortly refer to two matters more particularly affecting the ladies. I was one of the 14 who voted against the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill, and I only intend to-night to give one of my reasons for so doing. It is this, that the ladies themselves I think were not in favor of it. I also voted against giving the ladies a vote, not because I think they are not qualified mentally to exercise it, but because I felt that as a consequence of giving them the franchise wo should ha\e to alloAV them to sit in the House, and that I think would result in great inconvenience. If we could insure that only those possessed of youth, beauty, and modesty would find seats in the House it might be all right, but it would, I fear, be found that the class which would be returned would consist of Dr Mary Walkers, Polly Plums, and other objectionable females of that sort. But even were the reverse to be the case, it would still result in inconvenience. For instance, it would never do to see some member get up and draw the attention of the Speaker to the fact that the honorable member for the Thames ( f or instance) was flirting outrageously with the honorable and beautiful member for the garden of Eden. (Loud laughter). I think that probably some day it may be found necessary to give ladies a vote in order to check the democratic tendencies of the age, but the country is, in my opinion, not ripe for that yet. And now, gentlemen, in conclusion, I cannot allow this opportunity to pass without publicly acknowledging the very valuable assistance I have received from my honorable colleague, for I may call him my <ollea»fue, 31 r F. A. Whitaker, the member for our neighbor constituency. He ib a younger man than myself in years, but he is older — well I will not say in iniquity (laughter), but in knowledge of public business and of the world. His wonderful energy and pluck were infectious, and I could not help catching something of his; spirit and imitating him in his peculiar aptitude for work. The thanks of this district are also due to your late member the hon. the Attorney -general. He has. evidently a very kindly recollection of his former constituents and misses no opportunity of aiding you. Gentlemen to repeat what I have said in another part of my speech any Government which undertakes the conduct of affairs at the present juncture have a very disagreeable task before them, and it becomes us to give them our cordial support, as a people, we none of us like the doctor \\ ho stops our grog and puts us upon a short allowanca of "beer and plain food, but we are sometimes in such a state that recourse to these measures is absolutely necessary for our health, and so it is with the body politic. That is not in a. healthy state and I am sure that you will all support this or any Government which goes in for retrenchment and placing the finances of the colony on a sound basis (Hear, hear). lam deeply sensible of the honor you have done me to-night. I can only add that if I ever unfortunately forfeit the confidence of my constituents it will be simply from want of ability and not from the want of a desire to do for them all I can. I wish to say, gentlemen, that I am exceedingly proud of my I constituency and I humbly hope and trust that I shall never do it discredit. (The hon. gentleman then sat down amid loud and prolonged applause). Mr James Hume having asked the company to charge their glasses, said: Mr chairman, Mr vice-chairman, and gentlemen, a very important toast has been put into my kinds ; it is " The Agricultural and Pastoi'al Interests." The prosperity of this district, and the success of everyone in business in it, depends on the success of those engaged in farming and stock raising. The farmers have not, it is true, had very good times lately, but I have no doubt that a season of prosperityis dawning- for them. I wish to couple with the toast the name of Mr "W. A. Graham. The toast was duly honoui^ed 1 . Mr W. A. Graham aoknowledthetoasft. He said : The settlers of this district have

had to encounter a tremendous straggle. In the first instance the district had to be conquered, and it is not^ surprising that under such adverse ctroumstance* as these, that we should abpear compared with some other parts of the colony to be in & backward atata. But the truth is, we hare made tadtt astonishing progress. The result of my experience, and it tallies with that of others well qualified to form an opinion, is that we were nearing a turning point which will lead on to a permanent and widespread prosperity. Everything which, we hear regarding the atatc of other pares of New Zealand lead to the conviction that it is better for us to atiok to Waikato. (Hear, hear.) Those who have stuck to it through everything will have reason to be thankful in the end. • My opinion is, and it is based on a knowledge of the colony, that Waikato will be able to hold its own as an agricultural and pastoral distriot against any competitors. As a proof of its vitality, we see that, although we have had bad | times, they have not been nearly so hard as have been experienced down South. Ha again thanked them. Mr A. A. Fanthatn proposed the next toast " The Commercial interests of Waikato" He said a great deal has been uaid to-night about the Volunteers and the farmers, but it is impossible for the country to prosper Unless we have commercial men. (Hear). Waikdtd can boast that it has really good commercial men; I see around me to-night men who would be a 1 credit to any distriot In New Zealand. Farmers no doubt understand their own business [A Voice: "Some of them" (Laughter)^' "JBut it wopM not be possible for them W get 00, Without commercial men. I wish to codple with the toait the name of MrWells. v The toast was cordially received. Mr Thomas Wella responded at some length. He thanked them very much for the manner in which they had received the toast. He would be wanting in good taste were he to use their indulgence to give them a lecture on shop, still he would not be doing justice to the class which he represented were be^ not to say something. The commercial interests and the agricultural interests were so closely connected, that he might almost say they were one. As commercial men, he classed all those who were not engaged in agricultural or jteatoral pursuits. The producers could not always be exchangers and hence the need of the commercial class. It was necessary that it should be composed of men of intelligence, substance, and high commercial morality. He was comparatively a new man in the district, and he therefore might say, without egotism, that the commercial men of Waikato, as a body, fully deserved the high compliment which had been paid themby-MrFantham, and he felt proud to, be numbered amongst them. (Applause.) Mr J. B. Whyte, M.H.lL, proposed the toast of 4t The Chairman." He wished he could have expressed his ideas more readily regarding the admirable manner in' which Mr Fergusson had filled the duties of Chairman that evening. He (the speaker) felt that his presence there was a personal honour. The toast was drunk with full musical honours. The Chairman, in responding, said the remarks of the honourable gentleman on his right reminded him of the old saying, "You scratch my back an! I'll scratch yours. " He had iia<l the honour of proposing Mr Whyte's health, and that gentleman had— well, he would not say the honour— of proposing his. He could have wished that Mr Maclean could have been present to take the chair, but he was convinced that that gentleman's absence was quite unavoidable. He thanked them very much for the honour they had done him. Mr Brooks, in a few well-chosen remarks, proposed the toast of the " Vicechair," whkh was received with musical honors.' Mr Wells briefly responded. Mr W. L. Martyn craved the indulgence of the Chair to propose a toast. He was one of those who nominated Mr Whyte, but he wa9 aware that opposed to him was a gentleman whom they all respected and esteemed, and he had therefor much pleasure in proposing the health of Mr J. P. Campbell. The toast was drank with enthusiasm, and was accorded musical honors. Mr Campbell on raising to respond was loudly applauded. He said :Mr Chairman, Mr Vice-chairman, and gentlemen, I believe I am correct in saying that the toast proposed by my friend Mr Martyn, is not a part of the programme. At the same time it was clone with the utmost good will, and I must thank the gentlemen present for the manner in which they have received it. I had the honor. — for it was an honor — of being opposed to Mr Whyte at the last election (applause) and can say that throughout that contest the utmost good feeling cxi ted between us, and tbat good feeling has never been broken. (Mr Whyte: Hear, hear.) I thanked the gentlemen—4he large number of gentlemen who had recorded their votes for me — but I have the pleasant reflection of knowing that the act of those who voted against me lias not in the slightest degree interfered with the kindly feeling which always subsisted between us. If I had my desire at an election it would be to have an honest and straightforward supporter, but failing that, then an honest and straightforward opponent. Such I believe my opponent to have been at the last election, and such I was myself. Gentlemen, I thank you much for the great honor you have done me this evening. (Loud applause.) Mr Kennedy Hill proposed the toast j of " The Banquet Committee, coupled with the name of Mr Reid, who he understood had been chiefly instrumental in achieving such a grand decorative display as they saw around. He referred to the great progress which Cambridge had made. Mr Reid briefly .returned thanks, and before sitting down, proposed " The Press 1 ' 1 in very eulogistic terms, coupled with the name of Mr S. E. Gk Smith (Wa-TKaio Tikes), and Mr Campbell, (Waikato Mail) % to which those gentlemen responded. The toast of " The Ladies' ' was proposed by Mr H. Steele in a very felicitous speech;, and responded to by Mr Pearson (Pencairow). Mr O. F. Hosking proposed the " Host and Hostess/ dilating on the excellence of the spread placed before them. Mr Hewitt responded. the health of " MrsWhyteand Family" was proposed by Mr Kennedy Hill, and responded to in , happy terms by Mr Whyte. The vice-Chiirman proposed the health of " The Visitors," coupled with the names of Messrs Chepmell and Primrose, and those gentlemen, briefly responded. This completed the programme, and the National Anthem having been sung, the company separated about II o'clock.

A youth rushed wound the comet aayine " All I want in this world is to lay my hands, upon him I * Ho presently canje upon a boy weighing about ten Bounds more than himself, and rushing at faitt he exdainfeH, " m yon lick my brother Ban ? * "Yes I did," aaid the boy dropping hia bundle, and spitting ou wi band* weU continued the othei lad, backing dowlf »way, '/he i needs a liokmgr once a week to tmh torn to b© oml.