COMPLIMENTARY DINNER TO MR. W. H PEARCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1413, 23 July 1881, Page 2

COMPLIMENTARY DINNER TO MR. W. H PEARCE.

Wiimj it became known that Mr W. H. Pearce of the Commercial Hotel, Hamilton, was about to leave the district, his friends determined to give him some expression of their respect for him and their regreb at his leaving. During the period, four years, which Mr Pearce has resided in Hamilton he has by his uniform courtesy to all, and by his constant efforts to advance the interests of the town secured the esteem and good will of all with whom he has come into contact, and it was felt that he could be allowed to take his departure without giving him some practical pi oof of their wishes. Accordingly a laige number of his friends invited Mr Pearce to a dinner last night at Gwynne's. Hamilton Hotel. The spread provided was an excellent one, served in Host Gwynne's well-known style, the best of every tiling being supplied in abundance. The room was tastefully decorated and presented a very pleasing appearance. The chair was taken by the oldest friend of Mr Pearce present, Mr R. P. Sandes, having on his right the guest of the evening, and on his left Mr Vlalou. The vice- chair was filled by His Worship the Mayor of Hamilton. Full justice having' been accorded to the sumptuous repast, the usual loyal toasts were duly honored. The toast of the evening wa« proposed by the chairman in happy terms. He referred to the respect in which Mr Pearce had always been held during 1 the ten years he had known him, and regretted that Hamiltou was losing one who had proved himself in every way so uspful The toast was drunk with musical honors. Mr Pearce in responding thanked those present very much for ths unexpected honor they had conferred upon him, and trusted that wherever he went he would meet with such excellent friends. He hoped to see his Hamilton friends again in Auckland, where he would iilways be ready to give them a hearty welcome. Numerous other toasts followed including "Mrs Pearce and family," " The Mayor of Hamilton," "Mr Vialou, the first Mayor of Hamilton," "The Host and Hostess," "The Ladies," the intervals being devoted to harmony, the company breaking up after the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" and the National Anthem, shortly after 10, having passed a most pleasant evening.

The most horrible incidents have a grim knack of repeating themselves in Russia (says a Home paper). The painful details of Jehaboff s execution at St. Petersburg can hardly fail to call to mind the ghastly tragedy which was enacted in that city shortly after the accession of Czar Nicholas to the Russian throne. Four leaders of the abortive insurrection which broke out upon that occasion, and was mainly qnelled by the Emperor's heroic conduct, were subsequently hanged. One of them, strange to say, was the grandfather of Procureur Muravieff, who conducted the State prosecution against the Nihilists implicated in the assassination of Alexandra 11. As in the case of Jeliaboff the other day, the rope to which Muravieff was suspended broke when the executioner cast him from the ladder, and the unfortunate man fell heavily to the ground, breaking his leg. As he was being lifted towards the gallows, to which a fresh rope had been hastily fitted and noosed for his second suspension, Relejeff, another of the doomed insurrectionists, there awaiting his turn to be strangled, exclaimed in aloud voice, heard by many of the horrified spectators, ."What can be expected of a State in which even the hangman doea not know his business ?" Those bitter arid ominous words were his last. A few seconds later his lifeless corpse was swinging by that of the wretched Muravieff, whose v dreadful death scene has co recently been reproduced, with'Jeliaboff for its tortured heroj "by •■ merciless and bungling functionaries, of Russian justice.