Public Dinner to Mr Willian Duncan. J.P.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2102, 29 December 1885, Page 4

Public Dinner to Mr Willian Duncan. J.P.

On the evening of Friday last, the lPth inst., a complimentary dinner was given t-> the above-named gentleman in the Raglan Hall by the bettlers of the district, a 3 a mark of their esteem and respect towards him. It in also tho intention of his numerous friends, many of whom reside away from Raglan, and thus not being able to be present, to present him with a testimonial M a recognition of their appreciation of his •ervicea to the distuct, and of their kindly feeling toward* him. The hall was well filled with settlers from all parts of the dis tnct. The diunor and all its appointment all tha 1 ; could bo desired, reflecting gre.it credit upon all concerned. Several letters of apology for absence, u/... fiom Messrs Robertson, Pretty, and Cogawell were Mr Thomas Mitchell, J. P., occupied the chair, and Mr J. H. Phillips the vice-ch.in, and on the right of the chairman sat the guest of the evening. After ample justice had been done to the good things provided, and which would indeed h.ue Htilished the renowned ga-tionomic critic and glolu hotter, O.A.S. hun-plf, the tables having been cleared, tho chairman maa very happy manner expressed hm plea, nure m presiding on an occasion of this kind and said that a dinner wjb usually Khen to get a person out of the plocc. I'.ut upon thlrt occasion thpy were giving one t» buy Mr Duncan back again, in which remark tbo«e present evidently, by tho way it was received, agreed with. Tho Chairman then proposed in suitable terms the health «f the Queen, His Royal Highnea* the Pi nice of Wales, and all tha Royal Family, which was given with the usual expression of loyalty, &c. The Vice-chairman promised the Governor of this Colony, who held a highly responsible position, but who, it w»» believed, had the welfare of the colony at heart, and had taken since his residence in our land great intercut in many things for the welfare of New Zealand. Mr Frissel proposed the Army, Navy, and Volunteer Forces, and stated it was most fitting this toast should follow the two previous royal ones, as the combined forces they wore about to honour were always ready to support their Queen and country. Kecpived with great enthusiasm. Mr Campbell Johnstone responded in a miitable manner, and felt sure the volunteers, of which he was a member, would be with the standing forces in their place when wanted. (Applause.) Tho Chairman next gave the Genernl Assembly and our esteemed representative, Mr Lake, M.H.R. After being duly honoured, , Mr Jerome responded, hoping that eettlers would continue to take a lively interest in the proceedings of the General Assembly, and at all times when an election is taking place help to return a representative who would continue to take an interest m tho welfare of our important district. (Applause.) The Chairman then called upon Mr Pegler on his behalf to piopose the toast of the evening, "Tho health of our guest, Mr Wm. Duncan, J.P" (cheers), who in doing no expressed the great pleasure he felt in being present at this time along with bo many of hi« fellow settlers, whose support he knew ho had on the present happy otcs. sion. Feeling, a* he did, in the presence of thoir friend, Mr Duncan, he could not spcik in such a manner as would give expression t > all that he might desire, seeing that Mr Duncan had done so much in the past foi the district they had the honour to belong to. He then gave an account of tho various public ofhees their guest had occupied, during a portion of which time he might have differed from Mr Duncan upon souk question of puolit import. But now i. was glad to say upon all that concerned i to Raglan district ho was in accord with then friend. Ho behoved the gentleman whose health they were about to dunk, in all the various position* ho had held, ether as trilrtee and ch.iiinian of one of their local highway boards, or in tho high and honour able position of chaum<ui of thoir im poitant county, h id done in the past all lie could that lay in his power to advance the intercut not only of tho Raglan county but also of the diatuct in which thoy dwelt ; and whilst public men havo that inner con•ciousness which i« felt in doing their duty, at tho same time it is our duty to strengthen their hands by a due appreciation of the same, and also our privilege as well as our duty to express the nense of the obligation of the .services lenderrd by our friend, who was always road v to advance eveiy good cause. Not only ha» he filled a high position m the

dishitt whilst one of us, but has also i attained a. veiy honourable one m the City <if Auckland, and although he has left us is still one with and ever ready to do what he can in tho future foi one and all. V letter was teceivcd from <ur old .md tned friend, Mr T. B. Hill, expressing meat regret, and saying that he heaitily sympathised witli the effoit we were making, and tt listed it would take a moie substantial fmm. No man we have m the district is inoie zealous foi puunottng the piogiess of tho whole distnet, and meiit should always be recognised. A man may have in watd consciousness of having done Ins duty, but it is doubly pleasing when otheis "know, and are icady to acknowledge it. (Applause). I hay c alw ays found Mr Duncan leady at personal mconvem »>ncc, either with his pen ny otheiwise, t«» do anything for the pood of the Counties <>t Liaglan and Waipa. which are intimately connected with each other. After expressing regret that he would be unable, to go over ninny parts of thedistiict with him, he concludes with words which, I am sure., we nil re-echo, " If we had more pushing men like Mr Duncan amongst us Kaplan would soon be» very different place to what it is," in which Mr Prgler hoped we •honld show our unity b> a hoartfelt expression of our feelings at this time. He had great pleasure in proposing ' Health, happiness, and prospenty to their guest and fnend, W. Duncan, J.P. Great applause, with musical honours and three cheers, &c. Mr Duncan who evidently felt keenly the manner in which his friends received the toast, replied in feeling term*, and exness. The more so that he knew it was of preyed his acknowledgement of their kindI a sincere natme. He had li\ cd and resided among them from boyhood for a penod of twenty two yeais until lately, and was always glad to do all he could to merit their approval, and it was gratifying to feel that he had the good will of so intelligent apart of the community. Public men had at tunes, if they were honest to their conviction, to advocate many things not pei haps approved of by .some, and as it might have been in his case, and whilst he had differed upon some points, as all persons must who think f,, r themselves, he felt he had made no personal enemies in the place: they were all his fi lends and he thanked them from his heart for the kindness shown him. '"The friends I have and their adoption tried I 11 grapple them to my soul with books of The district they dwelt in they had reason to he pioud of. Indeed he never felt ashamed of it, and go \\ here he might, and lip had travelled Home little over jNew Zealand, ha found Raglan second to none. What they wanted was self reliance, I faith in themselves, and in their district, and though the cities of our much favouied land had great attractions, yet tho elements of a great future were in their district. But some people were coni tent to let things be, not willing to risk anything for the public good. What was 1 wanted was new and enlightened ideas which oueht indeed, if room wa* given, to fill the breast of ail the inhabitants of the district Ever desirous as he felt he had been in the p.ist for their welfare, he exceedingly regietted he had not been able to do more to assist in the development and continued progress of the district. He thanked Mr ' Peglerand those of l.is friends present for tho very kind manner they had drunk his health, and trusted they would all unite together to advance Raglan's true interests. Great applause greeted the speaker as he sat down. . „ ' Song by Mr Jerome, in an excellent i The " Agricultural Interests " was I proposed by Mr R. C. Mathias, t m his usual happy manner, which was responded to by Mr S. Wilson in a very able way. It had been tho manner of inaiiy to speak lightly of their dihtiict, but he felt sure we had nothing to be ashamed of, and if we could only get to the bottom ot things wo fchould find that the Raglan people stood upon as sure a founda1 tion as any in the colony (applause), and felt we had as good an heritage as any. Our cattle at the sales fetched the highest fignie. Surely, then, the land must be rood, and if we put half of tho bonedust in it that was plastered upon some of the other lands in the colony, what could it not produce. Let them then go foi ward, and be sure they had a good district, which, by eneigy and pluck displayed, would yet be more known and then far better appreciated. (Cheers.) Song, Mr Charles Moon, "Spanish Cavalier." "The Commercial Interests and Local Industries " by the chairman next, came on. Mr George Moon responded. He had been many yeais m this place, and was now e.ngaged in the lime trade, which was to all intent a local indiistiy. He knew from hu own expeiiunce and the opinion of others th it this lime wa* of tho very best description and could not be beaten. A future was bofoTe Raglan in this respect. Let them go in and win, for they could meet the maiket both with quantity and quality. He h«ped to see many lime kilns erected, and though ho was personally along with his partners interested in the kiln, yet there was room for all. And he hoped to see the day when Raglan would yet take its place, for it had the elemenU of success within itself. (Applause.) " Local Bodies " by Mr Burgess, was responded to by Mr R. Philp, in a neat speech. He was glad to have as a member of their local boaid, tho oppoitunity at all times to do anything for the good of Raglan, and nssist other local bodies to render good for their district. Ho had pleasure in meeting their friend Mr Dune in, who had been instrumental in getting telephone communication here, etc. (Applause.) Kiwi, a native chief of great rank here, also in feeling teims expressed his pleasure in seeing Mr Duncan, who had brought the wire here, and done all he could for Natives and Europeans alike. (Cheers.) Mr Duncan proposed " The Press coupled with at the n une of Mr Pegler, saying it always held a mighty power for the advantage of any district or country. Mr Pegler, in a brief speech, responded <m behalf of the Auckland Press and Tho Waikato Times, which latter paper ho knew was always leady to do anything it could to advance the interest of the country district and Raglan at all times ; but without the support of the public the Press could do nothing. "OurChainnan" was next proposed and heartily given, all present rising, and with musical honour expressing the same. "Tho Host " "was then friv en, foi the evcellent manner lw had prov ided tho dinner and provision for the inner man. Mr Wylie responded, saying he was glad to see them happy, and trusted they might meet again. •'The Ladies," being the last, but not the least important, was received with the usual enthusiasm. The company, who had very much enjoyed themselves, then separated, tho older portion departing, whilst the young ones in a short time began once moie to "trip it on the light fantastic toe," separating at early dawn —(Own Correspondent.) Raglan, 21st Dec, 1885.