BANQUET TO MR BRYGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2988, 8 September 1891, Page 2

BANQUET TO MR BRYGE.

# (BY TKLKOKAI'H —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, Last Night, At Mr Bryce's banquet Sir John Hall in proposing the toast of the evening, said the object of the gathering Was to testify to the osteom and regard for thoir late leader, and sympathise with liim in what they believed to be uujust and harsh treatment he ,liad received at the hands of tho majority of tho Assembly, and to protest against tho indignity put upon him by means of party pressure, for party purposes. The impression had grown that the action taken was improper and almost tyrannical, and at any rate unjustifiable. He could not believe the resolution of censure would long sully the journals of the House, ana the day was not far distant when New Zealand would again require tha services of her liost men, when the eyes of the people would bo opened to the folly and evil consequences of harassing and worrying the interests which had so largely conduced to her progress and prosperity, A turn in the pilitical tide would take place and some of tho oldost and best public men would be needed to come again into the service of the colony. (Cheers). When that day came the sound of the couflict would reach Mr Bryos and stir in him the spirit of an old war horse, and ho would ere long find himself again carrying dismay into the ranks of their opponents and gladness to the hearts of all the true friends of Now Zealand.

Mr Bryce, in replying, said, looking at the party ho had lately had the honour to lead, man for man, it was as good an Opposition as ever sat in the House of Representatives. lla believed tho purt.y should do its duty to the country. Ho thanked hia friends for the extremely generous manner in which they supported him in this unhappy business, and the extremely handsome manner in which they adhered to hitn while he was their leader. The course he hod felt compelled to take was exceedingly painful to hiin. If, after the degradation had been inflicted by the passing of tho resolution, the House had shown any consideration for him in his distress, he would have gone tho whole way to meet it, and psrhaps a step beyond. It was unfortunate they did nothing of thn kind. Acting under groat ur.'vocation, aroused by gross injustice to a friend and a member of tho House, and under interruption by the Premier, he had said the Premier ought to ba ashamed of himself for relying on a technicality." The Speaker ruled that tho words •' ha ought to be ashamed of himself " werennpailiiimentury, but on reading the additional words the Speaker no longer considered them unparliamentary. In his absence he was tried and condemned. If it was the Speaker's opinion that the words used were so light, how caine ho to allow the resolution to pas 3 without making an emphatic protest against its impropriety? He freed Major Steward from any deliberate intention to do him ail injury, and wished he could say the same for the Government. He could understand that Mr Ballance might have considered it desirable in thu interests of the Government party that he(Mrßrvce) should bo degraded, or removed from tho House, and it looked as if Mr Ballance and his colleagues endeavoured ti prevent the qualifying words being added. Mr Ballance accepted the motion of a member of his party—ona of tho last men in the House whose judgment should have be-in accepted ; and ho whipped up the full force of his party to get that motion carried. He believed it was a conacinus design, and a design unworthy of the poorest Government that ever existed or ever would exist. Feeling that tho position was bad, the Government fully determined that be should not be allowed to recede from his position, and that lie should retire from Parliament. The Premier was willing to lead him from ono humiliation to another and compel him at last to resign in'sheer despair. If ho had been humiliated, it was a humiliation over which he had no control. He declared before God and man his full belief that ho had boon treated unjustly and that the procedure taken reflected neither dignity noi honour upon the House.

(IJY TELEGRAPH -OWN COKHKSI'ONDEN'T.) Wellington, Last Night. The banquet tendered to the Hon. John Bryce by the Opposition on Saturday evening wan a most unqualified success, mid it. is admitted oil all aide* that Mr Bryce mide a remarkably able defenco of his action in resigning his seat after the unmerited vote of censure passed on him by the House, and the deliberate intention shown by the Premier and his colleagues to humiliate him afterwards. The chair at the banquet was occupied by Sir John Hall, who was supported on his right by the guest of the evening. The members present were Messrs Fergus. Mitchelsoo, Newman, Rolleston, J. W. Thomson, Swann, Moore, Scobie McKenzie, Hark-ne-s, Buckland, Rhodes, Russell, T. McKenzie, Mills, Duthie, G. F. Richardson, Valentine, Tmptia and Kapa. The following gentlemen,ex-members of the present Opposition, were present by invitation Messrs Ross, Beetham, Bruce, Hislop, Allen, Menteath and Izard. Apologies wpre received from Messrs Wright, McArthur and Wilson. A full report of the banquet appears in to-night's Press, anH occupies more than six columns. Mr Bryce's speech alone taking up nearly three columns of space.