THE HIBERNIAN CELEBRATION AT GREYMOUTH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 50, 11 April 1874, Page 7

THE HIBERNIAN CELEBRATION AT GREYMOUTH.

At the Hibernian celebration at Oreymouilv, on St. Patrick a Day, Mr Hughes, in speaking to the toast of the evening said :--" The assemblage around him, fair women and brave men— and the splendid specimens of their race he had eeen in procession and out of it gave proof that the legions of self expatriated Irishmen oould help to build up here a state, as they helped ia Americu to build up the greatest Republic the world ever saw. For did not a largo proportion of illustrious American names bear the stamp of Ireland, aud how msi f of the Macilahons, the O'Donnells, and the Cavanagha, and a hundred other Irish names were to be found identified with the history of eTery nat.on in Europe. Their race claimed thia eminent peculiarity that w icre they cast their lot, they so fused and identified theraaelven wita the people at to be undistinguishable except as being often foremost in advancing the national interest. That thia would be tho case m New Zealand he was bo much convinced that ho oould predict that whenever Macaulay's celebrated New Zealander was found sitting

onihe euros of London Bridge, mourning over the fall of the great English nation, whenever that came to pan it would probably be found tJbat that New Zealander was an Irishman. (Great lauahter.) Mr Hughei. concluded by saying that theapectacle witnessed that day. •houW irnprej. upon all Irishmen this moral— that the great advantage, they -had in this new sphere brought with them corresponding obKeatior«. -There wa« a deep lesson to be learned by peaceful, benevolent, social organisations liker that of the Hibernian Society. They .hould prore rheir love of the old country by being good citizens of the new, by upholding their character for peace, religion, and industry, by joining heart and hand with all good men of whatsoever creed or country for all ■good object., and especially for the development of the unbounded wealth of New Zealand.