ENTERTAINED BY THE MAYOR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3385, 28 November 1911, Page 5

ENTERTAINED BY THE MAYOR.

“THE RICHT MAN IN THE RICHT PLACE.”

FEELING REPLY BY SIR TAMES CARROLL.

Quite a number of friends, at the invitation oi the Alayor (Air. AA’. Bettie), aeisemb'ed alter the result had been made known, with a view of extending their congratulations to Sir James Carroll upon his re-election for a further term of office. Air. Rettie su'd ho felt sure everybody would be pleased that- Sir James Carroll had had the honour of an uncontested re-election. So far as he was aware, Gisborne was the only electorate in the Dominion for which there would be no contest. All weti’d agree that, if anybody deserved that high honor, it was Sir James Carroll- (App.au.se). He took it that the fact that there was no other candidate (Lowed that al! were satisfied with Sir James Carroll as their representative, and that he was a member who commanded their respect and confidence ; and who ecu Id be depended upon to do all in- his power to advance the interests of the town and district. (Loud applau.se>). To hie way of thinking Sir .James Carroll was the right man in the right- p.aee. But notwithstanding what he had been able to do in the past, it was now evident that much lay before him in the future. Air. Rettie added hie own ])ersona! gratification at the return without opposition of Sir -Tames Carrol] as member for the district. (Applause). Air. Sheridan was brief and to the point. “I think.” he remarked, “that His AA’orship might have offered his congratulations to Air. O'Dowd and myself for having had the sense tc come in out of the wet.” (Loud laughter.) The Hon. A- T. Xgata said it was a matter for congratulation that Sir •James Carroll had been returned unopposed. It showed how he held the confidence and e-stem of all c.asses of tlie community. Per.? nally he hoped that he would be a? fortunate as Sir ■James Carroll in being re-elected. He concluded by touching upon the manner in which the East Coa-t was going ahead, making reference especially to the value of the freezing works at T< - komaru and the way in which the country was being opened up. Air. John Bright also, tonne red his congratulations to Sir -Tamos on being re-elected unopposed—an honour which ho said, would probably In- -ar.iqv.e ir. the Dominion. It was all the more unique in view of the fact that Sir James was a Alinister. Interest weido now centre in the licensing issue. Alesr-s G. Alatthewson and C. HAmbridge also congratulated the Native Alinister on being returned unopposed. After the health of Sir James Carroll had been drunk with musical honours, he made a feeling reply. He declared, amid loud applause, that he was keenly sensible yf the high lion our that the electors of this district had done him. He then dealt briefly with his long term of office as a representative of this district in Parliament. Up to the present he was the only Parliamentarian who had represented both a Native ana a European constituency. The crowning event in his career, however, was his re-election that day without opposition. (Applause.) For that- matter be could not remember any other "wa k over" during bis Parliamentary career —at any rate since the introduction of the licensing laws. Sir -Tames Carroll, in conclusion, expressed the 1 pinion that it would have been unsatisfactory had either Air. Sheridan or Air. O'Dowd gone to the poll, for both wore friends of his. He added his thanks to tne Alayor and the other speakers for the kind remarks which they had made concerning him- (Loud applause.) Cheers for Sir Janies Carroll and for the Alayor concluded the function.