THE HEATHER BELL LODGE.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1477, 1 December 1884, Page 2

THE HEATHER BELL LODGE.

Tlifft Anniversary Banquet of the Be.efton Heather Bell Lodge of tinOi'der.of St Andrew, was held at D nvsou's Hotel, on Friday evening last. Meiiibe.rs to the number <»f between forty and fifry sat down to a repast, which was a most, sumptuous one, a.i.l served up in a manner worthy in every way of Host Da wson's hijh ivputatio.i as a eaten t. The chair was occupied Wy B:o. Davidson, the W.M. of the Society. Bin. Allsworth filling the viV'-chair. Mr A. A. t . M.-ntetth M.H.R., w!io liad bPßii invited to l>e present, 0.-cu-pied a seat on the right of the Chiir man. Representatives from the Oddfellow's and Foresters societies we;e aLo present liy invitation. Due attention having been bestowed upon the creature coinf >rts The ch.iirm m proposed " T : ieQ leen and the. St. Andrew's Order" t!i.; toast, in'iiig e!ith:isiastic:iily received. Bro. Cmninings then propovd " O.i ■ worthy W.M. aid Cnalrnij.ii, 80. Davidson." In response to an .invitation M<: Pollock sail" " JL'ss'n-'s Di'e.itn." The Cli airni 11, i 1 ivs.i > rli v fc^'-h. 1 toast, exo/ess-d h : .s tuiki i\>.- th ■ compliment. l:£e was b.u a on par.itively new 111 id, W'U t'.?!t a d(vt> interest in the order, and with the c > operation of the m.-mbers W >:ild d.> his utmost to promote the interest of the Ovder generally (applause.) I M>- A. B o.v 1 ii-o ; ios'd " rij- Pali* nient of New Z 'ili-i -I," a. id em >ling | with t.ho tov.t the na'ii^ of \L- .V. A. S. Menteath, M.Ll.ii. The toast was drunk with enLhus ias'.n. Song, Mr A. Cam )bell " The 3 >:my Hills of S-oMa n!.' f " Mr Meiiteath expressed his waiMiest thank-.- to the proposer aid to t!i« as seml»lv for the hearty manner in which the teas'; hal Iven r •ce.ivfd. T.n present was hard y an r;e<-a-.-;io>i (V ■ politics, pii'.-Liciilarlv in *'icw of the fact that lie i:ite.;idi ; d in a day o.- t.w > to devoLa an eV<Mii • t> tie su')je;r There. waso:ie sulij.-e?., !io.v<!ver, which in view of the paramount importance attaching to it, he might b 3 pai'd-merl for mentioning. H- need h-irdly say he referred to the Eistand West Coast railw.iy. (cheer-;.) As they were a.va."«, the fist step had ken tak^n to prepare the way for the uudei-tiki:i ; : Before the hist si'ssion the position was this : There was in < x;>-te ice a m-.'asn/e. cal'ed the Railway Li ids C >:jstruvtion Act, under which the G iwriun Mil of the day was authorised to make conj tracts with private companies for t lie construction of railways upon tho basis of a concession <if 30 pi-r cent of land. These terill s*.5 *. it w-ts generally tho Ig'it, were not siifiisiejHy afctraejivp, and a Bill was the -cfoie intro luoed >flh*m.j 50 per cei>t of land. This pi-oj os.il was sanctioned liy the H>:ise, and the cos', of the undertaking bt-ii-i; s^t down .-if. ai.out 1,500,000, 750,000 a^rw of j land alo-iij the route is ofteivd as ja bonus for co isti nctioi. (diners) Whei in Chii-tchur'.-h a fe>v d-iya ago h' 1 had caile I upon a ii'i.n'^r of gentlemen there, who were intert'SciM^ themselves iii the matter, and they all considered it highly pvoh i'ol<^ that these terms would l»e accepted '>y the syndicate represented by Mr Kelsey. Indeed the engineer of the syndicate said they would accept HO per cent of laud upon the basis of £5,000 \vv mile as the cost of construction. But the j terras offered were very much more advantageous, as the cost of construction per mile was loft open, one million six hundred thousand heiritf agreed by the Government as the l»asis upon which the land is to lie granted. The next important question to decide was that of routes. Upon this point there was & dp ision of opinion. The House, guided mainly by the recommend ition of ih^. Royal Commission of two y«'ars ajjo, was strongly in favor of the Arthur's Pass line. The weight of Government engineering evidence was also in the same directio l. The syndicate, h-r.v ever, preferred t!ie Oiunihal (t).-^ route on accouit of t'i< j . mineral country through which it, would pass, and the additional length of th>- lint! givintj them a lietter diinca or' selecting the land. So that iv snte of the recommendation of th<Royal C):n nis-ion and the. ovidaiceof the Government Hii^iuei-rs in f ivo; % of the Arthur's Pass, the Omnibil G-»rge offered attraiitions to capitalists such as no donot must en-s!U'3 the adoption of that, line (cheers). Having said this much he would now think them warmly for the Irmor done him in inviting him to ha pr-s.-nt that eveni:i:r. fie had alreidy m:ich to thank the Black's Point pmpl<- fov, and this further assurance of their co:ifi I'-nee was doubly grateful and pleasing to him. (Oiieers). K^ferrin^ mo;« par ticularly to the occasion they had m;«t to commemorate, he had to say that though a Scotchman he had left Scotland when very young, and, revisiting it at long intervals, had past most of his time on the continent, and had pretty well visit* d every quarter of the world. It mattered not, however, how mn.::h one travelled t!ie mind alw iys tunic.d with pride and affection to the laud of hirlh and ch^l'i >'>]. (O'l'-'-r-) S'cin.i : t.his f" li'ig t: - ) . ,'lv i f > w 1.5 i. ,s:>:ir::e of gr< ..[. ;;.'.; ::i.-..::j itohi »to '"> • p e«-nt that Hveuiug to aid in k'e.jii ig I'-ivo und active thos« sautijaoiita of loya;ty

ami patriotis n so dear to every Scotchman (lmid cheers). Mi F. M'Lean proposed " The L ))'al Kcpftou Lod^e " coupling wi;h tlie toast tue luiun- of Mr JoJjii M'Lean. Song Mi- W. 1 vitt^r ' Ye Banks aud Braes of B>inv Dorm." Mr J. ML a:i said in replying to the to-isb lie fe.lt ii s une'h: -ig of th pOSil'lO.J Ot" lt Ma'iStH.;- $ ov's) 1 S C)J.' Mr Stevenson w n a iiotud Clnrnii of the. Board of T.-alu, and he warisked by the guard of on; of tin* earl/ Scotch trains lio'.v it would be if t!i.train should meet a low on tilt: line, and in- replied it wouM lie "vei-aa/i-lt ward for the co;j " (ian.j;hter). No a' this was h-s p isition. ti« was calioU ■lpon to i-espo.id to the toast of t.i L-ival Reet'i'-n Lod .., aud tmiuk iv ■ I .iLln'i- Bell L.114. /o.- lilt', cm n )U ne.it thus t-o iVrv>-d. B\las.l in '-11 her of boMi 1 jdj. s li<- felt vi t ■ ■HvlfWil (1 po.-litio-i. 'dw.Ve.fcl-, ilj dl>l r.hank tlutl, vid a> L J.'l t.i.s f'i.iil-y relations existing b MV.vcan c.ie. la* 1 lodges W-''jM l>e cv if iti initainedy i.l ■ thought 11 >t* * 1 1 . 1 -_c -ionlil noi-e. cr.idi uuj this f. iend V fe.-jni.; t ian -soj;al g tiiri 1 1 <jr s Sivh as tliH ptes j .it (die r.-J). Bi-o. j. n iv-in t..» p.-o^jsud " r.u Court. I m-igaVia Lod^« of F<j:'steis,'' c>uif>lul witii the name, of liro J. Gordon. -*~ ' Sjngßo. D. M'Gr.-iche "Oa:Ai;i Fireside." Bi-o. T. Gordon retiu-.uc' thanks. Tin* F-MV.-iSe s wj.va o ily a sll tit !>.> Iy at present as t'i'*y hi 1 -; f i.-icd lit". t)nr. tiiev had in ul" ix«»;>fl process to.- r,.i' ti:n ■■. Hj tlit dcd 1 : it!. 11 cor hut u;>tit, and hop d th iy wo id i;i timi bj.-ibl.-to as cordially entertain fc.ie . 1 e.).-< > - S'=nt:it.i\VS Of the ll.'ltile;' B -II L>'l,'-. (oli-..i-4 ! 8.-o. A. K"n,', p 0.-H..-1 " T.i) St. An I.e.v's () -dji* in. Victoria " f.om which the flUttli-.- Bell Lid,'.} sp.-ang. coapliig w!t;i tii.j toast the name of ! Bi-i. J > 1 lUian Anltl. I Bi\>. J. Auld .sa.d tint somi! i«i, 'liteen lor nineteen years ago aim ividt- of • enMrni.istic S -otehni -n at Bilia.-vt ' nsod to .u-'ot, o i--t» a y>':y fo>- tli ..• pu.---j p')sn of talking Over S • >tM .lA'u.s. I Tmi.-? w:i:s bjLo.e tiid <1 .ys of t!i---j sab- nirine ca''>!e, \v!ie.:i tie a. rival or I Lho K i^lish 11 id wis (j lit an event ii ; colonial iiistuy. 'En? uhki'km- of I enthusiasts i^i;id«ially ri.'.tiva-N'd >\ it'll at 1-tst it \vn si,^estv'd tint t:i.^y s!iotil«l fo.in tl'eins Ives iito ac!ub. Another s-i^esUoii wiS hoA'evcr, tliat j t-'i'.'V s!)'»;i)il I'd .:i 11 a b.Me!j:. so.;i-ty for S )fi:!in.: 1 a:i 1 i-lieir d^sujii'.laniS. : 'i'iiis was a^i-.-ed to. I;, \vi;ab»l-l j stroke scei:i-r fiat ii 111 n-riWl. 1 l)-. j in«at : soei.jtifis w-'i-e already in ysisinuofj. II irt'i'Vef it W IS Cl.fi -d iiltD L'H';:isu ,'linl : thi! result w.is t!ii- t'o'i nlatioa of ths , 0 der of St. Aii'kvw. (Giiotn-s.) Witii tini3 tha so :iatv hid p.-o.jrewjd in iiTubars and inilience a. id t:>-d.iy posrfess.nl in-tiv 111 )i»»y per h>.»uiSk> ■, tliaii any othe.r lv;ieiit so.iiotv in th^ w.i.-ld. loads cheers.) Tiie soi-iety, hrj-.vHv er, \v-\s not f.ji;idod fo.- fie parnose of iiordiu-j 'iio^wy, Init iuo:-"ly to k"ep alivii t!ie interests of SjoMjli- ' ineii, and tii'e. C il. 'do-Tan jf of Victoriii, <in annual tV.stiv.il second i;i importance only to th • ?.I l : i)-ir:ia Cip, WMs an Oiitooni3 of it, (G.l/*r.-$). ►Scotciiinen in th« coloiicis \ver« naturally pi-ond of hi>.-1i a ivsult, and whi h w.is indeed s ).n.it!iin , r to We pi-oud of. But ho was afraid their cinidreii mi^ht not follow their g- od example in tliis respect Tn.9 ot ier day he ciillsd his son f.oni crick"t. to roceive a l«s.so:i iv jj^o^rap'iy. T m b>y li<>k.-i ;*; tho mil and Slid h a wo lid not li-e to live in Scotland I'e.cuiiHe it was not bii^ «ir»nj[h to p ! ay e;-io!:'-t i:i, as the !>all would be-always falli.ig in the sea (Lin i it..'/ )' H.»weve.r, ho t.iankod tlie company li'-artily for the oast, and hi 1 could only say I ihst he would be ijlad tj send a-i ! account of that nijhts gatliering to ■ Victoria, and lie felt sure the St. : Andrew's Lod^e there would be proud jof its lusty younjj New Zealand off-i'ioot. (Coiitinu.-d Applause.) 8.-o Allsworlh proposed "The P.M's of the Haather BjII L-.d^e," COUJiled with X\\f ilrtnie of Bio. Pollock. Recitation " Ta n O'S:ia:iter's ride" 8,0. A, Kin,.;. Bio. Pollock returned tha.dis in . suitable terms. i Bro. 11. Dykes proposed " T!i.> Land of our Nativity," coupled with the name of Bio. John Dick. Sonsr "The Red White and Blue," Mi- D. ' Youn.ur. Bio. J. Di«:k in responding said no j men h.id iiw.-tt to be proud of ban .Scotchmen. No country had prodnred liraver heroes than Wiilaceanl B.iu:e. no poet superior in point of national , .sentiment to Bm-i.s. Scotchmen were p-ond of their con -i try and of every thing c.onnf-cted with it, lint they w.jre also true to' the St, ite th vt p -ot.-cted them. Go wlie.i-e they miijlit they carried their patriotic instincts with j them, Init they (lid nut fo;-^et that it j was their duty to acclimatise them selves thoroughly to the land of their adoption, wherever it mi^ht be, and support th" laws and authority that protected them. (Cheers.) IL*. was proud (hat, his name had been coupled with tlie toast 8.-o. F. M-L.vm proposed «' Ths L-md of o'ir Adin'io t," »;< npled witfi tliM nairn of B'-n. J. MttfTp.-'Ji^oi'. R.Mtifcati'in — " Not Understood" — Bro. W. Cirn'niMtja. 80. J, Me' "inyjror in respo uli?)^ said that an English joarnal, th^ Lads W'crciii'y had n*«-ntly p -onon Ced New Z»*aland toho - Th^ bist, r'ch;»st, and most fertile colony under the British Crown." Everybody was ready to admit the, truth of this, and our system of Government was in every way in keeping with it, f r ■vas not every inii.abit.ant wlita'ied over Ity the (State " iron the er-i'lle ■■■■.■> the ,n-o'e " (L:in^'i »» ) DireoMy ■ b;>y i.i ooi'ii t »>» Cjov'orntiii'iit :a-ii-:e a, -iote of i'- ii their books — I'm-;, i-3^i:<ter hill. T:H'H ii. doctor is i)r-> vided tO v^viwiW hiji. TiiW tit^y

provide a school room and master to educate him. When he jvo\\> npt'jey insure his life, and if he sick there is a . hospital ready. If he is-out of work, lie can -yt n. job on the Otago C(!it!\il Rdiway. (Gfeat Lin.;iiter). And finally, if lie " kicks the bu jlct " suddenly th«y send a coroner to see •vi it's the matte I.',1 .', and if ne.nl b,; pay •he fu:i:>ril I'Xpe.iSeS. (L lighter). Hi* vis j'l^titirfl tlien i;i s.iyin,' ili.it we liliUotlie b J SJ GrjV^r.i : 11- ■ : 1 1 iii tlu* .virld. As to our iv-:i;v.>:rs. our •xp">rt.s amounted to t'uevi niillio-is ■urinilly; we hid tijirLte.i million :'ieep, 1 ,i) K),000 cattle, and noises; our I i;id yielded 100 linshels of per ic-e, w!iic!i w^s >»ivjiter t!ia. : i an y other -.") >lo IV. Ii 1-J6J n\r p >;.> il.iti-i-i wis ] .33.03J, today it is naif a million, a i i iii years from now would reach 'i iti'l ; o:is\ Ii any -ne doab-ed this ! i".t ■• fin, 1-r. hi a ;> t » B i.-k'» Point i d See '.he 'liVnbjr of children th^iv. '■T-e.it L m^liv^ 1 -). By til it tim ■'. N-vv v-»-iMb: thi for.-rawt pla^.e. ii the Svitiarn lienis )!i'-re, Hnd ■> .ick's Poi it the most popalous. I m'llj'jl-. m). As i): s-.re:ie .-y, tli^t'e T.lfl , io place ii the wo Id t> •/.oupire with Z .'.ila d, ex.;ept it wi^ his )vn ■a ivj p'.-ia-', P.jrt!»s;iii-e. (L-.1 lighter). .V.ieri' could they produce volcanoes, !. oi" oarthqu ilcos t.)i:iii,)i.o vith N-rW Z 'alaid? In conolusi ><i, hi t,hou o r!it they s!i.).ild bo proud of thland of their adoption, and they w ,u ! J 1-,'ree with him tint thi-ie wisno ol ice i.d ei- th • sun to eoni.iai-e with it — ■ j >:cept it. was /C'h.'ei-s). Mr J. M'Lean pro t )a-;ed "The Hjltller B 1 L)d 3 'e, i..S .leait.l ill I :>rr)sp M'itV." Svi-4, Mr Gvdon, "Livetind j^t Li»e." Th ■ tcast svas a'tly responded to by Mr W. CniM-iii.i^s. The " Merca it le Intf-est" was •-aivi le 1 t j i>y .Mr A. B•>w i, '• I' ••• M : 'in j Interest" by Mr J. C. C;aig r •• The P,-a.«" My M: v/. .). L >> v .,,, "The Lilies" by M r Cm. innings, and •' o;u- U)St Hinl H >■?!; \ss ' by Sir ! M'Mteath, o-.i b-h.ilf of AL- Dawsou. } This co i •bid.jd the p.-o^;Mni a^, aid i oh- <-o n )iiy '.•rokf up with •■ An.. l | Llnj^ Sy:ie/' the j,'ath !•: '4 b.i i I altotje'jh^r a tlnroujjlilv enjoyable. o;ie