THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1509, 13 February 1885, Page 2

THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

i JiAXQVET AT RekFTOX. On Friday evening last, the Ron. the Premier (I». Stout. Esq.) and th*Hon. the Minister of Mines, (J.M. Lirnacli. Esq., C.M.G. i were eutertniued ;ifc a public banqiet at Dawson's ! Hotel. Over fifty persons wvre prcsont, the I County Chairman, Mr P. BiHsmau, presiding, and Mr A. A. S. Mententli ( M.H.R., filled tho vice-chair. Tho supper was served up in the very Uest style. The first toist wa« " The Queen and the .Royal Family," whiclj was pro posed by the Chairman. ; Band — National Anthem. j Mr Ivlenteatli, M.H.H.. propr>p,.-cl the toast of the evening-—- 4 The Ministry "' coupling with it, the Hon. the Premier and the Hon. the Minister of j Mines. He said the task devolved upon him of proposing >i toast which might well tax the ability and eloquence of one much more accustomed 1,0 public speaking than he was, especi- ; ally under the circumsta'ices. But j he knew lie should be assisted in the ' task by the full consciousness that i there were many present who were fully prepared to respond heartily to any toast that might be proposed in honor of the gentlemen who had come amongst us, without any speech or j reasons from him why they should do | so. (Appimisri. No one rould know j Mr Stout without admiring his private I qualities and single hoartedness, nnd ■ the game could be said of >k- Laruach. ; Hut it was not in their private capaci- i ties their guests had come amon<r us, I but as members of the Ministry, and ! there were many reason-: why the ! people of this district should do honor ! to them as such, for the Government ! hud taken as their wat.-hword " The I mining industry of the Colony." (Ap- | plause). They had condemned the I policy of their predecessor* as a dozin" | one. u ud although they bail only been I a short time in office tliev had giver- I proof that, their profr s-i ,|.. s we. c not; inure empty platitudes, put in to (ill up I tl^n Governor's Speech, and of the I tru'h of this it Was only necessary to pom«. to the (rreytnouth uud West port Harbor Hills. ( Applause K It had fallen to theik to bring into « -fleet, those two important measures, and if they could not claim the merit of having originated the s.-henie they were justly riitil'jd to the full cieu. : t of havirv

carried thorn to a and successful issue. (Applause). More than this, however, they had taken an early opportunity of earning among up to laaru something of the mineral resources of this part of the Colony, and that was a further testimony of the sincerity of th' j ir proft?sionn. and for which lh" peonle hero ronld not h<-li» feeling gr\tcfn!. (rvafitivle for y.r-t, fuvors had, Inwovr, been d»fini«d a« gratitude fur f-ivnr? to come. Th" CJoVernment had no:ie an important service; for the s»'a-bn.ird of the \Ye«t Coast, and it row remniiied for them tc make t!io inland districts f'-oder-s for the li-iHiois nboiU to l>o ••on c t' > n.-t' j -l. (Appl his,'). Ti or.hr tli-t? t?r> Colony should oenen't si (l<-«j - irtt«-l\- hv th' 1 expenditure upon iuiiio; ;. evi-ry offorl ! should be m-idi 1 to im-ri:;is." the pro duct ion of the conn try. by facilitating f-ommunication. In f hi= direction t'^n lie trusted to see the Gownum-nt yivc rff'-ct to thp pledgos cont sinrd in th° Lo;m Act of the piv-rc ding yr-ir, .T"l ]>ush on tln j cotistrncti'-.i of th;* mil , way from nrnnnerto'i vi.i N-l';''ii (^rr-ek aud Almnri to I!c< i!o:i. (\v\>\an<^f, T\v lii-iniTihun hey .;id :il! f!olll>t W:|H t!ie l»|.>-t, i">'pv-;;l' ■■* R:u\ enduring mining <^nt,rr iji t!i« Mi !-i!r Island, a> d riiiU-;iy r.-j*:if ■ -!.i > i wi'Ji tlie s«a l»o;tid w-'s i-^-.f-.nt ial !,o its jr-o gress and Wfll-bcinj.'. i App'au.-.'*). H«liatl great, picH'tirc in f::iliing upon them to drink to the to:i- ■*. The toast was roccived with enthusiil^Ml. Th- IT>". the Pr'-mier s*id : Mr Clir.i'ira:). Mr M'-ri^r-otli. sxii'l ?rn'l'nion : T li;i,vf' to tkiiil: you si:ic«-rt ly , first, for the lmndFonie tninner in whi<:h Mr M»Mitfa;,ii pir»j)O'"'! t!if t'ja.s*., | and Kecoii'iJy i'nr tile i-: i • i t"J manurr in ! which it \\n* nr.,-11 j-i-'T.ived by von. I I do not i ti T •• : ; rl t<-> int.rod'ice •invrhinir of i a p«rty nature in n»y vetji*'-ks to night, ! for I tiii'ik i' won hi bn n-tt of p)up to ;do so. I will first say a few words s 1 ? \ to the impression;; I have formed in j coming amongst you, and will t!ien j point out what I consider it to be the j duty of the Government. I may siy I have heon wonderfully disillusionised as to this district, and I greatly blame | your Wist Coast represontativa, wh^, i with all tlioir abilities, have left us so j loiiir ami so coniiil.-teiy in the dark as ; to the resources and beauties of this i part of the Colony. (Applause). In fact j they never con LI h.iv»» eufc*'Pde«l — not i even the Tr»"MiKer £>;■ K'imari — ii his most poetic fliglits conld have done ha'li justic* to your splen.iiil natural advan- : tali's (Applausf). TliC first thing th'it stii'ck mv wis ihe woii.lf rfnl c»j>tl)ili ities of this part, of the Colony, even i;t ; y->nr tim'uv, fov it -apfns to inp th-i* ! on your poorest land yon po?.-o?s mi!!io;is of wealth iv this form alone, ; and only require a rmrker, tor it. ; (Applaus-). B.»uie of tiie timber may he looked -'own M',>'):i. but v.»u i- li».-ii j forests are tlie bi^t in t!i<- Colony, nl--1 quit'ing only •.■;ue in cutting down, >nvl jit much of your innd « ill not grow • <:*iri.-al.s, it will at least gvow tiiiil>»T for • fuUire gciieriitioiis. ( A::pl'i:iseU Your : minern! wealth is not hi If pro^P'-.'ted, i and as fiir .is I chii see tiie Ivstaid that cm l>e given Vt'U aw tracks to HnaMe the mitiers to cury ou their pioneering > work. (Applause). It scorns that yon ! li:\ve enormous -pinntitioK of coal — co:;l | wiiich we \n\-.\} been taiiLjlit to b-Viieve was mere lignite, tlio smell of which was suggestive of n region which shall he nameless. (Lp.nghtcr) I h;ivc heon completely disillusionised i?) thi- re spect ; you h:\vo-undoubtodly onornwus sources of wealth, and other j surroundings, which only r< quire ! capitrtl and enterprise to open them to ; the world. (Applause). This is a deal to say, nncl although much of yoni land may not bo good, you ate in the i h<*art of a mine: al region, which is not j s-cond toaiiy iv £lv- world for richness ! aud value. ( Anplau^e). Th-* next thing i that Ims struck me is the beauty oi I your scenery. Y»u possibly may think that nothing. Bwi we know that j everything is good which tends to j n.akff man perfect. Yon cannot do it I with gold, and I s.iy the aspect which I is ii'.ji'm to yon is worthy of living for, , and I don't think ov.e could pa*«s I Lh;-o!iLrh sn.-li si-eiipry in nny oiher pavt i or" the world. (Applause ). You havo g^t such a vavict}' of scenery, and I : only wonder that a knowledge of this j has not been brought morn prominently i forward. We have torn i.sts from ali j parts of tho world visiting the hot I lakes and other places in search of the picturesque ami the beautiful, but I : have never luard of ono of them ever ; visiting your magnificent district. J [ hope the time is not distant when you ; will have tourists visiting you by h:w I dreds, as they v/ill do whon the nav>u-al wonders of this part of tho Colony become properly known. (Applau»e). Another thing that has struck me is the Hue class of men I have everywhere met, I allude to the miners—--1 m -ii like Mr Caples, .whoso name is a I hauseliold word in Otago, and recorded ; on the maps of tho country as one of ' its earliest explorers. (Applause) These three things struck me in my tour on the West Coast, and I say it is the duty of any Government to develop these splendid districts, not only for the sake of the districts and those living in thorn, but for the profit and advantage of the whole Colony. (Ap plause). Of course we have only narrow means at our disjMisal, and our power to help you is therefore limited. An Appropriation Bill his t<* be passed by the House. There is only two ways of obtaining money — from revalue ami from Isorrowiii-t, and both are unpopular. You know that when we first came into office we purposed to deal with your railway to the. West Coast, but we were not al lowed an opportunity of doing so. and were turned out after the lapse of two days. We have now made another effort to get it undertaken by a syndi cati\ and can only hope that success will come oi the attempt, i Applause.;

Our lv-siilt of my visit to tlw Wett dwn is tli l-i : I think it would perhaps have haw better if we had offered so mii.-li per <;« 1. 1 ;.s an additional inducement to capitalists at Home to emb;iik iii the undertaking. (Loud App!:t i< ■) From what I hare, already si rii of the extraordinary resources of the WVst Coast I think Midi a con • •»!—ioM wns fairly wi minted in the merest* of the Colony. (Applause.) llowhvhi-, we will s<n- what com«« of the present attempt, and should it fail we will s^e what can l.n done in tb« dilution I have in li'-ifed. (Loud Applause.) We hv>e f-!t it our duty t> visit yon at the earliest date after the clone of th" session, and the inf ./motion v.-f hay«. :;:iin- d will lie u*e i t'nl in many way*, and while on thi* I sui>j-ct I would pay tha* you should , t-;ideavor to tr-t. your \VW, <Jo*«t | niiuWs to put ttVir shoulders to j gef'ner and get the Hine-ma tomak* a I trip rouiifl tr> thfi West Co-is 1 ;, bringing n> mb-rs of the House fo vi*»tr yo:r<- ( b^aMtif i! surroundings ,u,d large and : vi,i»d rfS'.tiP-.--,. (Aj;p T n iKf. i Marl* <>f t'i« prMfi', pro] -idi •" would no d ->'ibt fli-apof-ar if in* :n'«--,s werp f.> pp.- this yr;i-id district, *heh so f * • iVon i.eing lik»-ly to b» d suited afte~ k f> .v year?, is destined t-> gro«r ▼*«- '■;. y^» usHer wis» Jo/i-Irioi: and be <: ■.:::* o?j-*- <A t]\u riv.-t !* stiir^ -»r.d pro*-p<.-ous pln-r-s j n v Z-.:- ; 1 iir ,d. (Lon-I A >>jilri'j -,»•.) W»- hiv? '-on" a:T)o'2^t yci'i to \-:n.rn soiu«-*;iic? of voyr c.'iiwbilitin ar.'i v.-.i f - "A> a.:* n*A ri r '» to i)rorni>* m i !:. t, :t *<■ •»; • {)!-•- .mi an nothing •.'•*♦ w- ; do n*>' f»il?«i]. l Applause.) I ):',',r. <\ r <.f.,-«. -7TP «}»» 1 not raise hop<--; t'nr, do n*t »»i'J *r» fruition. I tljink it 1* V'-r to *r«*-H eu:di<ily to vo'i. a! d rv If 1 1 yo'l '*> evp*-ct rlnX th.it. !»r,d M,r. „•.> r , only to b« (li=an;.oHit*-rJ. t \r>n!iti*'-.> I f--»l t i&t, it h a hi/h honor to Tnr>*ar ai:.on^' yoii as the Pr-ovV-r. I tV-1 that it, is a iio in;* for my«-'-lf and mv bon. coMfa^u* t'i- of Mi'jes, »o h-ivc visited yr.nr di-t.ict, bnt I feel it in this way because with your sympaty and aid w<- shell be enabled t'» lay down snch linos that the Colony n-ay become a great and grand na'ion. (Aoplanse.) We ft ro d ,incj what we cm iv tb>> direction, ar.d we th<?rof<»^* r\=k you to bear with ns with patience, r-*in(»n»berincf t?iat tvp Imv- been only a ' short tim«» in office and are only fe**l- ' iis our way. Wp did, however, what ' f->w Governnient:. have don<\ we as!\ j d s f r no delay. We went straight ' a'nead, a:d rrceived '3;uh aid as . to pass soine of our moas ires, n^d we ' row ask you to War with us and give ns your sympathy and aid that we nviy accomplish the great policy we hnve V'fire us. [Appumse.] We are doing v. ii.it we can to nuke a national life and - T f-t lid of our difficulties as [ ' colonisfv. W<> h.-ivf donw much to £<it rid <>f the crreat difin-nlties which 'aop> l.e^etiincr tiu» older nuntries. We. 1 wanted li'-t'ity of sppeff 1 :, thought a:i-l ac-tiou. The ri.^lil of fve;-y maa to what lie hold-, and he express »v'i.-»t h« please?, so that he allows the same to others. [Applause.! I hope we shall eN.::iji«> from the torri )U evils w hicli ' Imd fallen upon European countries — countries torn l»y religion? and national antipathies. I hope we will l>e able to I make Now Zealand sue.h a na'i-m that whatever a man's nationality or creed may be, or if he his no lvligion at all I ho sea'il enj iy the* most pt*rf- ct freedom and our system '<c so constituted that one shall c;ist mo stone at him. [Lo«id ■ Appictuse.] If you and I can \ only assist in bringing ;»tv>nt, such an nnd as this wa 3iall be sife from th»- error? to which I h.tve alluded. We ■ s''aU sre our yon'.i^ »»ien and women growing up i;i social conford, as ' I pattm'i.s for th? rost of tlio world. : After p II t.h*?rp is a mission for each of ' ! 'isal>ov th*' iiifa 1 rac- fli- wcalHi. xm\ \ t'ii? is something t;> live for — this nati- '. o:ial feeing. Tliis is the higher sphfTf* . : of man's duty, ami if w-> attend t» t'.ii* ' now we sh;iil do wt j ll for the nation of ' NW Zealind. t'Proloji»ed applausp) 1 The Hou. the Minist'-r of Mines ■ folli->wed. H j th:i:iked tham heartily f>r the hospitable manner iv which : jliev hi\c\ W'loomed himself and his .■olJeAgne to t'rs ro-vii. Ti». time was =;o short since he had accepted the responsible portfolio n f MinPS that be iiad not haJ murh opportunity of mupterirg the details of the office. ! However it bad afforded him the ; greatest satisfaction to ivsit this mi;- ---; portant district. He had no iilea that the resources of this part of the Colony i wore, what they are. Ho found » j ditfi -ulty m following his hon. frieuJ ! who had left him so little to say. But I felt that the sympathisers of the Prei mier were with him and with the ' people iv the district. (Applause). He was glad to hear .he Premier say tb*t though he was no!; al.le to promise inucb ht was ready to atfoid some aspistance towards promoting the mining industry. (Appiausoi. Many things had | truck him in hU jonrnev to the dis trict. Ho did think the Government should carofuHy enquire into the qnes tion of goldti^lds t;ix;ition, for he f-jlt sorry to soe so valnal>le a country so sparsely settled. [Applause]. He believed tint with reasonable encouragement the district would carry thousands of additional families, and looking at the large extent of land l*»hind the valleys they had passod through, there was room for < normous expansion and in spite of adverse opinions as to the quality of the laud he was r";idy to otter his opinion that it was quite capable of settlement. Luge as was the mineral wealth of the district, it could not he donated that the mining industry would be b*>nelitted l>y agriculture, and agriculture by mining, [Applause]. There was al»o vast deposibs of lime in the district, which was a source of wealth not to \m desposed. He should he glad on some future occasi-m. should be visit tb« district, t<> sftend more time in our niid^t. On the present occasion, their time vras rather limited. Hcwbtbt Uft

was deiijhted with hi 3 colleague t.: learn as much as possible, and hilntention, after visiting the Whs! Coast was to inspect the southern Coast, and the North Island, and \u would be satisfied if they could sen a^ much there as they hii 9.« en here. [Applause]. There wove many thing* lie might avert to. He thought t.:*s miners were perhaps a little given to rove aV.ou?.. If they would make up their mind* to accept a little lass, anil settle, down pprmvienl-ly it would, lie thought, b? in th.-i Pinl better for them and assist th« district jjiv.itly. [Applause]. He recognised thai tracus to open up new country were necessary, and'he would be glad to induce the'CrovernrnGnt to afford all reasonable aid in this direction. Ho L'H that the district had lioen neglected in this respect. What was wanted was tracks radiating from some common centre to enable the minors to get about the country, and should he have the honor toagun vhitt'n di^-rict thy would have no occasion to say the wnuts of the district in this respect were not lokked after in so fur as it was in his power to do so. (Con flu von held over.)