The Lunch.

An adjournment was at once made to the adjoining woolshed, which had been most artistically decorated for the occasion, and where long tables laden with appetising things were placed across the floor. Unfortunately, there page break was not adequate accommodation for the large number of guests who were present, and two relays had to be provided. The repast was a most sumptuous one, and was provided by Messrs McEwen and Churchill, successors to the late Mr Peter Laing, upon whose catering abilities it reflected the highest credit. The chair was occupied by Mr T. Kennedy Macdonald, who had on his right the Premier, and on his left Mrs Stout, who, it should have been stated, was presented on her arrival at Petone with a superb bouquet, the gift of the directors through Mrs Macdonald.

The usual loyal toasts having been duly honored.

Mr J. Goutts Crawford proposed "The Ministry" in a felicitous speech.

Mr Stout responded. He thanked them for the maimer in which they had honored the toast. He said there were ample opportunities of discussing politics at another time. Nor was he going to speak of the Ministry and its doings. The Ministry know that from Wellington they got very little support, and he recognised that he was addressing a Wellington audience. (Laughter and applause.) But the Ministry was not going to be judged by the people who were in the colony to-day. If a Ministry was worth anything it ought to stand the brunt of criticism and they could safely leave it in the hands of those who came after them for their judgment. He believed the calm historian would say, not that the Ministry was immaculate, not that it had not committed any blunders, but that they had striven as colonists to do what benefit they could for the nation, and that their aims and desires and wishes and intentions had been devoted to the colony as a whole. (Cheers.)

Mrs Epuni, a Maori, here rose, and, in English, asked the Chairman to promise that she should be presented with the first dress made by the new mill, a request which Mr Macdonald, on behalf of the directors, unhesitatingly complied with.

Mr W. T. L. Trevors proposed "Local Industries," Incidentally he read a letter received that day from Mr J. H. Wallace of this city, descriptive of the landing of the early settlers. Mr Travers made so excellent and practical a speech that is to be exceedingly regretted that space forbids its reproduction in these columns.

Mr Kitchen appropriately responded to the toast, which was well received.

Mr E, Wakefield, M.H.R., in proposing "The Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company," said that previous speakers had already said a great deal that he should have liked to have said if it had not been said for him. He would like to say, however, for him self at all events, that he did not agree with Mr Kitchen and others in the opinion that the encouragement of industries like this was a political question. He was convinced it was almost entirely a financial question, and what would send the industries of this colony ahead more than anything that Governments and Legislatures could do for them, was for people to invest boldly in industries instead of lending out their money on mortgage at the highest rate of interest they could obtain. (Cheers.) He considered that the Wellington Woollen Company were deserving of public gratitude and admiration for having taken a hold departure in that direction. He was convinced that if in other directions the people of this colony were to show their confidence in their country and in themselves and their fellow-countrymen and fellow-workers in the labour of life, by investing their money and trusting to make a fair profit out of a business like this, they would soon see a body of manufacturers established in the colony, not needing any assistance from Government whatsoever: (Cheers.) Had it not been so from the very beginning? In a new country like this they must advance step by step, and they ought not to think little of those who came before them because they were not in a position to do what we were to-day. In the old days they had to import everything. He could remember perfectly well when they had to import mutton from Australia, and now we exported 800,000 sheep a-year to England. They had to creep before they walked, and that was the reason that we now found important local industries like the present being established in the colony. The time was close at hand when New Zealand would be a very great woollen-manufacturing colony, because it had special advantages which perhaps no other country in the world possessed in that respect. And the reason why for his own part he congratulated the country upon what they were doing—and his whole sympathy went with them—was that they were engaged in an industry which was natural to New Zealand, and which would be established with the greatest success. He believed New Zealand was destined to be one of the principal clothing-producing countries in the world, and also that it would produce woollen materials which would rival those from France and Belgium. He failed to see why they should not produce carpets here. He confessed, however, that he would not like to sec the ladies dressed in the stuffs which were now being manufactured here, because they would not look so charming. (Laughter). For all their patriotism they were not going to make guys of themselves for the sake of any local industry, and they could not be expected to do so. But he hoped the time would come when our factories would produce material which would tempt the female eye, and when they would wear the locally-manufactured goods in preference and not from any sentiment. He had often wondered that the colonists had put up with the imported rubbish as they had done. (Hear, hear). When he heard the Premier narrate the anecdote about the man at the Mosgiel factory he looked him (the Premier) up and down and wondered whether his clothes were made in the colony or not. (Roars of laughter), [A voice: "Are yours?"] No, his were not, but he had no doubt that the Premier's dress from head to foot consisted of colonial fabrics, and that was the best proof that these were good and handsome and worthy to be worn by the colonists. (Cheers) he looked upon this as a very important occasion, because he believed that Wellington was going to be one of the greatest manufacturing places in Australasia. The Premier had ably pointed out the reasons for that. They were natural reasons, and operated above any artificial consideration whatsoever. If the people would only have confidence in themselves and the future of the place, there need not be a bit of page break fear, because there was plenty of capital in the country, and plenty of English capital ready to be invested, In conclusion he thought everyone must be gratified with the handsome treatment that the Company had given them, and he hoped that the publicity which had been given these proceedings would have an important effect. (Loud cheers).

Mr Macdonald, on rising to respond was received with enthusiasm. He narrated an incident which took place in the early days on the site of the new woollen mills. Two sons of Caledonia brought over a thistle with them, and, in the presence of a clergyman, planted it, prayed over it, and blessed it. (Laughter and applause). The present occasion, he said, would be marked as a "white stone" day in the annals of Wellington.

These were all the toasts, and the company afterwards separated, strolling up the banks of the Koro Koro till it was time to return to town in the special train. This reached its destination shortly before 6 o'clock, and everybody was well pleased with the treat they had enjoyed, and full of wishes for the success of the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company.