LUNCHEON TO THE COLONIAL GOVERNOES, ETC. CV 



looks after the interests of the West Indies in London, received its 

 Charter. 



The Colonial Fruit Show held in December last, opened by Sir 

 Edward Grey, was one of the most remarkable of any. No less than 

 five hundred cases of beautiful apples, weighing in the aggregate thirty 

 tons, were received from British Columbia. They had travelled nearly 

 eight thousand miles and yet were in perfect condition. Very attrac- 

 tive fruit was also received from Ontario and Nova Scotia, as well as 

 from the West Indies, Malta, Cyprus, and New Zealand. 



These Shows were organized with the object of advancing the 

 interests of various parts of the Empire. There is no doubt they have 

 afforded valuable means for bringing before the people of this country 

 the great possibilities existing in our Colonies. It is intended in March 

 of next year to arrange a Fruit Show for the Union of South Africa. 

 A telegram had been sent by Lord Gladstone from Pretoria to the 

 effect that " South Africa was prepared to support the suggested exhi- 

 bition." Possibly in 1913 a similar exhibition might be arranged for 

 the display of the fruit of the Commonwealth of Australia, of Tasmania, 

 and of the Dominion of New Zealand. 



In conclusion he had great pleasure in submitting the toast of our 

 overseas visitors and coupling with the toast the name of Sir Albert 

 Gould, late President of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Australia. 



Sir Albert Gould said it afforded him very great pleasure to have 

 the opportunity of saying a few w^ords in response to the toast proposed 

 so ably by Sir Daniel Morris. To do justice to the toast would require 

 far more time than he had at his disposal. He was pleased to hear 

 the history of the R.H.S. detailed and to realize that it was not only 

 one of the oldest Horticultural Societies in the British Empire but 

 by far also the most important. He congratulated the Society 

 upon the fact that for the last twenty years it had been increas- 

 ingly prosperous after experiencing many years of difficulty and de- 

 pression, and might now be regarded as at the zenith of its usefulness, 

 , affording as it did such excellent opportunities, from the many splendid 

 exhibits brought together, for visitors to improve and to extend their 

 horticultural knowledge. But the Society's efforts, he was pleased to 

 know, were not confined to the holding of exhibitions such as the 

 present, valuable as that was. It had also its educational and scientific 

 side, and had done much to introduce and acclimatize many useful 

 land beautiful plants from all quarters of the globe. Many of the 

 nsitors had come to England with the idea of having a good time, 

 and they had had not only a good time but an exceedingly good 

 jime, and they appreciated most highly the courtesy, kindness, and 

 generous hospitality extended to them on every hand since their arrival 

 n this country. They had seen the magnificent ceremony of the 

 Coronation, and, speaking on behalf of many of those who had come to 

 -his country from all quarters of this great Empire, which practically 

 extended over the whole world, he thought that the Coronation cere- 

 nonies which they had all had an opportunity of witnessing made them 



