FAREWELL DINNER.

ON H.M.S. RENOWN. HONOURS BESTOWED. On H.M.S. Renown last evening the Prince of Wales gave his- farewell dinner party in New Zealand. Those who had the honour ,of being invited were as follow:—■ His Excellency the Governor-General. Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool. The Prime Minister t.the Rt. Hon. W. f. Mnssey). Mrs Mnssey. The Chief Justice (the Hon. Sir Robert Stout). Lady Stout. Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor. The Hon. Sir William Eraser. The Hon. E P. Lee. The Hon. W. Nosworthv. The Hon. W. U. S. Macllonnld. Very Rev. C. \V. Carrington, Dean of Christchurch. Licut.-Colonel J. L. Sleeman, C.8.E..-I.G.S. Commander T. A. Williams, C.8.E.-, R.N. The Mayor of Wellington. The Mayor of Auckland. The Mayor of Christchurch. The Mayoress of Christchurch. The Mayor of Dunedin. The Mayor of Lyttelton. The Mayoress of Lyttelton. Mr Gavin Hamilton. Mr R. \V. MeVillv. Mr J. Hislop. Captain Tahu Rhodes. The Hon. Mrs Rhodes. Mr H. IJ. Sorcnsen. The Prince of Wales proposed the following toasts:— "His Majesty the King." " His Excellency the GovernorGeneral and Lady Liverpool." "The Government and People of New Zealand," coupled with the names of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. His Excellency the GovernorGeneral then proposed the health of the Prince of Wales. There were no speeches and no responses to the toasts. After dinner his Royal Highness conferred the following decorations on behalf of his Majesty the King:— K.C.V.O. Sir William Fraser. Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor. M.V.0., fourth class. Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Sleeman, Director of Military Training, who was attached on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief to the Prince during his visit. Mr Gavin Hamilton, private secretary to his Excellency the GovernorGeneral. Mr J. Hislop, Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs. Mr R. W. McVilly, General Manager of Railways. Mr J. O'Donovan, Commissioner of Police. Captain Tahu Rhodes, attached as representative of his Excellency the Governor-General, to his Royal Highness's staff. K.B.E. His Roval Highness also invested Colonel Sir Heaton Rhodes with the Knighthood of the British Empire already conferred upon him.

The Roval Victorian Order was created arid instituted by H.M. Queen Victoria "by tetters-patent under the Great Seal, Auril, 1896. Those admitted to the order are to be British subjects who may have rendered important persona] services to the Sovereign; or foreigners upon whom his Majesty may think fit to confer the distinction, and who are to rank as honorary members. Holders of the fourth, class of the order rank after Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire. The riband is dark blue, with a narrow edging of three stripes, red, white, and red again. After dinner a small dance was held on board, about 40 guests being invited, in addition to those present at the dinner party. The Prince appeared to enter thoroughly into the enjoyment of the evening, participating in most of the dances. At midnight., after the singing of the National Anthem, his Roval Highness bade farewell to his guests. Dispensing with all formality, he accompanied the GovernorGeneral to the end of the wharf, Rcnr-Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey accompanying Lady Liverpool. His Roval Highness waved farewell to his" visitors as the special train pulled out of the station to an accompaniment of cheers from his guests.

"GOOD-BYE!" PRINCE LEAVES LYTTELTON. EARLY MORNING SCENES. Despite the early hour fixed for the departure of H.M.S. Renown this morning, there was a small knot of people gathered on theowharves, and on Gladstone Pier. The ship early presented an animated spectacle. The two large gangways having been removed, the tug Lyttelton, under the command of Captain D. Sproule, and with Captain A. 11. Thorpe on board, came along at 6.45, and punctually to time the gracefully proportioned and mighty battle cruiser, which was now drawing 30ft of water aft, glided slowly from her berth at No. (5 wharf. A few minutes later, as the engines were reversed, in order to get the vessel's bow in line with the harbour entrance, the huge propellers dashed up torrents of spray, the water running outwards resembling the rush of a swollen river. Renown was clear of the moh?s, and soon the la.gest vessel that ever visited Lyttelton, and the finest man-o'-war that evei' crossed the Line, was steaming leisurely up the harbour, her only convoy being a yacht and a motor launch. Farewells waved from the Gladstone Pier were returned from the vessel. Viewed from the shore, her low silver-grey hull presented a majestic spectacle, while the glints of the morning sun on the other side of the harbour accentuated the beauty of the picture. The ferry steamer Wahinc, on passing Renown, opposite Camj) Ray, dipped her ensign, the salute being duly returned. At 7.30 p.m. the cruiser had cleared the Heads, and by !) o'clock, the giant lines of the mighty vessel had blurred and gradually faded from view. NOTES. A book of views of the Summit Road was presented to the Prince during his visit to Christc.hureh by Mr 11. G. Ell, who, with Mrs Ell, was subsequently introduced to bis Royal Highness, Mr Ell being thanked by the Prince for the gift. The Prince expressed regret that time had not permitted of his visiting many places in and around Christchurch that people wished him to see. The Prince's private secretary has written to Mr Ell, thanking him for the interesting set of photographs. Yesterday, the Prime Minister presented to the Prince, with the com-

pliincnts of the Government of New Zealand, a handsomely bound album of photographic views of the Dominion. Similar albums were presented to Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey and Lieut.-Colonel E. W. M. Grigg, 'the Prince's military secretary. TO THE CHILDREN. ~ PRINCE'S FAREWELL MESSAGE. Trees Association. AUCKLAND. May 22. The Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, has received from the Prince, in his own handwriting, a feeling farewell to the young people who were so enthusiastic in giving him a welcome to the Dominion, The message will be published in the School Journal for June, and will be read in all the schools simultaneously on Monday week. RUSH TO MELBOURNE. MELBOURNE, Mny 21. Like Sydney, Melbourne's accommodation for the Prince's visit is exhausted, in spite of the largelyincreased tariffs. In many cases rooms were looked months ahead.