THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 302, 22 December 1898, Page 6

THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY.

AN IMPRESSIVE SPECTACLE

SPEECHES BY THE

GDYE RNOR ND PREMIER

* Auckland's first Industrial and Mm

'sng Exhibition was officially opened on Dec. 1 with befitting pomp and ceremony, and for the next two or three will attract the chief attention' of the people of this city and district. For months, past the xevent had been looked forward to with pleasurable anticipation, and now that the inauguration ceremony is over /everyone who witnessed it or attended the noon-day function will agree that at was an impressive and memorable incident in our history as a city and a community. The Ist of December, iIB9S, marked a distinct advance in our .^industrial and commercial progress, and the Exhibition now opened will show the other cities in the colony that Auckland is really alive, and '"visitors from other colonies, as well •as tho&e from the South, will be enfabled to see in a concentrated form our chief rndxistries and resources, an •Epitome, as it were, of the national ; "wealth ana the boundless resources .and innumerable industries of North 3S"ew Zealand.

The opening ceremony passed off most successfully, and from first to last the arrangements made Avere Avell carried out. aud every detail Avas satisfactory, both to the general public fend to the- officials of the Exhibition. ■ weather, a most important consideration, was favourable to the success of the inauguration function. The day was fine and Avarm, and a northerly breeze bloAving tempered the ■3aeat, though it raised clouds of dust 3n the busier thoroughfares of the city. Jn Princes-street and the Exhibition grounds the surroundings Avere conducive to the general enjoyment. The •scene at the opening of the Exhibition gates this morning was indeed a .pleasing one. The beautiful leafy oaks and polars which line the footpaths Tthe umbrageous shade of the adjoining GoA-ernment House grounds, the •landsome private residences fronting the street, with their tasteful gardens and shrubberies, the croAvds of people in holiday attire, and the gaj' summer •dresses of the ladies, and the uniforms •of the volunteers, made up a spectacle "which was brilliant as Avell as pretty. TEvery arrangement had been made by the Executive that could gratify the eye of the visitor entering the grounds. The flo Aver-beds in the front grounds looked neat and trim, set in the middle of green SAvard, rind flags floated gaily from the central flag-pole and the other staffs over the entrance. There was no Tush at the turn-stile entrances, which Avere so managed as to allOAv the easiest of ingress and egress. A strong body of police under Tnspec,tor Cullen was present to preserve Order and regulate the pedestrian traffic, and the President of the Executive (Mr Bartholomew Kent), the Superintendent (Mr MeatloAvs), ant' the other officers in connection Avith the Exhibition Avere present early in the forenoon seeing to the preparations for the reception of the Governor and the other details of the day's ceremony, and congratulations Avere afterwards general on the successful issue of the arrangements.

THE VOLUNTEER PARADE.

The principal feature of the opening display was naturally the parade of .the Auckland Volunteers, who re-

ceived His Excellency tne Governor ■with the honours due to his official rank as representative of the Queen, and lined the avenues thrc.ugh the buildings as a guard o~ honour. There was an excellent turn-out of volunteers, who mustered about 700 strong, and without them the ceremony would have lost much, if not all, of its impressiveness. At ten o'clock this morning +he various companies comprising the volunteer force of this city paraded in review order at the Drill Hall in Butlc.nd-street, in obedience to district'crders issued by Lieut.-Colonel J. H. Banks, officer commanding che Auckland Militia and Volunteer District. The rifle companies comprising the Auckland Rifle Battlion No. 1 feJl in on the asphalt parade ground at the rear of the Drill Hall, while the five naval garrison and field artillery companies paraded inside the Drill Hall. Lieut.Cblonel Banks was in command of the ■whole parade, while Major T. L. Murray acted as Brigadier in command of the Eifle Battalion and Cadet Battalion, and Captain O'Brien, as senior artillery officer, commanded the Artillery Companies. Colonel Pole-Pen ton, Commandant of the .New Zealanc Military Forces, was present in ful uniform, and inspected the volunteer! before they left the Drill Hall anc grounds. Lieut.-Colonel Banks was attended by Major Morrow as stafi •Officer. Captain J. Grant, Dis trict Adjutant, and Sergeant % Major Carpenter, Drill Instructor "were also present. All the companies fell in fully armed and accoutred, the "A* Battery of Artillery being armed with swords, as they have now no rifles. There were in all sixteen companies on parade, in addition to the Auckland Mounted Bifles, a newly formed corps, who acted as a military •escort for the Vice-Regal party to the entrance of the Exhibition. The parade states of the various volunteer companies were as follows:— Auckland Naval Artillery Volunteers: ■ Lt.-Commander Clemens, Lts. Salmon, Earle and Grant; 60 all told. Ponsonby Naval Artillery Volunteers:' Lts. Watson and Sp'inley; 40 tnen. Devonport Naval Volunteers: Lt. Commander H. Parker, Lts. Stone and ißobmson; 50 men. 'A'Battery of Field Artillery: Capt. So BrthT's6 Lmen LipSC° mbe an<d B°S" rWn?np ™t .^oastguard -Artillery:

College Rifles: Lts. Wither.-and Mc-

Hardy; 50 all told

No. 1 • New Zealand Native Rifles; Capt, E. H. Montgomery, Lts. Potter and Gatadin; 41. No. 2 New Zealand Native Rifles: Capt. Oakes, Lts. Ratjen and Warnock; 46. , Auckland Rifle Volunteers (Smith and Caughey's company): Captain Caughey, Lts. Gower and Boyce; '53 all told. N.o. 3 New.. Zealand Native Rifles: Capt. Baume, Lts. Brigham and Thomson; 57 all told. Victoria Rifles No. 2: Capt. Chatfield, Lts. Dickson and Abbott; 34. St. John's College Rifle Cadets: Captain Craddock; 38 rank and file. Prince Albert College Cadets: Capt. Wright; 33 rank and file. Auckland College and Grammar School Cadets: Captain Sloman; 42. King's College Cadets: Lt. Crump; 53 men. The Medical Staff and Bearer Company also paraded, and the newlyformed Field Engineer Volunteei\s paraded in mufti inside the Drill Shed, under Captain McGee, for inspection, but did not take part in subsequent movements. The Garrison Band, under Bandmaster Hunter .and DrumMajor O'Brien, was on parade, and headed the march out. The Auckland Mounted Rifles, under Captain Holgate, also turned out, about 40 strong. The total strength of the Auckland Volunteers who turned out on parade was about 700 officers and men. CapinJns Myers and Lieuts. Todd and O'Sullivan, of the Newton Rifles, also jitit'iided, though their company was not on parade. The medical oJlicers present in uniform. A^ere Lt.-Col. Brigade-Surgeon

Daws jii scr 1 Surgeons Find lay (No. 1 New Zeahind Native Rifles), King (College Rifles), and Lindsay (No. 3 Ncav Zealand Natives). The Rifle Battalion, consisting' of seven companies, fell in on the parade-

ground shortly after 10 o'clock in

quarter-column at six paces interval, the four companies of cadets falling in in the same order on their left. Cap-

tain W. 11. White, Acting-Major of the

Battalion, took command of the Rifle Battalion, while Captain Major, Adjutant to the Battalion, AVas in charge

of the Cadet Battalion. The rifle companies, garrison and naval artillery Avere all armed with Martini-Enfield rifles and triangular bayonets, and looked Avell in their Kharkee uniforms. The Cadets Avere armed with the old Snider rifles and SAVord bayonets. In the NaA'al Brigade the Devonport Naval Volunteers all turned out in Avhite uniforms and straAv hats and made a smart appearance. Prior to the arrival-of Col. Pole-Penton the Naval Artillery Brigade and the tAvo other artillery companies in the Drill Hall, and the rifle volunteers outside, were exercised in preliminary movements. At about eleven o'clock Col. Penton arrived, attended by Lt.-Col. Banks, and was received Avith the general salute, after which he inspected each company. A few minutes afterwards the order to march was given. The five artillery companies, under Capt. O'Brien, first marched up Wellesley-street to the Exhibition Buildings. Avhere they lined the avenues, extending from the Choral Hall through to Princes-street entrance, the senior company (Auckland Naval

Artillery) taking post nearest the Hall. The volunteers fovrr.ed two lines ! one each .side ox the avenues, the Coast guard Artillery being nearest; the lnnin entrance at the Princes - street en' Soon afterwards the rifle volunteers and cadets were marched off. Bayonets were fixed before leaving the parade-ground, and arms were sloped as the tAvq battalions took the route up to Princes-street, the Victoria Rifles, as the senior company, leading. The rifles and cadets marched up Wel-lesley-street, then turned to the left into Princes-street, and on reaching the entrance gates the column was marc-bed into the grounds, several of the companies being marched into the Exhibitfon Buildings, Avhere they formed a line on each side of the main avenues. The other companies and the Cadets were moved in to the roadway leading from the northern gate to the main entrance, where they formeJ a line on each side rl the path to receive the Governor. One company was also drawn up on the lawn under the trees, where the Garrison Band was stationed.

'.CHE GOVEENOE'S EECErtIOX.

Shortly before noon everything was in readiness for the arrival of His Excellency the Governor. The scene at the entrance was a gay and busy one. The Royal Standard, a fine piece of bunting fifteen yards long, floated in the breeze from the central flagstaff, and from the other flagpoles were displayed the Red Ensign, Union Jack, St. George's Cross, NeAv Zealand Ensign and the Stars and Stripes. The guests soon arrived. His Worship the Mayor, Mr Peter Dignan, Bishop and Mrs Cowie, the Consuls representing foreign countries, Captain BroAvnc, of H.M.s. Tauranga, Lieut.-Cornmander of the H.M.s. Royalist, and a party of their officers, all in full uniform, arrived through the northern entrance and took their Avay into the building, the naval officers being accorded the military compliment due to their rankby the volunteers presenting arms.

ARRIVAL OF THE PREMIER

A fevv minutes before twelve o'clock struck the Hon. R. J. Seddon, Premier of New Zealand, who arrived from Wellington this morning, drove up alone in an open carriage, and was saluted by the guard of honour which presented arms as he passed.

THE VICE-REGAL I'ARTf,

Just after the hour of noon the Avord was passed along, 'The Governor's coming!' The gates at the northern entrance were throAvn open and a half company of the Auckland Mounted Rifles, under Captain Holgate, numbering about thirty men, well mounted and carrying Martini-EnfieJd rifles, and attired in neat kharkee uniforms, rode smartly up Princes street, preceding the vice-regal party from the Star Hotel and down the avenue to the main entrance, passing out at the other gate. Behind then rode tAvo mounted . constables, and then came the Governor's carriage, an open vehicle containing His Exqellency Lord Ranfurly, Lady Ranfurly, Captain Alexander (private secretary to the Governor), and Professor Carl Schmitt, A.D.C., for Auckland. Then came another op,en carriage containing Lord Northland, Lady Constance Knox, i and Mr Gs.rland. The volunteer guard of honour Avas called smartly to attention as the carriages entered the gate, and presented arms as the viceregal party passed down to the main entrance. Then the Garrison Band played a bar of the National Anthem, the male spectators removing their hats and the A'olunteers still with presented arms. The Governor and party alighted from their carriages, and were received by Mr B. Kent, president, at 4he entrance. Mr Kent offi-

cially welcomed, the Governor, and | | .then escorted- the vice-regal party | through the various courts down the j main avenue to the Choral Hall. As the second court was reached the ; NeAvton Band, stationed on the band ' ■! rotunda, which was half hidden in ai wealth of beautiful uikau and ferns, struck up 'God Save the Queen.' Volunteers lined inside the building1 ' also presenting arms in salute. The | Governor passing on, the order 'shoul- | der arms' Avas given, and soon afterwards the citizen soldiers were allowed to 'stand at ease.' At the close of the ceremony, in the Choral Hall the Governor's party was again saluted in passing through, and the [ | volunteers were subsequently marched | back to the drill-shed and dismissed, j having well performed their cere- ! monial duties. No salute was fired by the 'A' Battery, as no orders to that effect had been received by the officer commanding the battery. Amongst the notables present was | Monsignor Walter McDonald, v.ho rode up just ahead of the Governor's carriage; two Maori chiefs of high rank from Mangere, T.'atara te Tuhi ] and his brother Ilonmia. Mnioha, bo- j longing to the Ngatimahuta tribe, and relatives of the late King Tawhiao, were also present, and their elaborately tatooed faces amongst the crowd of pakehas attracted general attention.