THE DECORATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 115, 16 May 1901, Page 5

THE DECORATIONS.

Excellent progress is being made with the decoration of the route of the Royal procession. The double line of Venetian masts now extends from the Wharf to Victoria-street. The Harbour Board Arch and the Government arch are being pushed forward rapidly, while a start has been made on the Municipal arch, near the Library. Several tenants of Queenstreet premises are making a start with their illuminations.

The following additional places of business will be decorated and illuminated for the Royal visit: — Strand Arcade, Colonial Mutual Life, National Bank, "Herald" Office, Bank of Australasia, Government insurance, B. J. M. Kemp's shop and block, Union Bank and New Zealand Insurance Company.

Mr Alfred Kidd, senior City Councillor And Chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, who returned here from the South yesterday^ had an opportunity of hearing all about, the Southern preparations for receiving the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. He has no fear about the effectiveness of the Auckland display, as far as can be judged, compared with the decorations in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. At Dunedin, he says they have hardly started operations yet, so that one cannot form much idea of what will be seen there. Wellington is the only Southern place where he saw anything being done. The Government arch was started the day he left there, and the indications were that it would be a very substantial structure. The Government Buildings at Wellington are to be illuiniriated. The Harbbur Board at that port do- not intend, from what Mr Kidd understood, to do anything in the way of decorating the wharves, but are going to illuminate the Board's buildings by electricity. Up to the time of his leaving Wellington there was no indication of what was going to be done by private individuals in the way of decorations. He heard that they were going to put up poles and decorate the line of route, but the question of route was a burning one, and until it was settled there would probably be little done. In Wellington the authorities appeared to contemplate a much larger grandstand than was to be erected in Auckland.