THE CHRISTCHURCH RECEPTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 147, 22 June 1901, Page 3

THE CHRISTCHURCH RECEPTION.

THE DECORATIONS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

CHEISTCHURCH, Friday.

.The decorations have been pratieally completed. The whole scheme is not so bright in effect as the decorations for the Canterbury Jubilee. This is due to the more sombre hues adopted The shipping arch in Manchesterstreet, erected by the New Zealand Shipping- Company, the Union Steamship Company, and the Shaw-Savill Company, consists of two towers supporting a vessel's bridge. On the base of each tower is a ship's boat. Flagstaffs rise from each, the whole

being- decorated in red, white, and blue, with the motto of "Welcome to our Sailor Prince."

The Frozen Meat Company's arch in High-street, erected by the Canterbury and Christchurch Meat Companies, consists of a span supported by towers. The whole structure is painted pearly white, scattered over Avith fragments of glass, representing ice. On the buttresses on towers are life-size models of sheep. It is intended to place in position blocks of real ice to complete the effect. The whole is illuminated with electric light. The motto is, "Frozen our Product; Warm our Welcome.''

The agricultural and pastoral arch is in Worcester-.strect. The bridge is formed of foliage, and cereals, decorated with native flax and toi-toi. At the ba.se of each of the towers a. live bullock will be put into a pen, and above these are sheep-pens filled with live sheep. The motto is, "Welcome from the Agriculturists and Pastoralists."

The Government arch at Victoria Bridge consists of a canopy and festoons of foliage, the whole length of the bridge, smaller arches forming avenues along the footpaths across the bridge. The mottos are:—"God bless the Duke and Duchess, and long live the Governor."

The West Coast obelisk at the junction of High and Colombo Streets, is probably the most noteworthy of the decorative structures. It consists of a golden obelisk, representing the gold product of the West Coast. Round the base are picturesquelygrown tree ferns, upon blocks of. Westport coal, the whole being surrounded by ferns. The effect is very striking.

The post office will be lavishly lit up by transparencies and emblematic designs.

The Duke having expressed a wish to see colonial horses jump wire fences, it is intended to give a private exhibition of jumping a single wire at Te Koraha on Saturday afternoon.