THE DUKE'S RECEPTION

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 154, 1 July 1901, Page 2

THE DUKE'S RECEPTION

(To the Editor.)

Sir, I was delighted with the right loyal'reception accorded to the Prince in Auckland. The appearance of the city was all that heart could wish, and I believe the Prince when he has done the rounds of the colonies will admit that in do part of the King's dominions was the reception more hearty than in Auckland. I was pleased especially with the quiet and law abiding behaviour of the great concour.se of people, who seemed to have no other motive than to pay a full-hearted and tender greeting to the grandson of England's noblest sovereign, Victoria. I was glad also to see the kind consideration ..manifested by the Premier, the Hon. K. J. Seddon and his Ministry, who, amidst all the worry and bustle, did not forget to invite representatives from the county districts to take a seat on the reception platform, as well as at Potter's Paddock and Rotorua, This Avas the more appreciated and apparent when contrasted with the action of the city reception authorities. The writer holds a letter from a very prominent one of them to the effect "That if your county will make a donation to the reception fund your chairman will be invited to take a seat on the reception platform." I have always taken special delight in seeing and hearing of Auckland's prosperity, but when her most prominent citizens manifest such selfishness as wa-s manifested on this auspicious occasion, I do not wonder at the amount of dissatisfaction which I heard by many of Auckland's citizens who were net. in the swim with the reception magnates. The whole war canoe trouble emanated from a selfish desire to make a splash even at the sacrifice of the Rotorua display, and no thinking mind can help but appreciate the efforts put forth by the Government to make Rotorua the centre of attraction for the Maoris. The rabbly cry of canoe, canoe, from a small clique on the platform at Potter's Paddock had but a faint response, and merited the just censure of all large hearted men and women, and no friend of the Premier thought anything the less of him, but more, and a great deal less of some of Auckland's small hearted and selfish people. The writer ventures to state that Auckland, as well as all the other portions of this colony, have prospered more during the past nine or ten ypars since the present Government took office than any other corresponding time since the founding of the' Colony.

Let me here state a few facts, and let Auckland press the question home and answer if she has not received the same liberal treatment, only in a greater degree. During the past nine years the county I reside in hns received from the Government in special grants the sum of £ 5000 while I am bold to assert that for the period of 25 years preceding the nine the same county did not receive the sum of £2000. This is a fact that cannot be denied, though during this time many forms of Government held the key of the public purse. Looking at things as they are, calmly and deliberately, I have come to the conclusion that it would take a lot of favours to please Auckland. T compute there were not less than 20,000 people went to Auckland from the surrounding country to witness the reception, and take the average at £5 each for expenditure while there, this would make the handsome sum of £100,000. This did not satisfy Auckland. She conspired to have the people at every turn—double 'bus and tram fare, double hotel and boardinghouse fare, and everything else in proportion, with bad attention and accommodation. The Premier need net wonder at the puny effort put forth to depreciate him in the eyes of Royalty; it emanated from the spirit of "envy that withers, at another's joy, and hates the excellence it cannot reach."—l am, etc.,

A VOICE FROM THE COT27TKY.