DUNEDIN'S PROGRAMME.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10988, 11 June 1901, Page 5

DUNEDIN'S PROGRAMME.

SOME EfPFECTTVE DECORATIONS

» VISIT TO THE SOUNDS ABANDONED. .

(SPECIAI. TO "THE PRESS.")

DUNEDIN, June 10.

The decorations and erection of arches are now fast, approaching completion, and another week sbc-uld see everything in shipshape form. Another arch is to be erected in George street., at its junction with Hanover street. The Government have made a donation of £60 towards the cost of illuminating their arch in the Octagon. The platform at the Octagon is already making a show. The supports for the floor, which are made out of the horse-fittings of the steamship (MJoiiowai, are in position. There are to be twelve tiers of seats.

The Public Works Department has also made a start with their platform, from which the old age pensioners are to see tbe procession. This platform is. being greeted at the corner of Manor street. It will ha-ve a frontage of 50ft to PriDces street, and is 4o have seating accommodation cor 400 people. Nothing will be seen of the Natives" Association's display in Custom House square until within a -couple of days of the tionA hundred code flags have been sent by the Government from Wellington, and 200 more axe to come after the Wellington reception is over. The decorations_of the streets will be continuous on the line of route. The (Sty Committee have now made arrangements for decorating all the spaces that private combinations have _e_t. Ths Committee begin at the Fenvhill Club and fol-

low on to ■H%**i atreet. H«** the Natives' Assooatioa. coma in, and the shopkeepers' gehemws account -for Prinota street"-as far as th&. city arch kt -the Octagon. The Coi—_ifctw© thsn do the space between ' the city arch and the Government arch. , Then the - ehopkecers take the thoroughfare, block' by block, as far as Hanover street. From Hanover - street to . Frederick street the Committee are putting up tea poles (five aside), and decorating tue .«*ame. and the shopkeepers are providing twelve other poles. The committee nTe in charge again at the intersection of Pitt and London streets, aad • - are to decorate ; Frederick stresb to the Agricultural Hall. I There are to be Yesertjaa masts with suields a-c a height of about ICft, the national emblems bring painted on the shields, and each shit.d trill be surmounted by three small flags. Garlands &re>to be hung from the tops of masts to tlie ground, and- a Dannerette ;is to ba hung on each pole, whilst longij ludinally from .pole to pole there are to be j springs of-flags and-pennants. i One of the bssfc flag shows trill be on the i city arch. Arches aro to be so decorated j as far as possible so as not to obstruct the j v'.cw from tha first-floor windows. Two ! thousand pennants and bannerettes, and j hundreds of tin shields are being made for J the City Committee's decorations. " i The design for dressing the block from j i"?r■. .Andrew street to Hanover street pro-

mises to be «—cctive. There are tobe twelve poles, 60ft apart, with wire netting con- I necting, this netting being.'"'. festooned, whit® greenery in abiaidance will rive the block ths appearance of a grove. The poles are now in position, and next week .the other work is to'ha'started.'- ! 'The "Star" expresses opinion that next, to Rotorua, which is a display by the natives, Duiiedin's reception will be the best in the colony. The same journal adds: — "One or two here and there still sesm to be a little sore about the -reception. We proffer this fact for their comfort, tnat Mr Justice Williams is the only member of the community, bar holders of ,ofKc'.al rank, who is to be invited.to' the function. On this occasion we are all hosts, and, as such, it would bs ungraceful to hustle for a privilege. The only lawful privilege of a host is to'lock after the comfort of his or her guests. Ninety out of every nundred of our citizens already see this, and the 10 per cent, minority will fall into line." The Southland 1 Pipe Band will tnkp part in the procession. Over 800 names have been registered of persons wishing to attend the evening reception. Captain Alexander telegraphed that tha* Qove„m<r hoped to havo been able to take their Royal Highr—sses to view the splendid scenery etc the Sounds before their departure from the colony. The Commodore, however, does not concur that at the present time of the year such would ba suitable. Tha ladies ;_tend providing refreshments for the visiting Volunteers, provided the military authorities can make provision for their distribution.