INSPECTION OF THE ROUTE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10997, 21 June 1901, Page 5

INSPECTION OF THE ROUTE.

Yesterday afterncori the members of the Procession Committee made a thorough inspection of the 'Royal route to be followed on Saturday for thc purpose of seeing that all arrangements required would be put in hand. " * *

The Committee first visited the failwoy platfc-na. Mr Arthur, the traffic manager, wa_ in attendance, and e-cplained that the Royal carriage, would stop opposite thc passage to tee right of the ticket office leading from the platform to the street. A 6hort discussion took place lis to where the city address should be presented. whether on the platform immediately ths Duke stepped from his carriage, or in the. space opposite the ticket office on the town side. If in the latter place Mr Arthur said that the floor would be completely carpeted, and ths barrier ig front of the ticket windows would be removed. The Committee, however, did not consider that this matter was* within their jurisdiction, and the point will ho decided by the Mayor after consultation with Mr Arthur this mornThe Committee then drove up Manchester street as far as the Clock Tower. It waa d_cid_d to place Dorry's Band in front of the Tower, facing M aaohest-er street. Continning along High street "and Colombo street the Committee* were driven to the iic*:-_.i s;d*3 of the Godley statue, and it was decided to place the* other band - , the J-'.tanmore Brass Ba_nd, upon the green plot within the railings, in front of the f-intuc.

Ths Committee were next taken along Worcester street and Cambridge^Terrace, up Durham iilreet- as far as tho Provincial Counc.il Chambers, bock again over the Gloucester street Bridge to Colombo Btreet, and up Colombo street to Victoria Square. At tha Square the Committee decided that the Royal carnages should enter the gate nenr Cnek and Boss's corner, drive acrrsss the gra**3 -between the Royal stand and the foundation stone to the stand, where th-e visitora will alight, and out through the gate near the corner of Victoria, street and Oxford Terrace. The empty carriages will continue along the Terrace" to Armagh street, and will wait opposite the Rink Stables until the function is over, when they will re-entef the first gate, pick up the Royal party, and continue along Victoria street. Only the twelve Government carriages will be allowed to pass through the' Square. Other -carriages must -deposit their occupants at Cool, and jttossVcoraer, and then drive along Victoria and Kilmore street to the Art Gallery ready to continue round a-g..in when the" function is -.fldsd. As there, will be "no covered way frpm the' foundation stons to the Roy.-uL platform, tho carriages can now drive bet-wwn th.-*.- points, and the Committee dec_d_d als'j. that tha Friendly Societies shou Id lollow -the same course, not- iilcng Victoria street- only, as at* first suggested. After the Friendly Societies have inarched past they will continue along Viotoria street to Durham street north, where they will disband. The Committee were i'ben driven from Victoria Square along Victoria and Salisbury Ktrsets to Park Terrace, up the Park "Terrace as far as the Cariton Mill read, and along this road to Te Koraha. The erection of incan descent go-"* - lamps along the latter pcriion of the route was approvingly commented upon. The rana.ll road leading to the gates oi Te Kornha, hai been reoently very liberally metalled, and no attempt has been made so far to roll the heavy metal into the road. However, the City Suiwevor was interviewed afterwards, and he unaE-r----to-ok to have a traction engine on the road ths first thing in the morning. After driving through tbe ground"* of Te Koraha the Committee.returned to town via Carlton Mill road, Park Terrace, Kilmore street, Montreal! street, and Worcester street.

A discussion took place on the question of erecting pests around tlie Government platform in Victoria Square, so that lamps might be attached for the convenience of the b-.ir.dt* paying there daring the evening. Mr Bishop explained that if . this were not &■*_>•& lie could not, in the time available after tlie function, erect the lamps required. Eventually it waa decided to consult the Lighting and Platform Committea on the subject.