PREPARATIONS AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11104, 24 October 1901, Page 5

PREPARATIONS AT CHRISTCHURCH.

At the meeting of citizens held yesterr day in connection' with the welcome to the j Antarctic Expedition, the Mayor (Mr A. i E. G. Rhodes) referred to <the approaching i visit of General Hector Macdonald, and * said that, he had discussed the question ► of the city's welcome to the General with » the''officers', of the Caledonian Society, and fc as that Society was prepared to take the * matter in hand he thought it could be " very well left -with them. He had inform- ' ed * the Society that any assistance the ' citizens could give would be given. This was, he thought, probably the best course E tha* could have been adopted under the , circiTmst*inces. He hoped that the citizens - would join in giving a- fitting welcome to * General Macdonald. Mr P. Campbell, president of the So- ■ ciety, said that it had been at first proJ posed to hold a conversazione, but they ' found that they weald be unable to secure . the Canterbury Hall, and they had taken > the Choral Hall, and intended to give a Scotch concert. General Macdonald would arrive from the South by the express on Monday night, and the Mayor had promised to be on the platform to wel- '. come the General on behalf of the city. 1 The concert would be held the following . evening. At a meeting of the Caledonian Society, ■ held last evening, at which the president, 1 Mr P. Campbell, presided, a telegram was received from Mr Kenneth Cameron, of Invercargill, stating that General Sir Hector Macdonald would arrive in Christchurch on Monday next at 9 p.m., and leave about 5 p.m. on Wednesday for Wellington. A . further telegram was received from the i General himself, to the effect that he would , be pleased to meet a small party next Tuesday. Arrangements in connection with , the General's visit were tabled by the Executive, after consultation with the Mayor, to the effect that the president and Executive officers meet the General on arrival at the railway -station on Monday night; that a complimentary concert, to consist of Scottish songs and dances, etc, be jjeld at the Choral Hall on Tuesday night, together with a* presentation; admission to the concert to be 4s, 3s, and 2s ; and 'that the selection of the present be left to the president/and Executive officers. It was also recommended that the offer by the Scottish Rifles of their services on th© occasion be received witn thanks, and the members be employed on duty at the Hall. As the Canterbury Hall has been engaged for Tuesday night, the Choral Hall was . placed at the Society's services through the Kindness of Mr P. Newbury. Mr A. Ross presented the -Society with a handsomely- | trained photo of Sir Hector Macdonald, and i received a hearty vote of thanks for the gift.