THE COMING ROYAL VISIT. WELLINGTON'S RECEPTION.

Evening Post, Volume LXI, Issue 85, 12 April 1901, Page 5

THE COMING ROYAL VISIT. WELLINGTON'S RECEPTION.

MEETING OF THE CITIZENS. THE GOVERNOR'S ROUTE NOT APPROVED. SUGGESTIONS FOR RAISING FURTHER FUNDS. At the invitation of the Mayor of Wellington a meeting of citizens was held in the Council • Chambers yesterday, afternoon to hear a progress' report furnished by the committee chosen by a previous meeting. Mr. Aitken presided, and there was a representative gathering, including several ladies. It was the largest meeting yet held in connection with reception matters, over thirty persons being present. The Mayor reported progress on behalf of the joint committee of citizens and the City Council. The particulars of the committee's work have • already appeared in the Post. The committee had come to the decision tljat the citizen* should be appealed to for funds to augment the £2000 which the City Council and the Government had jointly provided for the expenses of the reception of the Duke and Duchess. Mr. Aitken said that Mr. Holmes had advised him that Auckland was raising an extra £1000 from the people by voluntary subscriptions. Tho Wellington committee had suggested to the Premier that Mr. Holmes should be instructed to make an appeal to the local bodies of the districts adjoining the city to take a share in the demonstration in Wellington. On the question of the route for the Royal procession, a letter had been received from, the ; Governor, who recommended that the- following should be the thoroughfares traversed :-r-Qiieen's Wharf, Jervois-quay, Cuba, Manners, and Willis streets, Lambton-quay, Sydney and Museum streets, to Government House. That, said Mr. Aitken, would have to be the route adopted. His Excellenoy had thought that two routes previously suggested were too long. Councillor Barber thought the longer route suggested — that including Courte-nay-place, Cambridge-terrace, Vivian and Cuba streets — should not be dropped. He felt sure that after coming all the way out to the- colonies the Duke and Duchess would not, and should not, object to giving the people a good opportunity ofseeing them. The Duke of Edinburgh did not object to going over a much longer route. Mr. William Allan thought it was. altogether unreasonable to restrict the proce&sion to the short route named by the Governor. . Ho doubted whether the crowd that would be in Wellington on that day would be able to use that restricted space with safety. In answer to questions, the Mayor said Lord Ranfurly had the sole control of arrangements for the Royal visitors. They would be the* Governor's guests, and citizens might entertain, 1 but would not have any say in what the visitors should do. Mr. A. R. Atkinson, M.H.R., strongly supported the remarks made by Councillor Barber and Mr. Allan, and urged that the adoption of the shoct route named by the Governor was altogether incompatible with' tho public safety. If His Excellency were financing the scheme as well as laying down the route, it would bo all right, but the citizens were to find the money. Lord Ranfurly should be respectfully approached again, rfnd urged to adopt the committee's route. Cuba-street' should be included, because it lent itself peculiarly to effective decoration. The inclusion of Cuba-street ia the route would largely assist the committee also in raising funds for the reception, expenses. The matter should be respectively but emphatically placed before the Governor. Mr. W. Nathan suggested that a means of raising funds would be to build a platform for seats, for which from two to three guineas could be obtained. Mrs. Taskqr urged an extension of the route. ' ■ j Mr. William Ferguson pointed out that the route named by the Governor was, about one and three-quarters miles long, '• and would give 54,000 people a, view of the procession. Mi-. W. H. George urged that Cuba- j street should not be left out of the route. On the motion of Mr. M. P. Cameron, it was resolved that the Mayor, Councillors Evans and Barber, and Mr. Atkimson should wait upon the Governor aud ask him to adopt the committee's route. It was suggested that a dais should be raised ftt the place where the official reception would take place, and the seats thereon sold by auction. The Mayor Baid he had not the heart to appeal again to citizens for funds. He had appealed so often during his term of office, and a liberal response had been given, something like £19>000 or £20,000 haying passed through the Corporation office. Various suggestions were made as to means of raising funds. Mr. T. Oarmichael informed the meeting that a profit could be made upon the erection of 'platforms if, seats were sold at 2s each. Messrs. F. Bradey ajid T. ,K. Macdonivld urged the adoption of the suggestion for the selling by auction of seats upon platforms to be erected opposite the General Post Office. Mr. Macdonald offered the services of his firm gratis for the purrose of sale. He was sure a large sum would result from the -adoption of the auction idea. Both gentlemen hoped the Reception Committee would seriously consider the matter. On the motion of Messrs. J. P. Luke and Bradey, it was decided to reoomrnend to the committee that proper provision should be made for the core and protection of school children, on the day of the reception. Councillor Luke find Mr. Bradey moved, and it was resolved — "That a subscription list be placed in the Corporation offices for voluntary contributions from citizens towards the reception expenses," Mr. George felt lure our merchants

would respond liberally to the appeal to place sums upon the list. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Mayor. The Opotiki Herald says i^at Mr. , James White has been elected captain. . of the Opotiki Native Contingent of 100 men who will visit Rotorua on the occasion of the Royal visit, Awanui and other chiefs are getting their men prepared and drilled. The Hastings Borough Council is taken severely to task by the local paper (the Standard) for declining to entertain the Premier's suggestion that it | should assist to erect a Hawkes Bay arch in Wellington for the Royal visit. Our contemporary points out that Hastings's contribution to the expense of an arch would have been a mere bagatelle, and it accuses the Council of being parochial. [BY TRLBGRAVI! — ritESS «.SaOOIAXION.f AUCKLAND, 11th April. The Hon. James Carroll, Native Minister, arrived from Gisborne en route to Rotorua on business in connection with the reception of the Duke and Duchess of. Cornwall by the Maoris. Mr. Carroll • will inspect the sites suggested for the Maori encampment at Rotorua. The • native gathering promises to be an exceedingly large one. All the tribes will bring old-time native costumes and weapons, and dances of welcome and hakas by the various bands of natives gath- ' ered from all parts of the island will no doubt be highly interesting. It is not expected that the ..aikato natives will be -represented at the Rotorua, I gathering, as they prefer to welcome the Royal visitors in their own district. CHRISTCHURCH, litfe April. The Executive Committee has accepted the designs of Mr. S. Hurst-Seager for decorating the town. There will be avenues of colour, with bays for tableaux of industries, friendly and other societies, but no procession except the Royal carriages. The decorations are ' estimated to cost £500, but £1000 will be spent on beautifying alone.