JUBILEE FETE.

Evening Star, Issue 7169, 24 March 1887, Page 4

JUBILEE FETE.

'[By Our Special Rkforter.] | - The North Otago Jubilee. jof ■ —thrfuTKls of the charitable, institutions ;of Oamaru, took place at Elderslie yesterday. It was expected that more people would haVe ; journeyed'from Dunedin, but the threatening state, of the weather in the morning 30 doubt deterred a good many from ■ booking By the special train, which was attached to . the Northernexpress. On the atriviflpf the ' special train, at Mr, John Reid'a estate, '., which .was the scene of' the ; day's festivities, the soaallness of the Dunedin contingent of patrons was, however, not noticeable in any degree, for it: was lost in a crowd which must have numbered 7,000 people. The people of Oamaru and the surrounding district seemed, to have turned out en masse. The patronage accorded on the occasion was all that 'could be desired, and, as the day turned put a grand one after all, everyone fartook of the enjoyment to the full, and think I may congratulate the File Committee on the eclat with which the whole of the proceedings passed off. The most conspicuous personage to be seen at the fete was, of course, His Excellency the Governor, who was attended by the Hon. Mr Fortescue; and among other notables jl. noticed Bishops Nevill and Moran, the Rev. Dr Macgregor, the Hons. M. Holmes and S. E. Shrimski, and Mr .T, W. Hislop, M.H.R. The Committee .of Management comprised members of thje , Town Council of Oamaru, of the Waitaki County Council, of the Road Boards ip. North Otago, of the Harbor Board, thje directors of the Oamaru Caledonian Society, <rad the Trustees of the Hospital and Benq--1 volent Institution. The following gentlemen constituted the several sub-committees: —Messrs W. Christie, George Sumpter, E. P. Burbury, J. M. Brown, J. W. Humphrey, J. Church, R. Stevenson, J. J. Spence, G. S. Lintott, C. Todd, M. Morton, D. Borriej, P. Aitchesoh, W. Meek, A. J. S. Headland, - A. Thomson, A. Murdoch, J. Hamilton, W. M'Douall, J. L. Allan, A. Hedley, J\ M/Pberson, A. A. M'Master? Neil Fleming 1 , W. Milne, T. Little, E. A. Atkinson, J. FamiltoD, W. Bee. > at Elderslie about one o'clock, and as a first glimpse was got of Mr Reid s grand estate one could not help reflecting upon the very great kindness of that gentleman in throwing open such Well-kept grounds to the public generally in the cause of charity. The first view gained of the place was a very effective) one, and Dunedinites who had never pre T viouslyhaci the opportunity, of making an iMspection of it lost no time in doing so. Nothing could be pleasanter than the appearance of the' large lake which has been artificially constructed in the low-lying portion of the grounds. At the time.of our arrival crowded boats were being rowed about it in all directions,: and swans disturbed from their usual quietude were flying gracefully overhead.! A charming walk was to be had through the gardens and orchard, and; thickly-set groves of trees lent convenient! shade to the family picnic parties. Previous; to my arrival, races on the lake and Caledonian sports were carried on, but were not of a nature worth recording. The feature of the organised proceedings was the review of the Volunteer troops by Hia Excellency : the Governor along with tho presentation of Jubilee addresses. The Volunteers who were reviewed belonged to the following companies :—The Oamaru Navals, North Otago I Battery of Artillery, Oamaru, Otepopo,; Hampden-, Waikouaiti, and Palmers ton Rifles, Waitaki High School Naval Cadets, South School Artillery Cadets, District High School Cadets, and North School Cadets. The Garrison Band was under command of Bandmaster Phelong. The staff consisted of Lieutenant-colonel Sumpter (commandant), Majors Headland and Sutherland, aud Captain Cossgroye (who acted as adjutant). The review comprised a general salute, march past, and advance in echelon, and other movements, which were performed with the greatest precision. . At the conclusion of the leview the Volunteers formed a square round His Excellency the' Governor's carriage, and Mr D. Sutherland (chairman of the County Council) stepped forward with the members of the Jubilee Committee aud presented the following addresses : To Hi* Excellency Sir William Francis Druramond Jurvois. Lieutenant-ireneral in Her Majesty's Aruuy, Knight Grand Gross of the Distinguished Oder of St. Michael and St. George, Companion of the Host Honorable .Order of tho Bath, Governor and Com-mander-in-chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of Now Zealand and i s dependencies, and Vice-admiral of the sime. May it please your Excellency,'—Wo beg to' offer eur heartiest weloome to your' Excellency on your present visit to this district on the orcision of a jubilee fete being held at Elderslie, the property of John Reid, E?q, in honor of Her Moat Gracious Majesty the Queen, in this the jubilee year of her num. IVo bep, through vour Excellercy, to offer our warmest expressions of loyalty to Iler Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. We beg to thank your Excellency for your courtesy in aooeding so readily to the invitation made to you to be present on the occasion of this Jubilee file, which is held for the beneOoont purpose of assisting the funds of the charitable institutions of the district. We beg respeotfully to take this opportunity of tendering to your Excellency our thanks for the kindly Interest you have always taken in matters pertaining to the welfare of the Colony which you govern. We beg to request that your Excellency will graciously be pleased to forward to our Sovereign an address of congratulation, which Is now submitted to your Excellency's care for that purpose. To Her Moat Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, .We, on behalf of the inhabitants of North Otago,' Sew Zealand, humbly pray that we may be allowed to offer your Majesty cur hearty congratulations on attaining tho jubilee year of your telgr. We do so on the occasion of a fite being held at Elderslie at the aagfrestfon of Mr and Mrs John Held, whose property has been generously placed at the disposal of the paoKo, in aid of the funds of the charitable institutions of the district. This fite has been termed the TStrih Otago Jubilee Fite in honor of the jubilee year of the reign of your Most Gracious Majesty. Knowing as we do the generous and benevolent feeling that your Majesty entertains towards all elassea of your su jeets, we feel assured that your will be pleased to learn that this day has been specially set apart in this district lot -ccofloent purposes. We request respectfully to assure your Majesty of our feelings of unabated loyalty, and express our hopes that your Majesty may long be spared to. rule over us.

Both addresaeß mere signed by D. Sutherlans, chairman Waitaki County Council; William Christie, mayor Boroughof Oamaru; George Sttmpter, cliairman Camaru Harbor Board; James S. Holmes, president North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association; William Christie, president Oamaru Caledonian Society; Donald Borrie, chairman Waitaki Road Board; John Reid, chairman Waiareka B-oad Board ; John Doreen, mayor Borough of Hampden : Hon. S. E. Shrimski, M.L.C.,chairman Oamaru Hospital Trustees; J. M. Brown, chairman Benevolent Trustees; John Church and R. Stevenson, joint secretaries. His Exceixkxcv, in responding, said: Gentlemen, as the representative of Her Majesty in New Zealand, I cannot but exEress to you my sincere gratitude for the ind address which you have presented to me, and still more for the address which you have presented, and which you; have requested me to forward to Her Majesty —the address which you have presented to the Queen, on this the jubilee year of her reign. I am sure we are very much indebted to Mr and Mrs John Reid for having placed their very fine grounds at the disposal of the Committee which is assembled here before me on this occasion, in aid of the benevolent institutions about Oamaru, and I am sure that nothing could be more grateful to Her Majesty than that the jubilee year of her reign should be chosen for an occasion of this description. I can assure you that I shall have great pleasure, in forwarding to Her Majesty that address which you nave handed to me, and.lam certain that it will be received in that spirit in which it has been sent, and tha,t it will afford Her Majesty the. greatest pleasure that the people of North Otago have not been the test, if they have not been theflrsV in New Zealand in recognising this grand event which is to take plaoe in this year 1887 I may take this opportunity, of stating that it has been to my noticeWitjß very dear to Her Majesty and to her &»ir Apparent, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, that somejtting memorial of this great occasion should, e*iat lath*

metropolis of the Empire of Great Britain, and I am sure no more fitting adopted than"that which has been suggested by H.R.H.,trio,Prino« oi'Wales, and has received the entire support of Her Majesty the Queen, that there should be in London* what has been termed an Imperial Institute ; that is, a place where the products of the colonies as well as those of the Mother Country shall be accumulated, so that the peoples of the world in general shall be able to see at any rate a few of the products of these distant countries. And I conceive that this is a plan which may lead to the extension of commerce, to the advantage of the people of the Empire, and certainly to the advantage of the people inhabiting this portion of Her Majesty's dominions. I trust therefore, that when this question is brought before the people of New Zealand, they will see their way to assist in such a grand and noble enterprise. I take this opportunity of mentioning this matter to you now, but it will be brought before the people of New Zealand in a moro formal manner by the Government; of the country, and I doubt not that it will receive a fitting response. With these, few [remarks, gentlemen, I beg again to thank you for the honor you have done me fn presenting to mej such a handsome address. I beg to thank you on the part' of Her Majesty for the loyal sentiments which you have expressed towards her, and I beg again to assure you that with great pleasure I shall present to Her Majesty that address which you have handed to me, and which I .doubt not she will receive from you with the utmost gratitude. - On tne invitation of Mr John Reid, three cheers were then given for His Excellency, who immediately, afterwards drove to an enclosure where preparations had been made for planting a Jubilee oak. His Excellency performed this ceremony in an exceedingly happy manner, the remarks which he made being of a humorous character, fitting the occasion. When the tree was placed in position, the Garrison Band played " The Brave ( Old Oak," and theassemblagethendispersed to carry out the bent of their inclinations in regard to the miscellaneous programme of sports a»d amusements which proceeded simultaneously. The Volunteers were shortly called upon to enter into the difficulties of a sham-fight which was of a simple description. The defending party took up a position .near the Waireka church, and" the aggressors made a steady advance and attack, taking the building. In the, courge of the afternoon: the band, under' the oonductorship of Mr G. Jones, played several selections, which were attentively listened to by a large number of people j 1 and the legerdemain entertainments given by a gentleman in the disguise of Count Kowhumphiouskiy were wonderfully well patronised. Other modes of enjoyment were freely indulged in, and the various methods adopted of raising money seemed to be proving very successful. It should be noted that all the refreshments which were to be.had on the grounds were dispensed by amateur caterers, who handed over the proceeds of their business to the general fund. A sale of work was continually, carried on by a number of selfsacrificing ladies, and a fair amount of money was raised by this means. A modest calculation of the l financial results of the fete, revealed the fact jihat with the- Government subsidy about LI,OOO will be handed oyer to the Oamaru Hospital and .Benevo: lent Institution. '

The special train for Dunediri'left Elderslie at 5.45 p.m., and the excursionists arrived home about half-past eleven. A slight detention was caused on the Ngapara branch by , the combined trains ; for Oamaru and Diinedih proving too heavy for the locomotives on one of the steep grades. I am sorry to have to record the occurrence of two accidents in connection with the fite. A boy named Bell jumped offono of the return trains to get his hat while it was travelling at a good rate, and sustained concussion of the brain in consequence. A serious accident happened to a little girl named Gladhill, who ran a narrow escape of being killed. ; While a train was passing by the Elderslie station platform the little thing fell in front of a carriage, and one of the wheels passed over her foot before she could be rescued. The consequence was that it was much crushed and will have to be amputated. . -