THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 820, 22 January 1867, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT.

The Christchurch papers con tarn a long account of the enthusiastic reception given to His Excellency on his arrival there. We make the following extracts from the Press, of the 15th :— - At the port the principal places of business were- decorated with evergreens and flags. At the foot of Oxford-street a triumphal arch was erected, which did credit to the designers. It was composed of evergreens and flowers very tastefully decorated. The landing stairs were also decorated with flags and evergreens, the work of the boatmen of the port. The wharf at the end of Oxford-street was crowded with sight-seers eager, to obtain the first view of His Excellency.

I . the. arrival at port. . Shortly after ten the' Queen was signalled at the flagstaff in Camp Bay, and a general rush was made for the wharf. ' The ships were at once covered with flags, and the ' smaller vessels displayed all the bunting at ' their command. It had been arranged that Captain White, of the Blue Jacket, should fire two guns as soon as it was cer- ' tain that tbe Governor was on board, the Queen,, and the signal was anxiously looked for by those on . shore, but a couple of hours passed before it was given. It appears that , the Queen, owing to the fresh fair wind whioh she had encountered during her run from Wellington, had made a quick passage, and as it had been arranged that His Excellency should hot land before one o'clock, the vessel had brought up in Little Port Cooper to wait until that hour. However, shortly after twelve o'clock, the longexpected signal was given from the Blue Jacket ; the bugles were sounded, and the volunteers mustered and marched down to , the wharf, preceded by the band of No. 2 Battery, and formed a double line through which His Excellency was to pass up to the place at which it was arranged that the address of the City Council should be delivered. About half-past one o'clock a gun from the Queen announced that the Governor had actually left the vessel, and No. 1 Battery, which was stationed- at the end of Peacock's wharf, fired a salute of seventeen guns, which was answered by the Blue Jacket, which vessel hauled down her colours and hoisted the Union Jack at the main. The boat was received at the steps by the chairman and members of the City Council, who escorted Sir George Grey to the dais in front of the Post-office, where he was most vociferously cheered. On the opposite side of the street an enclosure had been made, in which seats were placed for the use of the ladies. Here an address was delivered by Mr. Ward, chairman of the Municipal Council, to which His Excellency appropriately replied. After the address had been received, His Excellency partook of a dejeuner at the Queen's Hotel. His Excellency left Lyttelton for Christchurch about half-past two, in the carriage provided by Cobb and Co. for the occasion. A guard of honor, formed by the Yeomanry Cavalry, escorted him over the hill and into town. All along many decorations were met with, and at the Summer Hotel an arch of. evergreens was erected across the road. On the swing-bridge the cortege was met by the members of No. 8, the Valley Company, who presented arms and accompanied the procession into town. reception op his excellency in christchurch. Meantime the inhabitants of Christchurch had not been backward in their preparations to give His Excellency a fitting reception. The day had been proclaimed as a public holiday, but during the early morning there was little beyond the fact that the shops were closed, and flags were flying from most of the principal stores and other buildings, to denote that anything more than common was about to take place. At the spot on the Ferry road where it is crossed by the town Belt (where the oak trees were planted to commemorate the marriage of the Prince of Wales) a triumphal arch had been erected by the City Council, and there it was arranged that his Excellency should be received by. a procession comprising the City Councillors, the Christchurch Volunteers, the members of the Fire Brigade, and other citizens, and welcomed with a loyal address to the metropolis of Canterbury. Punctually to its time the expected procession began to make its appearance on its way. from the place of rendezvous at the City Council Office. First came the band of the Canterbury Volunteers, then the several companies in order, No. 6 taking the lead, followed by No. 2, and then by No. 1, the Engineers coming last of all. Next walked the Chairman of the City Council with the members of the Council and the City officers in close attendance ; then the Chairman and members of the Kaiapoi Municipal Council, who had been ' invited to take part in the procession ; and lastly came the Fire Brigade, in their uniforms and helmets, with their flags bearing the motto of the brigade, "Always ready." On arriving at the arch, the Volunteers j marched under and formed in a line along \ each side of the road beyond, the city officials took up their position near the arch ready to present their address, the spectators crowded around as closely as the mounted police, of whom there were several on the ground, would allow them to approach, and all awaited with more or less eagerness the first signal of His Excellency's arrival. Fortunately they had not long to wait. The above preparations had scarcely been completed when a party of the Yeomanry Cavalry rode up aud announced that His Excellency was close at hand, and in a few minutes the cavalry appeared in sight escorting a four-horse carriage, in which were seated His Excellency the Governor, the Hon. Major Richardson, and Mr. Moorhouse. The carriage passed at a walking pace between the ranks of the Volunteers, and stopped on reaching the arch, when Mr. William Wilson, Chairman of the City Council, stepped forward and presented a congratulatory address, to which His Excellency returned an appropriate reply. After the cermony had been gone through the procession moved on to Christchurch. THE DEJEUNER IN THE TOWN HALL. A city corporation would have greatly failed in its reputation had it considered that the Governor could be rightly said to have been welcomed if he had not been i asked to dinner ; and whatever may be the merits or demerits of our Christchurch mayors, past, present, or future, we do not think it likely that among the latter want of hospitality will ever have to be enumerated. Such at all events is not the case now. No sooner was it known that the Governor was about to pay his long promised visit to Christchurch than the first thought of the City Council was to entertain him at a public dinner, or at least with such .an approach to a dinner as the short and rather indefinite notice rendered practicable. The .Town Hall was naturally chosen as the scene of the banquet, and about 150 invitations were issued, a number which included , all the leading citizens, members of the ; Provincial Council, and other local notabilities. The room was decorated with flags , and banners, and the Volunteer band played t at intervals appropriate strains of operatic ■ music. The Governor, of course, occupied f the post of honor in the centre of the i uppermost table, and was supported by the ■ Chairman of- the City Council, his Honor the Superintendent, and others. Mr. Ora-

croft Wilsonj|resided at the' opposite end, and near him were seated Maori chiefs who have accompanied his Excellency on his journey southwards. .„,..;,, After dinner, after the usual loyal toasts had been disposed of, .Mr, Wilson proposed the health of His Excellency. His Excellency, on rising to reply, was greeted with rPunl after round of cheering, so that it was some time' before he could begin to speak. When the enthusiasm had at last subsided, he said he could really j scarcely find words to thank them for. the splendid reception given to him that dey. He found it so impossible to express what he felt, that he was really ashamed in making the attempt.. Everything was so different to what it had been when he last visited this country tha-t he felt a difficulty in recognising his position. He might almost compare himself to Rip Van Winkle, (cheers and laughter). He was sure he must have slept. a. great number of years and had come back to a place he ought to know well, but when he looked around him he recognised indeed some important landmarks but everything else seemed changed ; many old friends had departed, though he saw iiimself still among some friends of long standing; and he was so bewildered by the changes that met him on every side that he ppuld not express what he felt on the occasion. He would only say that he really felt himself one of them ; and that all who had taken part in the establishment of this new country, who had added to the commerce of the human race (cheers), had sent forth across the ocean vessels freighted with their goods (cheers), and had built up a home for future millions (cheers) — one and all of them who had taken part in this bad done a work of which they might well be proud. (Loud cheers.) He- felt glad that endeavours hitherto misunderstood, and actions hitherto undervalued, had still in the face of such disadvantages been persevered with onwards and onwards till so much had been accomplished. [Loud cheers.] He felt that the value of what had beendone would ultimately be fully and] fondly recognised [cheers] ; that it would at last be known that this colony was no unworthy scion of the greatest empire the world had ever seen, and that we were worthy of the race from whence we sprung. [Loud cheers.] He did not know whether they had read Andersen's charming fairy tales, but a thought came into his mind as he came there that day in which he felt sure they would all agree with him. What he said was, I do believe New Zealand will turn out the ugly duck. [Loud cheers, and laughter]. He must now ask them to fill their glasses for a toast. He drank to the health of the Chairman of the Municipal Council, Christchurch, to whose exertions the progress of the city was in so great a measure to be attributed. His Excellency then resumed his seat amid loud and protracted cheering. His Excellency then left the Town Hall and then proceeded to Melville-house, escorted by the cavalry. The Governor entered amid much cheering from a crowd which had collected in the neighborhood of Government Buildings to see him go by, accompanied by the Superintendent and the Provincial Executive. The cavalry were then dismissed, Mr. J. C. Wilson saying that His Excellency had told him that 'he never expected to see such a fine body of men in Canterbury, and ; desired him to thank them for their attendance. The Maori chiefs were afterwards accompanied to their lodgings at the Carlton hotel by Mr. Stewart and Mr. Beswick. A crowd of unsatisfied spectators continued to hang about Melville-house for; some time after the Governor had entered. THE ILLUMINATIONS. During the evening several of the principal buildings were illuminated. Some of the designs were very choice; and displayed a considerable amount of taste in the geting up. Amongst the noteworthy were those shown at the Town Hall, Messrs. Wilson and Alport's, Messrs. Cobb and Co.'s, Messrs. Peterson, Coates, and at the City Hotel. The Governor will hold a levee at the Council Chamber, Chsistphurch, on Friday, and the Town Hall, Lyttelton, on Saturday. The Provincial Council gave a grand ball last night Jan. 16, in honor of the Superintendent. The Governor and suite, the Officers of H.M.S. Brisk, and all the elite of the Province were present.