THE MARQUIS OF NORMANBY'S VISIT TO DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5395, 3 March 1879, Page 6

THE MARQUIS OF NORMANBY'S VISIT TO DUNEDIN.

HE DISCUSSES THE I'UOPOSA.L OF AX ELECTIVE COVEKNOK. [PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] Dosedin-, February 19. The Ringarooma arrived this morning at Port Chalmers, with the Marquis of Norinanby. The Port Volunteers and about 100 people assembled. An address was presented by the Corporation, to which a suitable response was given. After these proceedings His Excellency returned to the steamer, and waited until a special train was ready, by which he came oil to Dunediu. The Mayor and leading citizens met him at the railway, and several hundreds of people afforded His Excellency a very cordial reception. No demonstration beyond hearty cheers, and a salvo of seventeen guns by the Artillery, took place here, but His Excellency was escorted to the new Volunteer Hall. On reaching the hall, the grouud floor of which was completely filled with ladies and gentlemen, and the galleries with children, tlie National Anthem was given with good effect by the children. The Mayor (Mr. N. J. Walter) addressed a few words of welcome to His Excellency. The Town Clerk read an address from the Cit3' Council. In replying, His Excellency, on referring to his gratification on the reception accorded to him, went on to say : "I shall always look for, and watch the progress made by the colony. Of the future destiny of New Zealand, I have no fear whatever. Thirty-five years ago the country was little more than a desert, but now, if one looks round and sees towns like Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, and the smiling homesteads scattered around countrydistricts, he cannot fail to recognise that this land must become a great and prosperous country. You have a Constitution moulded on that of the old country, which is, I may say, the admiration of the world, and the veneration of those who live under it. It may be susceptible of improvement, but in making any necessary changes, I beg of you to do so with a gentle and cautious hand. It is easy to demolish and destroy, but it is not always so easy to rebuild. (Applause.) I will not detain you much longer, because I am obliged to eschew everything—it is my duty to eschew everything—of a party character, but there is one thing upon which I had determined, if the opportunity was afforded me, to make a few remarks upon, before leaving this colony, and I know of no opportunity which I am likely to have so fitting as the one when I have such a large assemblage as this present one. (Applause.) The subject to which I refer has been mooted, and, having been mooted, I think I am perfectly justified in making allusion to it, because it is one which is not_only of local but of Imperial interest. Since 1 have travelled the colony pretty nearly end to end, I have visited all your principal towns, and many of your rural districts, and in all I have been met with expressions of loyalty and attachment to the Queen, and of veneration to the mother country. (Cheers.) Well, gentlemen, J place implicit reliance upon those utterauces. I certainly believe thorn to be heartfelt. They are, in fact, thoroughly and eutirely to be relied upon, and I believe that auy one who would venture in auy assemblage in New Zealand to advise separation froir tho mother country would receive verj scant courtesy indeed. (Ctieera aucl ap. plause.) Well, the point which I wish tc touch upon is one which I have heard witb Bincere regret. I have heard of late the theorj advocated that it would be to the advantage of New Zealand that, instead of having the representative of Her Majesty over you you should have an elective Governor. (Cries of "No, no" and "Question."; I have no intention of entering iutc any argument as to whether an elective Governor is good or bad. It is not diflicult to show that this projcct of an olective Governor is not answering very well in the countries which possess them. I have spokeu to uiauy intelligent Americans of their country and their method of government, and in almost every instance they have assured me that they con sider that the one only defect in their Con stitution. When it is put plainly, What doej it mean ? It simply means separation fron England. That proposition, it put straight forwartlly to you, would not be entertainer for a moment, but coming under a cover i is possible that it might become a politica cry, and we all know that when politica cries are once started people are sometime: carried away by their party feelings, ant mischief arises which at auy other tinn would not happen. In speaking now as you Governor I do so from no authority hut iuj own, aud j ou may take my words for wha they are worth, but of this I am perfectly convinced that no Government, no Parlia ment, nor the people of England would hav any colony remaining attached to the Erapir after refusing to receive Her Majesty's re presentative. I can only say there iB m man in the colony or in England who attache greater value than 1 do to the honor of tin mother country, and X may tell you that i the question came before Parliament, would, from my place in the House of Lords vote against auy colony remaining in tin Empire that refused to receive Her Majesty' representative. I have, perhaps, spokei warmly on this subject, but it is because I feel warmly. I should grieve to sei anything that should sever that which unite England with her colonies, and I feel tha this matter of electing the Governor wouli serve to break that tie for ever. 1 will nov conclude. I can only thank you from m; heart for tho very kind expressions receiver by me tj-day. It is the greatest rewari I could expect, to feel that I have gained thi esteem and respect of the inhabitants of Nev Zealand." (Loud and prolonged applause. An address was also presented by thi friendly societies, and responded to. At thi undress levee, in the Supreme Court, fiftj gentlemen were present. His Excellency was entertained at JFernhill Club. He toot his departure for the Port again by train, about nine o'clock,