THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO WAIKATO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5490, 21 June 1879, Page 5

THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO WAIKATO.

ARRIVAL AT HAMILTON. [BT TELEGRAPH, FROM BTJR REPORTER.] Hamilton, Friday. In anticipation of the Governor's visit by rail to-day, many of the stations were decorated. The Pukekobe Station wa3 particularly neat, with, fronds of fern and. nikau and other evergreen ornaments. A string festoon of flags crossed the line. Tuakau was also dejorated with evergreens, and a motto, " Welcome to Tuakau." At Mercer the people were under a disadvantage, the station being the wreck of the recent fire, but they did their best to hide their baldness by means of liberal garlands of evergreens. His Excellency, accompanied by Captain St. John, A.D.C., the Hon. J. Sheehan, Hon Colonel Whitmore, Rewi, Hotere, Hone Nahe, M. H.R., Mr. J. C. Young, Rev. Meysey-Thompson and others, arrived at the Hamilton railway station about twenty minutes to two o'clock. They were received by the mayor, councillors, burgesses and officials. The following were present:— The Mayor (Mr. J. B. Whyte), Councillors Beale, Davson, Gwynne, Gaudin, Hume, Knox, McDonald, and Gelling (Town Clerk), Colonel Lyon, L. O'Neill, Rev. Calder, Mr. Von Stunner, and Mr. R. F. Sander The vice-regal party was welt received. The Mayor stepped forward, and addressing the Governor, said : I wish to show your Excellency that although, at your request, and owing to the shortness of your visir, your rec-ption here will be a quiet one, the people of Hamilton, had it been possible, would have given you a welcome better suited to your official position and high personal reputation. His Worship then read the address, as follows: — "To Sir H. Robinson, &C.M.G. : May it please your Excellency,—VTe, the Mayor, councillors, and burgesses of Hamilton gladly avail ourselves of the opportunity of welcoming you on this your first visit to the Waikato, also of expressing our loyalty to our sovereign, Queen Victoria, and oar gratification at your appointment as her representative in New Zealand. Your stay, though necessarily short, we trust will be enjoyable, and that on some future occasion you may be pleased to honour us with a loDger visit.■— On behalf of the burgesses of Hamilton, J. B. Whyte, Mayor ; J. M. Gelling, Town Clerk." |

His Excellency, in reply, said: Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen, —I receive with pleasure your expressions of loyalty, and thank you for the hearty welcome you have given to me on this my first visit to Waikato. My time on this visit is limited, but I hope to return and make a longer stay, and make myself acquainted with the resources of the place and the residents. Three hearty cheers were then given for His Excellency, and the vice-regal party aud suite were driven in carriages into Hamilton, where they were provided with luncheon by host Pearce, of the Commercial Hotel. DEPUTATIONS. During the stiy of His Excellency at Hamilton, the Mayor and Mr. Kennedy Hill waited on His Excellency, and, at their request. Sir Herculf s became the President of the Waikato Turf Club. A deputation, respecting the Hamilton Infantry Corps, wait-id on Colonel Whitmore, who said he would recommend their acceptance by the Government, and promised to arm them {some 90 members) with Enfields at once, replacing these with Sniders in about six week's time, when a large consignment would arrive from home. It is stated the Government recognised the duty of defending the settlers in the country districts, and mentioned that, so expensive had been the Volunteer spirit when called forth he had to refuse the services of some GOO old comrades-in-arms, and he might almost say thousands of raw recruits.

; ARRIVAL AT CAMBRIDGE. Cambridge, Friday, 7.30 p.m. t The vice-regal party, consisting of tho i Governor, his aide-de-camp, private secr-f i tary, Hon. J. Sheehan, Hon. Colonel Whiti more, Colenei Lyon, Mr. J. C. Young, ; Hone Nahe, M.H.R., and others, arrived at i Cambridge about 5 o'clock. They were rei ceived in a most enthusiastic manner by . Europeans and natives. The natives, under i the direction of Mr. Grace, Native Ageut, made a large muster, and gave a demonstrative reception in their own style. In consequence of the sitting of the Native Lands Court here at present there was an unusually largo attendance of natives from all parts of the Island. The demonstration over, Mr. Wells, , Chairman of the Town Board, who was accompanied by Messrs. Richardson and others, were introduced by Colonel Lyon, and Mr. Wells presented the following address : —" To Sir Hercules Robinson, G C.M.G., —May it pleasey our Excellency,— We, the chairman and members of the Town Board and citizens of Cambridge, although knowing that you are deßirious of passing through our district on this occasion quietly, would yet beg leave to tender you our devotion and loyalty to Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, and to bid you, the most popular of Australian Governors, a hearty welcome to our town. We thank you for this early visit, and, whilst regretting that tho exigencies of State make it necessarily short, we hope soon to be honoured by your presence amongst us again, in company with the Hon. Lady Robinson, and that your stay will be a long and agreeable one.— Thomas Wells, ohairmau ; D.Richardson, H. Kirkwood, members of the Cambridge North Township Board." His Excellency made a brief reply, thanking the residents for their expressions of loyalty, and for the hearty reception accorded to him. Tana Thompson, son of the famous chief, William Thompson, then read the following address, which was interpreted to His Excellency by Mr. W. H. Grace. The address was signed by Lading representatives of all tribes of the North Island, and was as follows: —" To His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand: Salutations to you ! Welcome, welcome to New Zealand ! It is a good thing that you have come to see us. Why, what is there wrong in coming to see one another, for by seeing each other we are able to utter our thoughts, and shew our love, and discover the means by which a better state of things can be brought about to exist in our Island, for love alone is the cord that can bind the two races and make them one. Come to Waikato ! this part of the Island which has Been evil days and death. Do you bring good intentions and good works, and thus wash out the memory of the past days. Come and be a protector to your people under the shadow of our gracious Queen and her laws. We look forward to the time when others of us will return and place ourselves under your administration. Welcome, with your Ministers, who direct and carry out your laws. Welcome to the chiefs who accompany you, both Maori and European. Tn conclusion, we ask you to frequently visit your Maori people in all parts of the Island, taking with you peace and good-will." The address was signed by a Urge number of influential chiefs. His Excellency replied, Mr. Sheehan interpreting for him. He said : Thank you very much for the welcome you have given me, aud for your expressions of goodwill and loyalty to the Queen. I hops I shall be able to frequently visit the Maori people, and sincerely join with you in the wish that during my stay in Now Zealand peace may be permanently established between the two races. The next feature of the reception was a most interesting one. It was the presentation of an address from the Hauhau people, as follows :—To the Governor : This is a welcome to you from beyond the mountain. Friend, salutations ! Come and see the King of this island, and seo whether his doings are good or bad. Come and hear whether they are right or wrong ; whether they are for derth or for life. This is all from all tho Ngatihaua Hauhaus here at Cambridge. — Signed, Te Tcmuwhera, Wharerata, Takaimoana Hororiri, Hone , Wetea." Mr. J. C, Young was unable to take any prominent part in the reception, either as interpreter or gnest. A number of the . natives attending the Land Court are from the Taupo and Lake districts, and recognising , him as the land-pnrchase agent for their districts, and they fairly beseiged him for advances. After the reception, His Excellency, accompanied by his A.D.C., private secretary, and Colonel Whitmore, proceeded to Fen Conrt, where they were entertained by Mr. Every McLean. Every hotel in the place is crowded to excess, and visitors to-day have the greatest difficulty in finding beds. To-morrow the vice-regal party proceed to Kihikihi and Te Awamutu. At the latter place a oavalry review will be held. Kihikihi, Friday. We are very busy making preparations for the Governor's reception. He arrives here to-morrow morning.