THE GOVERNOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13745, 9 May 1908, Page 5

THE GOVERNOR.

Tiikip. Excf.ixentiks ' (Lord and Lady Plnnket) entertained the local and visiting Freemasons at a garden party in Government House grounds yesterday* there being a very large attendance. In the evening Their Excellencies attended the farewell performance of the Julius Knight Company at His Majesty's Theatre. To-day the Governor and Lady Plunket and party leave for Ivawau, whore a week will be spent. Government. House has had many visitors (kiring the past few weeks (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent), and most of the vice-regal furniture has been packed and is in course of removal, while the ancient building is being prepared for Parliamentary occupation. It is not generally known that under an Act of 1873 the Governors of New Zealand must provide their own private furniture, while they are expected to provide all the furniture for official as well as private rooms. ■ As, however, it would be both inconvenient and ungenerous to store the contents of Government House- in Wellington while His Excellency is residing elsewhere, a large portion of its equipment is being * transferred temporarily to the Auckland residence, and to furnish the additions which are being made to Mr. Strang's house at Palmerston ( North, in view of its vice-i - egal occupation, j In having to provide their own private iuiniture Governors are treated worse than Cabinet Ministers, who have a- house and furniture provided .for them, in default of which they are entitled to a special allowance of £200 a year. The Act of 1873 provides that the following rooms at Government House, Wellington, shall be furnished at the State's expense:—Reception rooms, halls and corndors, diningrooni, ballroom, official rooms. ' Governor's room,, private secretaries and aide-de-camps' rooms, Executive Council's rooms, and Clerk of Executive Council's ' room. The cost of furniture in all other £ rooms must be borne by the Governor. A J maximum of £350 a year can be provided ' by the State for the upkeep of the rooms and grounds. In 1873 this may have been an ample allowance, but in these expensive days it would provide salary for but two gardeners. On one occasion Parliament made a special vote of £500 to assist a Governor in refurnishing.