THE ROYAL VISIT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4311, 21 March 1901, Page 5

THE ROYAL VISIT.

MOVEMENTS OF THE OPHIR. THE RECEPTION IN SYDNEY. LONDON, March 19. The steamer Ophir, with tiie Duke mid Duchess of Cornwall and suite on board, was off the entrance to tho Bay of Biscay on Sunday morning, and exchanged signals there with a steamer Homeward bound from West ■ Africa. Rough weather was met with by the Ophir m crossing the Bay of Biscay. The children of the Duke and Duchess of York are staying at Marlborough House. SYDNEY, March 20. The citizens of Sydney propose to hold a. grand concert during the visit of tho Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. I It is intended to present to their Royal Highnesses views of the city bound in solid gold. The city proposes to spend £2OO on a casket, containing an address. ACCOMMODATING COUNTRY CHILDREN. A DIFFICULT PROBLEM.

_ At yesterday’s meeting of the Education Board, Mr F. Bradcy raised the question as to what step:: were to he taken to provide for the school children who would visit Wellington to take part in the festivities incidental to the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. Mr Bradoy presumed that the children would come down from the country in charge of their teachers. • He thought that the plot of ground opposite the baud' rotunda in Jervois quay should be placed at the disposal of our prospective juvenile visitors, and that the largo locturc-rooni in the. Education offices should bo sot apart for their use. The chairman, said' the practice had hitherto been to leave the matter in the hands of the committee of each individual school. . The display at Jubilee -time had been limited to a. demonstration of the children of the oity and suburban schools on the Basin Reserve. It _ would be a. great , responsibility to bring aTlot of children away from their homos at the time of year at which, tile Royal visit was to take place. Of course, tho Board would help the committees as far as possible with any programme which they might arrange. Mr Young was not in favour of bringing a lot of children in from any distance. It wbuld bo a very difficult thing indeed to take charge of a host of little ones in an immense throng suchl 5 as there would be- on the occasion. If they cam© at all they must be in charge of their teachers, parents arid members of school committees. Mr Buchanan said there could- he no doubt it was the duty of the Board to assist as far as practicable in securing the attendance of the children at the demonstration. The difficulty would ho in procuring rolling-stock to bring them here and back again. He did 1 not think either the teachers or the Board would bo justified in taldng the responsibility of providing for the children, whilst they wore located! here.

Mr Robertson said l it was not contemplated that the children should! take part in a procession. The City Council was making preparations for the erection of a stand, from which the children could witness the proceedings. He fancied no organised attempt would he made to bring the children here in Charge of their teachers. Mr Hogg was afraid) the children's demonstration would have to be oonfin. ed to the residents of the city and suburbs. It would be almost impracticable to bring the country children down here. The teachers, he felt sure, would l not take the responsibility.

Mr Bradey' said he was interesting himself in bringing the Porirua and Pahautanui children down, and was making arrangements for a brass hand to accompany them. Eventually, on the suggestion of the chairman, a committee, consisting' of Messrs Bradey, Hogg/ Robertson, Young and the.mover, was set np to act on behalf of the Education Board, and assist as far 'as possible in the re. ccption of the children.

DISCUSSION IN AUCKLAND. MIESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, March 20. A meeting of the executive of tho Royal Reception Committee' was held tins morning, the Mayor presiding. In the course of discussion, Mr G. Fowlds, M.H.R.. said he was in thorough sympathy with the idea that the Council should pay for the reception. A ricli city like Auckland should he able to afford £2OOO. In England, when a town received Royalty, it was an unheard-of thing to pass round the hat for subscriptions. Let them see that the reception was worthy of our loyalty {to the Empire and its head, and not a. sham. Ho thought £ISOO was the minimum that should he asked tor. Mr A. H. Nathan moved, ‘‘That the Council bo asked to vote towards the cost of receiving the Duke and. Duchess of Cornwall a sum of not less than £1500.” This was carried. Mr Upton moved that, seeing that the City Council was limited by law to an expenditure of £250, tho executive ask the Council to approach the Premier with a view toi getting a Bill of indemnity brought in when Parliament meets. This was carried. Mr Fowlds moved that as tho matter concerned the whole district, all local bodies he asked to contribute towards the reception fund. Agreed l to. It was then proposed that the executive spend on the Royal reception a sum not exceeding £3OOO. Mr Stichhuvy said tho Harbour Board would probably spend some £BOO, which would relieve the executive to some extent. The motion was carried. DUNEDIN, March 20. The question of bringing tho country school children to Dunedin during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall came before the Education Board to-day by letter from Mr J. F. M. Fraser. Members were unanimous that, if practicable, tho suggestion should ho adopted, and the matter was remitted to a committee to confer with country and city committees.

With a view of obtaining information as to what is being done in the. other centres of the oolony in regal'd to thle reception of the' Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, his Worship the Mayor telegraphed to the Mayors of Dunedin, Christchurch and! Auckland asking them how much they wore proposing to spend, and how the money was being raised. The Mayor of Auckland replied that the Executive Committee there had not yet determined what they would spend. Ho did nob think the Council should be" asked to vote more than £250. The Mayor of Christchurch wired that a meeting of citizens was being called to consider the question. The Mayor of Dunedin also replied that ho intended calling a meeting to consider the matter. The Auckland' Harbour Board has defied to decorate the wharves ou the arrival of ihcDuke and Oneness of Corn, wall. It was' suggested at the meeting that the Duke be askedi to lay the foundation stone of Admiralty House, Auckland.