THE ROYAL VISIT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12036, 7 May 1901, Page 2

THE ROYAL VISIT.

WAITING FOR THE DDKE.

ALONG THE LINK OL , ROUTE,

(!!t Mr M.ii.coi.m Ross.—Our Spkcial ConI'.Ksi'osnr.XT ix , Melbourne.) MELBOUBNE. May 1. A breezy pior like an elongated capital 1/ stretches out from the rising grqnnd of St. Hilda into the quiet waters ot Hobson's Hay. ami it h at this point that tho Fluke ami Duchess of Cornwall will firct sot foot on Australian soil. Hern the first suburban resident built his home jmd named it St. KiMa. after tho Outer Isle of the wind-swept Hebrides, when Melbourne was but a baby village four years old. Westward across the water on tliit May afternoon one ws a small forest of nm«U dimlv through the smoky haze. They tower tibuve the unseen wharves nf Williamstown. More to tin- northward (he tall chimneys of Port Melbourne and tins spar? of the bin Homo liner* ri»c beyond tho rhiinuicring waters in which Hit! afternoon sun ;s gleaming. WnrkiiU'ii, with adze and hammer, are busy on the pier, smoothing nut the irregularities of the planta, on which a slrip of carpet a quarter of a mile long in to be laid. Some fort of diver bird is busy with the fish between the nirr and the flotilla of yachts anchored near by. and black-plumed shags nail every now and tlieu with heavy flight overhead. Landwards, flanking the pier on either hand, am lung sea baths more r.r less dilapidated, bearing the legends of laterday commerce in staring black-painted letters. On the left you note that "Captain Keuiiy's baths are Al al Lloyd's, and universally admitted to be tho best in the world." The legend must have been pair.tcd U)) when the world wan young. The more .node.it Mr Ilcgarty. on the other side, is content with stating that his " Railway baths for gentlemen are the deepest and best in the colonies." Captain Keiuiy—or the St. Kilda Council, maybe.—with u due regard to the amenities, U painting out !iis staring legond, and it is to be hoped that Mr Hourly will follow suit. It would hardly bo fitting—indeed, it would be impolite—to siiggert so milch about killing to Hie royal eoupli! the moment they srt foot on Australian Boil. Hut the yacfttanni's arch whieli has yet to be erected on the pier will no don .t make amends for all tin';, and bear a more appropriate welcome than meets the eye at the instance of lletrnrty and Co. .Stepping off the pior, wo find gangs of men at work clearing and levelling'an unsightly bit of land and malting a new street, over which the roynl carriage will. he driven. Horse teams arc carting away tiPierfliious soil or bringing hither tel.-i of metal and tarry asphalt. ISig iron rollers, drawn by horse?, are smoothing out the irregularities. St. Kil<h is really waking tip—a little late it may bo— to the honour Hint i< being thru?! upon it. Flanking these improvements rises the substantial In-ii-k wall «f Ihc long esplann-.le. which begins in a sweeping curve eastward, and along which the cable trains chase each other citywards in quick succession. Following the '.me of nmte we find here no decoration, but near at hand, on the right, is "The Ucdrgo" Hotel, anil a little further on "The l'rince. of Wales"—a modest suburban inn, with a pliiino of three stiff wooden feathers above its sign. At length we rame to the largo arch which St. Kilda and its neighbour (Prnhron) are building. From this point northwards for tiro miies there is no further nttempl at decoration; but the broad St. Kilda road, with its long lines of deciduous trees (■hanging their summer green to the gold and brown of autumn, is anything but mean. Presently, however, we catch a EJimpsu of Government House, raising its pile in splendid isolation in the midst of tho beautiful grounds that stretch away from it. Flanking the broad entrance gates on either side, a transformation scene, in which rockery and foliage play an important part, is growing gradually before our eyes. Ilere, too, (he long lines of coloured Venetian ma3ts, that arc so fine a feature in the scheme of decoration, begin, and •troteli away for miles through the very heart, of the city. Different schemes of colour alternate in the long row.*, but hero at the start they are of blue and gold—the Duke's colours. They lead us on to l'rinees Bridge, where a truly splendid areh interposes, its stately dome. Tall double Doric columns hold up huge braziers, in which baths of coloured fires will burn amid the oilier' illuminations at night time. This is the Corporation arch, and its stately portals form a filling entrance to the city proper. It i* worthy of perpejuation in some, other material as a fitting memorial of the royal visit. The prow of a hiije galley, on the stem of which is a great lion's heaVl in gold, projects above the central arch, and there is a fine sentiment and appropriateness in the mottoes between the double columns that flank the side arches—on ihe left, "The city hails bet- Monarch'? son," and on the right-. -"The wattle, greets the rose of York." On the other side the stern of the galley bears the one word " Australia'' in letters of gold: and below n Latin motto, not yet printed, are two others—"One life, one Hag" and "One fleet, ono throne." The scheme of colour is being picked out iu gold and red, and .a thousand golden incandescent electric lanu>9 will light the scene at night. Crowds gather here all day long, and razo in admiration. I-leru, too, ami rk'hl along the wide street in the direction of (tarermncnt House, l»ml« of gardeners tie making the wilderness to blc.Jto:n like the ruse with' rock and earth and plants and shrubs of many kinds nml climes. The street and the approaches to tho bridge have taken on a neir Mid bcaiitrons njpeel, and nmongsl the greenery one can see the veronica and the tins of New Zealand keeping company with tho e:ielus and the palm of Australia. Is it an omen of greater federation yet to ho? A splendid boulevard, now all bin completed, leads from the bridge away round by Uovormncnt House, providing a fine eimilgo, drive, an equestrian (rack, ft cycling trarjr; and a broad footpath. Below, the murky waters of the Yavra flow slowly seaward in graceful sweep, and just beyond the stately piles and spires of the city will first meet the -eye of royally. Passing along (lift bridge, between the i'tnvs of Doric columns, we come 10 two great tower:' that will he very eifective. These are being erected by the Railway department. We are now in Swanston street, and iu a few minute* find ourselves under the King's Areh, in which the dominating colour* are red and gold. On one of the sjde arches is Ihe sentence "(iod save the King," and on the other "Ijimj; may he reign," wliilo above the central arc!:, whieli 11 surmounted with the royal coat of arms, is printed in huge letters, "Edward Vll." The. columns are surmounted try crowns, ?f( by Eft in dimension. Everywhere one lcok< now along tho main streets arc seen arches of various designs. One very fine arc!; near the top of Collins street k the Quean's Arch: , It is topped with a figuro of the Qticcn, and there arn .long vistas of Venetian poles which snon will lie clothed with greenery and thousands of fluttering flags. Are!: loads to areli along the flately streets,, and on the high public buildings men swarm aloft like flies, itretehjng bands cf electric lights on dome and spire nnd turret. At the power work? i'.i Spencer slrcel, where the eloejrical engineer deigns supreme amongst his whirling dynamos, you may ijot some, idea of the ira-n-ensity of the' impending illuminations. Yet 'nil tho dynamos in Melbourne will not he able to supply ™Mi tho power thai is being asked for. The whole of tho elrctrio jihnt in the city; old and new alike, is being trotted out or'furbished up for the spretactilar mghk when the peoplu of the new-born nation will let-Ihomfrivos go. Men ar» working day ami night-Simdav and Momlay-at Gpciirr street ' Facing Collins street there is a beautiful design of' Windsor C'a?tle that will blaze with electric lisrht, anil at the. foot of lilizabelli street a coloured fountain will bo sinnlaily illuminated. Yet another olid lurwr fountain will blase on Kastoru Hi!!. Tho Inhibition Building, whore the Duke is with splendid ceremony to open U" , lire I Parliament of tho ('inpiiitinwGaltli, "ill 1 e a dream of love!ine-.=. Vnv the fir.*l time, in its history tlin exterior of the building will be illuminated, and the great dome, ec:ii for miles around, ami even Ihe high llngpnlp, will bl:vvi> with electricity. Forty thousand lamps will bo used by the Illumination I'ninimt'c- alo»i. on-tlw buildim. , * under their f<mtro!..lu three large buildings, in ai niatiy day, 15.0U0 lamp.; have been placed in position. There are the private illuminations n.ywell, These T could not now attempt In dwrribe, or own indicate, hut when all is ciim(ilt>to, and Ihe hundreds of stands above the verandahs, and the sheet* below, stvn .thronged with thousands upon thousand;'of woiilo it will lip truly a memorable eciiiic. and one that we nnd our Monarch's son will never forget, (,'od send it lo bn a pleasant tiny, nml that Ihe bright' Australian sun limy shine kindly 'down

upon it all when tho great Commonwealth is awakening to a sense of its power a*d it< responsibilities.

MELBOURNE IN THE TIIKOES OF EXPECTATION.

THE BUSY NOTE OF PREPARATION 7 -, THE ACCOMMODATION FOR STRAN. RERS-POINTS OF ETIQUETTE AND OTHER KNOTTY QUESTIONS.

A CiOOD BUT ROUGH PASSAGE

(Bγ W. H. Tbicgs.) j MELBOURNE,.May 2. The e.e. Monon'ai is a good ship, with » good captain, and we who were on our way to Melbourne to attend the Commonwealth, festivities confidently hoped to make a'good passage in her. So wo did, but it was not a smooth one, and tho landsmen will, hardly admit that a sea trip can bo good pimply because it is made in good time, if in the passage he and the vessel both get a severe tossing about. When we. left the Bluff on tho 23rd the Boa waVcalm, and everything looked promising. We were full shipped, and rather gloomily contemplated tho possibility of having t.> sit down to dinner in relays. We might have spared ourselves any anxiety on this score. Dilring the night we got into what was evidently the tail end .of the storm which caused so much havoc on the Australian coast, and until we arrived at Hobnrt only a very attenuated company appeared at riieols. The rest of the. pattcngeN passed out from mortal sight, although not altogether from mortal bearing. They quite reminded us of Boers taking cover during an engagement, eo completely had they disappeared. Among the passengers were the lion. J. (!. Ward, Post-muster-general, with his two merry secretaries, and Captain Alexander. A.D.C., the latter on his way to Melbourne to meet Lady Kanfurly. The fates dealt 'unkindly with theso gentlemen. They occupied deck cabins on the weather side. During the night a sea broke on board and. sivainpetl thoir cabins, so they had incontinently to turn out to eave thoir belongings from tho flood. There was a difficulty iu getting any assistance in the small hours of morning, and Captain Alexander—most cheery of travelling companions, a perfect Mark Tapley in time of misfortune—having put his despatch boxes and other belongings out of harm's way, contended against the Tasman Sea, armed with only a tin shaving-mug, with which, it is .averred, he baled out his cabin for fully three liouk "by Shrewsbury clock." yet his good nature wa* never once disturbed, and at breakfast time one would liavo imagined that it was merely the humour i)f the situation which appealed to him, and that on the whole he rather enjoyed it. Mr Ward, too, is a philosopher who takes gonial vie.we of life; but on this occasion his philosophy was put to a very severe tost. In one of his trunks deluged by the salt inrush from the unmannerly ocean reposed his court drejs— or is it a. Windsor uniform'—in which he was to shine resplendent in the ducal festivities. A thrill went through the ship when we heard the news. One hardly dared to ask to what extent the precious vestment had suffered. The writer very nearly 'screwed his courage to tho slicking point," but the sight of the dre?s cword lying on the cabin fofa. apparently in readiness to chastise impertinent curiosity, made him pause. There were hurried conferences .with stewards and stewardesses and other experts skilled in the way.? of taking out thn stains of salt water, ami we hope for the best. Ncverthewater, and we hope for the best. Neverthless, we shall watch the Hon. .Mr Ward's appearance on the fateful (lay with more than iisnnl interest. In regard to this part of my story, it only remains to add that the writer and ajoiiriial:»tic colleague also occupied a deck cabin on this eventful occasion. Happily they were on Ihe lee side, nnd slept serenely through the night, unconscious of the tragedy that was being enacted only :>. few feet away. Thus docs a certain personage take care of bis own. As -usual, on even a short trip, there was much In interest an observer among his fellow passengers. A very pleasant . and well-informed squatter from tho fii*borno district mentioned two facts which seemed worthy of note. One is this: that some of the settlers in that part of the country have started to work their milk separator by gas engine? driven' by tho natural gas issuing from the springs in tho papa formation. Another is that the inhabitants ~f Uisbornc, having once had tho good taste to plitiit trees ill their main (.trcels, have lion- cut (hem down, because the leaves caused too much litter in the gutters nnd on the footways. A bright-faced little Wangamii College boy told us with pride of the 10 football teams in his school, and we admiif:"" his cntlm-iasni. For the rest, tha tedium of the voyage was relieved by tho fund of reminiscence of the skipper (Captain C'hatfield) a:i dthc bonhomie of tho Po.-tmaster-gcneral, who has an inexhaustible stock of anecdote, and whose social qualities arc appreciated by his political opponents ijiiite as warmly us by his political friends.

.AT HOBAP.T. On arrival at Hobart we found Government House in the hands of the renovator, .and tin , cilizeiiß di>cii?;iug Ihe amount Iliat should be voted for the royal visit. Tho former is a rather picturesque stone building, occupying what is, I believe, the moat beautiful situation among all the (iovernmeiit House of Australasia. It rests on the.slopes overlooking the silver Derwcut, whose waters are studded with whitewinged yachts: while away from tho river and the sea its outlook is on the beautiful public gardens and domain. Ar regards interior accommodation, I believe that, with the. exception of two or three good recep. ti.in rooms the house is rather inrommci(lions. The Duke and Duchess, however, cannot fail to be charmed with its surroundings. As to the reception arrangements, there was a dispute among the Town (."oiuii-il as to tho imHiey that fhould l>? voted. Some of the aldermen were in favour of restricting tho amount to the beggarly sum of £300, but the general feeling of the citizens seemed in favour of £1000 being irrnntvil. The liovcruincnt promised £5000 in addition.

MAIIVKUOM MEI.IIOUr.XE. After a delightful trip from Hobart we arrived in Melbourne early , on Sunday mornin?, the pillage nrriipying a day les? than lu'iial ifi the winter season, when adverse weather is so frequently met with. The visitor m .-it once struck with the fact that Melbourne enjoy* exceptional advantages in regard to making the coming demonstrations a success. The streets nre no wide and the buildings so large and finn that the decorations will appear to the greatest effect, while - at the same time everyone will eafily be able to fen the processions, etc., to advantage. Collins street need, not be ashamed o( a comparison even with such magnificent thoroughfares n? Pall Mall of the Rue do I'Opera in Peris. The Inhibition Uuildings, Parliament Hume, tlti! Post Office, and the Town Hall are all must imposing bunding;, even from an oldworld standpoint. .Some of the main thoroughfares are made more picturesque, as well as more. I'oniiorinhic, in the hot weather li.v being plaulrd with trees—n point which (iisboriii , might note. These are usually planted in the footpath, and it might be thought that (hoy would interfere with the predion of stands. The ingenuity of the builder* was equal to tho occasion, for I saw one instance, where they left spaces for the tree.*, wboßO topniost stems and branches t!ms seemed to spring out from the midet ' of the sects. These stands arc being put up in front of countless shops, hotels, and even private house*. Balconies and verandahs have hcen taken away to make room for thorn, and it is roughly estimated thai £20.000 bus been spent 'in building these stands and decorating business premises. The charge* vary from 2s (xl to a guinea, hut in the latter ca?e it is frequently added that lunch and afternoon leu will be included. For 7p 6d a very good scat can be obtained. • The OovemniiMit are : providing some 6000 reals for their invited guests. Kvcn the churches have joined in tho movement. St : . Paul's Anglican Church has let Jts long fnvanston street frontage ■ to a contractor, who, it is thought, will miike a very good thins out of his bargain. Scots Church and the Independent Church, which occupy an important position in Collins street, are erectiii!,' stands. The steps of the Independent Church will be lot at 2s 6d and Is 6d, lh,> orofits liciii? (tooted-to minion work. At Scot: Church, in addition to providing prats for pew-holders at 2» 6d each, the board of Irusler; arc making frcY provision for a number of old people, and giving them I'ofrcshnipntu as well. In other ways the i'!iurc!iw are fully alive to the subject of koriiwt interest. At the nrcfi>M .moment the prwheM announce , "The Comintr of the Prince" and similar taking titles f> , ? tlieiv cliseo«r*p>. On" rom-luvon which i« " rmrnw fcirccd on (he. New Zoafonder if tlmt owin» to the tc:dc nn which the arches and deeo° r:ilinns nvp hi«m B i.iriiril out here, anvthiiin- «■.« can .;, will mm very puny ond inaignifi", cant. I he venet.an umsts alone to be f,.u- .Ml in I h, ■ rtrwi* ff.l| c<, f t £2000, iifde. IT' d-ntly of the cost of bunting, etc. Ue ..•iglit, towow erectd at various liioiniiipiit ptniils arecstimntcj tdco3f£b2oo tit

which the Corporation • arch at Princes Bridge will cost £1500, and theQueen'6 arch at (he corner of Russell and Collingwood streets £1300. The latter is a very imposing structure, surmounted by a gilded statuo of the late Queen, Bft high. On Sunday night there was a trial, of the illuminations of the chief public buildings, ami most effective they proved. Melbournoitee are congratulating themselves that in the illumiiKtion, of the Exhibition Buildings they have eclipsed anything which was done iu byilney' Between 7000 and 8000 lamps were employed, 200 being clustered rpund the lantern on the top of the dome. The moral of all this appears to be that mm New Zealand should concentrate our efforts in showing the Duko and Duchess scenes and spectacles and products peculiar to the colony, and not attempt to rival our big neighbour in arches and decorations ol the stereotyped kiud. Before leaving this subject I ouS l, ' t0 mention one-very effective ■ structure comprising an archway flanked fa square baiilemented towers, all composed of butter boxes.. I would not have believed that such a striking effect, could have hren produced with such a simple material if I j had not actually seen it. . TAKING IN THE STBAXCER. ! Needless to say, there is a great ( demand {or. accommodation owing to the influx of 60 many visitors, and prices are being put up in coneequencc. Tlio afternoon tea shops announce that prices will bo raised during the Commonwealth season, and the livery stablekeepers have entered into a "combine" as to the prices tt be charged. They asked the Government for £40 per week for a landau and pair, with drivers, and it is understood that the number of conveyances to be placed at the disposal of official guests will not nowl be quite so large as was at first intended. If the ordinary visitor wants a hansom he ■will he able to get one far SOs n day, or a carriage and pair-on the principal days for £10. To view the illuminations at night he has the choicest a waggonette and pair for | £5,' or a waggonette and one horse for £3. . It 'is thought the , suburban livery keepers may come in and cut prices, and ,in any ease the. , humble citizen has a,tram ride at Is (xl to iall back upon. . ' QUESTIONS OF CTIQCF.TTE, ETC. . Innumerable arc I lie points which the Governor-Genera) and his staff arc called upon to settle, and wonder is how they are able to cope with it all. 'liven the main details of the programme are still m n Plate "o( flux, and the third revision has just keen issued: It is in the little matters, some of them of a rather delicate nature, that the greatest tact'and foresight seem to lie required. It was announced, for example, that owing to the large number to attend j the- reception at Government House it would be.impossible to provide cloakroom accom- j inodation, and gentlemen attending it were •therefore requested to leave their overcoats, etc," iu their conveyauces. Instantly, there was an outcry from the carriageless folk. | The class question seemed about to be raised in an aculo form, but the .storm was milled by an immediate notification that, in view of the fad that jt might be difhciitt . to Ret enough carriages, a tent wou.d be erected in Government House grounds to give the necessary cloakroom accommmlation. ,• ' lUE MGVLATIOXB AS TO DRUBS. pTC. nf the levee to be held by the Duke at Government Housn on May 7 are very similar to those iu vogue at Government House levees at Wellington, but sro somewhat minutely into some of the details. Gentlemen attending the levee will be required to wear either uniform, court dre.-s, or evening drew, white ties and white glove* being indispensable. (N.R.—A glove shdiild not be worn mi the rigjit hand.) One of the napers thought it necessary t<l explain subsequently in regard to the "N.TI." that "this cuftom is dictated by the fait thai at court levees the Soyoreinn shakes hands with gentlemen perVona'lr known to him, and under such circumstance* the hand U never eloved." As to the clergv, it is minounced that "it will be perfectly an order" for them when attending the JereM to appear in the pirb usually atlopteii at , similar vice-regal functions: those holding degree.-, of course, 'wearing the robes iwrmitted by that distinction. As to whether black or white gloves fliouM be worn, Whops at home wear white cloves at these gatherings; but if the custom here lias been to. wear b'.ack gloves, they will be quie in order at the forthcoming levees. For evening parties tho cassocks and robes will not l>o in order. Clergy will adopt the nearest approach to evening dress worn by them on similar occasions in this country. One paragraph in the official regulations for the levee is a little sugst'-liv<>: "(Veiitlem.'ii are t-aruostlj - requested to hear in mind tint on no account. flioiilcl Iliev |w>>- I lie royal presence more than once." i'liis seems a pretty broad hint that his Royal Hiirlinc;; in not to be regarded as-beini: on exhibition. W-β may hope that in Now Zealand ntr!t a;i intimation may not be neies»ary. Hefure ■ leaving tlii.s branch of the subject, it will perhaps interest loc.il nudio in \c« Zkiland if 1 add that an intimation has been issued that-"in all cases in wlm-li liis ll.iy.il Highness is to visit public buildings, railway stations, or other public placos, u carpet ih'ould be laid down by tho local authorities." . THE GREAT DRESS QCESTIOX AGAIX. So far no official sumptuary regulations have been issued in rcard to ladies' dress. Ppssiblv, even Lord Hopetoim will shrink from the delicacy of such a task. Tt occurred to me, however, (hat probahlv tl'e •lady readers of this .journal would like to know what is being provided in the matter of frocks in Melbourne, and with tlint view I'caused inquiries to be mode fiom Madame Eclctt, who was mentioned to me a? nrnliably the best authority on the subject in the city. This lady has no (-hop in the ordinary sense of the word, and docs not advertise, but occupies a sort of atelier among tho doctors at the upper end of Collins street. Lite all tho. modistes and dressmakers, fashionable and unfashionable, ehe is worked almost to distraction, but she very courteously sent mo the information • I wanted. Briefly, I learn that the ladfai of Gpvernmcnt House and the wives of leading official people' Will bo in mourning. For evening wear thoir dresses are of black entin cjene de chine, or mousseline do sote, embroidered with jet. Their day dresses are nf very fine black freed cloths, vicuna;, crepe do chine, or glaee silk, with embroideriej and Ja.ce. • - ■ It was reported that at Home only dull black materials were cousidered correct, but it is not Eo in Melbourne. If a dull material, such as crepe de chine, is used it i<. brightened up with jet and embroideries. Tn nonofficial circles, half-mourning will be worn for young people, and white, relieved with Hack, or grey relieved with black, or mauve and grey for ladies.. Black, relieved with white, is, of course, for older wear. Tl-n materials used are the same no' those already mentioned—crepe tie chine, mousseline. de soie, or, for evening wear, satin, silver, but not gold, is permissible for trimmings. I give these-particulars with some misgiving, humbly trusting that lioithei I nor my icpreventative has fallen into nnv error iu dealing with such an abstruCP subject. If so. f leg to wipe my lmncls of all responsibility On the question. Of cost, Madame Ecle's ■maintained a discreet silence. From another source, however, I hsai that from 25gs to 65?fl for evening dresses and I6gs to 25gs for. ' day wear may bo taken as about representing the costumes. I have described. Tlio question of men's uress, fortunately, is not up intricate or thorny. Mr Millonl rt wellknown Collins street tailor, told me bis firm were cutting nothing but black or dark Oxford grey frock coats, dark tweed trourers, and an orrsisional fancy waistcoat with Mack ground and while spot, and dark grey Rat:Inn overcrats. Tho frock coats have silk facings, and trpusert are cut tighter than they have been for many years. Willi tho frock coat the regulation silk hat and blnek . silt ties are worn. As to the knotty question of whether black studs or gold are to be.wom, which.is troubling some exquisites, Mr Milton could give mo no positive information, but he-thought it was immaterial. Tho double-breasted frock coat is worn, the

single-breasted not yet having arrived in Melbourne. Tho most marked.change is the adoption of the Raglan overcoat, with sloping shoulders, in place of the Chesterfield. A semi-official announcement in regard to the tlrcss to be worn by gentlemen at the opening of Parliament, requests them to wear a blaok coat and vest and dark trousers, adding a frock coat or a Beaufort coat will be found most suitable, but the particular cut is immaterial. For the concert in the evening gentlemen's' ordinary evening dress is indisnenfable. The black tie is not necesEary.'vln such minutiic of etiquette aro the Victorian public being instructed. Truly, the cares of a Governor-General are not light at this particular juncture.