VICE-REGAL TOUR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20309, 18 January 1928, Page 8

VICE-REGAL TOUR.

VISIT TO SOUTHLAND. reception at mataura. (From Our Own Correspondent.) MATAURA, January 17. In beautiful weather the GovernorGeneral (Sir Charles Fergusson) and Lady Alice Fergusson visited Mataura to-day. After motoring through the Winton district and Hedgehope, the visitors arrived at Mataura shortly after 1 p.ni. Tlie vice-regal party consisted of their Excellencies, Mrs Baird (her Excellency s sister), Lord Waleran (aide-de-camp), and Miss Dugdalc, and they were accompanied by Messrs T. Golden (chairman of the Southland County Council), E. Bowmar, F Trapski, R. Baird, J. M'Neill, N, A. Neidcrer (members of the council), and their wives, Mr John Miller (Mayor of Invercargill), Mr B. C. Basstain (county engineer), Mr A. F. Hawke, M.L.C., and Mrs Hawke, and Messrs Adam Hamilton, M.P. for Wallace, and J. R. Hamilton, M.P. for Awarua. After partaking of dinner at the Bridge Hotel, the party assembled at the monument in the Square, where a B°°d number of townspeople had gathered to welcome their Excellencies. After a verse of the National Anthem, the Mayor of Mataura (Mr C. D. M'Connell), on behalf of the people of Mataura, extended a hearty w-elcome to their Excellencies. He regretted that their stay was so short, but he hoped that they would visit Mataura again, when they could be shown over the industries of the town. The Mayoress (Mrs M'Gonnell) then presented Lady Alice Fergusson with a bouquet. His Excellency thanked the people sincerely for the welcome extended to Lady Alice and himself. Some 18 months ago they had visited the district, but they had to draw the line somewhere, and it so happened that it was drawn at Gore, and so they missed Mataura. They had always had it on their mind to come back, and they bad done so, in what could be called typical Southland weather. He had been advised to come to Southland and see the country, and everything he had heard about it had been borne out by what he had seen. Everything looked promising for the future, and, with good prices prevailing, they could look forward for good things. It was a real pleasure to meet the people of Southland, and such visits were the means of binding the Dominion to the Mother Country.