The Queen`s Birthday.

Otago Witness, Issue 1383, 1 June 1878, Page 6

The Queen`s Birthday.

THE VARIOUS EVENTS OF THE

HOLIDAY.

THE TOWN HALL. LAYING OF THB FOUNDATION STONE.

The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the now Town Hall, at the site known as the Market Reserve, on the N.W. of the Octagon, took place shortly before noon on the 24th ult. As expected, a large amount of interest was displayed by the citizens in this, the initiatory step to the erection of the finest Municipal Hall in the Colony. The necessity for a building of the character of the one, which may now be regarded as being in progress of erection, has long been recognised, and the only questions which have caused discussion respecting the undertaking have been the fixing upon the site of the building and its bearing upon municipal finance— some of the councillors having contended that temporary provision only should be provided. However these matters having been decided by a vote of a Hubstantial majority, designs for a suitable building were invited. A considerable number of plans were received, and one from Mr T. B. Cameron, Auckland, -secured the first premium, there being some informality respecting the design forwarded by Mr R. A. Lawson (of Dunedin), which was generally regarded with most favour, and was ultimately the one accepted, as the plan for the hall, of which the foundationBtone was laid yesterday. At the invitation of the Mayor of the city (R. H. Leary, Esq.,) the Volunteers and the various Friendly Societies and the Fire Brigade were present in uniform and regalia, and citizens to the number of upwards of 2000 witnessed the ceremony. On the site of the hall a raised platform had been erected, and was occupied by a considerable number of ladies and gentlemen. Amongst the gentlemen present were : Rev. Dr Stuart, Rev. Dr Roseby, Rev. C. J. Byng, Dr Coughtrey, Messrs Tewsley, Kilgour (Mayor of Roslyn), M. Fraer (ex- Mayor of Lawrence), J. Green (M.H.R), J. Logan (J.P.), T. Bracken, Hepburn. Mercer (J.P.), G. Bell, J. H. Harris, Hallenstein, R. A. Low, J. F. Jones, H. Guthrie, A. Grant, T. K. Weldon, H. Houghton, Walcott, Ramsay, and Robin. The Volunteers under Lieut. -Colonel Stavely numbered about 600.

Mr Low, one of the contractors, presented to the Mayor a mason's silver trowel, and in doing so addressed His Worship as follows : — On this very interesting occasion, as one of the contractors, I have very great pleasure in presenting you with this trowel. We trust that your health and strength will remain long, and that your valuable services may long be devoted to the good and welfare of this city. The trowel bore the following inscription :—: —

Presented to R. H. Leary, Esq., Mayor of Dunedin, by the contractors, Messrs Mercer and Low, on the occasion of the .laying the foundation stone of the Town Hall, May 24th, 1878. His Worship replied at some length. The Town Clerk, Mr Massey, then read a list of the contents of the bottle to be placed in the cavity of the stone. The documents and articles were as follows : — Patchment scroll record of proceedings, The Daily Times 24th May, Morning Herald 24th May, Evening Star 23rd May, Age 23rd May, Weekly Witneaa 18th May, Saturday Advertiser, Christian Record 18th May, Tablet 18th May ; Bye-Laws of the Corporation ; the Building Regulations of the City ; the last order paper of the City Council j Mr M'lndoe's pamphlet shewing the statistics of the City and Province from initiation of settlement to 1876, and the current coins ot the realm— 1 sovereign, 1 half-sovereign, 1 crown, 1 half-crown, 1 florin, 1 shilling, 1 sixpence, 1 4d-piece, 1 3d-piece, 1 penny, 1 half-penny, and 1 farthing. The parchment scroll was as follows :—: —

Citt op Dunedin.

Ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone of

the Town Hall, Octagon. The Foundation Stone of this Town Hall was laid on the 24th day of May, 1878, by the Worshipful the Mayor of Dnnedin, Richard Henry Leary, Esquire, in the presence of the City Council, the citizens of Dunedin, the variour pvblic representative bodies and the principal Corporate officers. The Councillors in office being: George Morrißon Barr, Thomas Birch, William Davidson, Henry Smith Fish, junior, James Gore, John Grant, Charles Stephen Reeves, John Tonkin Roberts, John Bryce Thomson, Henry John Walter, Joseph Sykes Webb, William Woodland,

_ The Chief Officers of the Corporation for the time are : The Town Clerk— Joseph Morgan Masaey. The City Surveyor — Samuel Heywood Mirams. The City Treasurer- John M'Callum Jamie808,

Medical Officer— John Gillies, M.D. Architect — Robert Arthur Lawson. Contractors — William Mercer and David Low.

The bottle having been placed in the cavity of the stone prepared to receive it, the Mayor spread some mortar with the silver trowel and dirtcted the stone as it was lowered into position. As the stone was being laid the Band played the National Anthem. His Worship the Mayor having formally laid the stone said : " I declare this Btone well and duly liid, and I express the hope that duriDg the progress of this building, right up to its completion, there may neither be accident to life nor limb. I will now call on the Rev. Dr Stuart to invoke the Divine blessings upon our proceedings." Rev Dr Stuart then engaged in prayer.