THE GOVERNOR IN DUNEDIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1432, 3 May 1879, Page 11

THE GOVERNOR IN DUNEDIN.

His Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson and suite arrived in ihe city from luvercargill by special train shortly after 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. He left InvercartfUl at 10 a in., and was received by the Mayor, Councillors, and meinbeis of the R°ception Committee at the Pr-lichet Bay railway station He was accompanied by Lady Robins >n, Mis* Robinson, Captain and Mrs St. John, the Hon. J. T. Fisher, Postmahter Getural, the Hon. Mr Lyttelton, private secretary, ihe Hon. Mr Cadogan, and Messrs Graut and Armstrong, of the Railway Department. The u-nial formal introductions having taken place, the vice-regal party, accompanied by a guard of honour and an exceedingly numerous procession of Volunteers and citizens, proceeded to the Gairison Hall byway ot" George and Princes streets and Custom-house square. All along the route of progress people lined the , footpaths, and in Gt-orue street the upperstorey windows were all full of sightseers, and a constant waving of handkerchiefs and cheering was kept up. At the Octagon a crowd of at least a ouple of thousand was in waiting, and here there was a fiesh outburst of cheers. AH the way thence to Custom hrase square there was a continued crowd of people ; and, particularly at the triumphal atch, opposite the Queen's Theatre, where the crush was very thick, warm and eager demonstrations of welcome were indulged in. The arch mentioned was a remarkably fine one, constructed, after a kind of castellated, turreted pattern, of manuka scrub closely entwined, and pet off with shields emblazoned with the royal arms and other devices. On the side from which his Excellency approached was printed "Welcome to Dunedin," upon the other side "God Save the Quoen." The effect of the arch was really very fine indeed. The Fire Brigade had got up a demonstration on its own account at its building, at the corner of High and Rattray streets, Under cjmmand of Captain Murphy, the , men had got out the whole of their gear, and had manned the escape-ladder, taken up their respective positions with the hose, &o. The men were in their new full working uniform, and the whole affair made a very effective picture. The carriages drove round into Dowling street, and drewup opposite the main entrance of the Garrison Hall. As his Excellency and the ladies stepped from the carriage there was more cheering by the targe numbers of people assembled. His Worship the Mayor received the party, and conducted them along the aHe ti the platform at the end of the hall, where the fitst act hia,. Excellency bad to Efrform, was |to formally declare the Hall to c open. Immediately afterwards the Mayor, Mr H. J. Walter, welcomed the visitori in brief and appropriate language, the Town Clerk read an address to which his Excellency made a suitable reply, and the ceremony was concluded. In the evening the people thronged the ptreeta in|vast numbers— the firebrigade*' torchlight procession and thedisplayof fireworks on the Market Reserve proving tbe principal attractions. On Sunday morning tbe Governor attended divine service at. St. Paul's Church, where tbe Rev. A.R. Fitchett, 8.A., officiated. The reception was of the most enthusiastic description, and so far as the Reception Committee are concerned, the arrangements for the event were carried out with commendable fidelity. The Fire Brigades who took part in the torchlight procession were the Dunedin, Port Chalmers, Mornington, and Caversham Brigades. Tha numbers were : Dunedin, 28 men, under Captain Murphy ; Port Chalmers, 11 men, under Captain Dale ; Mornington, 11 men, tinder Captain M'Cluskey ; Oaversham, 12 men, under Captain Blagdon. The Railway Band kindly gave their services for the occasion. Under the guidance of his Worship tbe Mayor, his Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson, Lady Robinson, aud suite, accompanied also by the Hon. J. T. Fiiher, postmaster-general, on Monday spent the day in driving about the city and paying visits of inspection to factories, schools, public institutions, &c. Messrs Gufchrie and Larnach's Woodware Factories were first visited, and fully an hour was spent by the party in goinsr through the various manufacturing and other departments of the establishment. Thearticlesof furniture madefrom native woods were particularly admired, and the firm was warmly complimented upon the -workmanship and design exhibited in many of them^ His Excellency expressed considerable surprise at finding so extensive and replete an establishment in Dunedin, and stated that he had seen nothing like it in New South Walfia. The Mospiel Woollen Factory Company's Warehouses in High street were then driven to, aud Mr Morrison, the Company's manager, did all in his power to make the visit an agreeable and interesting one. After a short inspection of the Colonial Bank buildintr, which the party were shown through by the Honi. M. Holmes and G. M'Lean, directors of the Bank, tbe Boys' and Girls' High Schools and Normal School were next visited. In these schools his Excellency inquired closely into tbe organisation and working of the clwses, visitin? each rcom in turn, and in several instanceshaving the scholars examined and questioned in his presence. At the Boys' High School, also, the party inspected the gynasium, and a number of the lads went through a series of performances, which were highly applauded. A visit toKnox Church concluded the morning's programme, the Rev. Dr Stuart there receiving and doing the honours to the party in his usual kindly and hearty fashion. In the afternoon the University buildings were fiwt inspected, wherp, the Rev. Dr Stuart being again in attendance, his Exoelleucy was introduced to tbe professors, and spent a. pleasant half -hour or so ia a sfci oil through the many different class-rooms, laboratories, &c The party next drove to tbe Museum, and here about an hour was spent, Captain Hutton niting out the objects of principal interest, y Robinson expressed her intention of forwarding to the Musßum, upon har roiurn to Wellington, a collection of rare nhells, as an addition to the collection. Coming home, while hia Excellency and the gentlemen of the party, under the guidance of Iln Hon. Captain Fraser, made an inspection of the Gaol, Lady Robinson, Mrs St. John, and Miss Robinson, accompanied by his Worship the Mayor, paid a, short visit to Miss Fidl'r'a cookery cIaFS, in the i South Australian Hall. Iv the evening the

whole of the party patronised the Queen's Theatre.

Tuesday was again spant by his Excellency the Governor, Lad/ Robinsin, and party, accompanied by the Hon. J. T. Yuhtr and his Worship the Mayor, in driving about the city and visiting varioui institutions and places of interest In the morning the party fir-,t mad« thnr way to Fu-oury Park, wh<-re Mr Sydney 0 ames, secretary ot tne Jockey Club, met them, and conducted them over the stand, offices, &c. In doing so, Mr James apologised for the absence of members of the Jockey Club Committee, who had been unaware of the time of the intended vit-it. Hii Excellency, who3e opinion in matters of the kind should be worth something, expressed approval of the Club's arrangements, aud of the manner in which the grounds bad been laid out. He consented to beome a patron of the Club, and promised to attend the annual race-meetings if his other engage menta would permit. Leaving the park, the party drove over the Ocean Beach, then went through and inspected ths Giand Pacific Hotel, aud thence proceeded to the Industrial School. Under tho guidance of Mr Titehener, master of the school, the buildings weie examined, and the children having been got together, were put through drill exerrise, aud sang several piects of music. His Excellency and Lady Robinson expressed their highest s itiafacliou at «11 they saw, aud complimented Mr Tilchener must warmly upon bis conduct of the school and management of the children, The visit to the school having occupied a longer time than was expected, that to the Benevolent Institution had to be deferred till Thursday. In the afternoon Messrs Sargood, Son, and E wen's warehouse was inspected, Mr Tewpley showing the visitors over the premifces. Toe Botanical Gardens were then driven to, and «n the homeward road the Athenaeum and Working Men's Club were visited. The weather since the vice-regal party arrived in Dunedin has remained at its best. By special train on Wednesday his Excellency the Governor, Lady Robinson, Mrs St. John, Miss Robinson, toe Hon. A. Cadoean, the Hon. H. S. Littleton, the Hons. J. T. Fisher and R Stout, his Woiship the Mayor, aud the Hon. G. M'Lean proceeded to Mo3giel for the purpose of inspecting the Mo3giel Woollen Company's factory. fcThe party was accompanied irom Dunddin by Mr John Roberts (chairman of directors of the Company) and Mr Morrison (the Company's secretary), and by Messrs Grant and Armsfrong, of the Railway Department. Mosgiel township was reached at about half-past 11, and from there the party walked to the factories. Messrs Roberts and Morrison showed the visitors through the works, explaining the whole process of manufacture and the uses and movements of the various machines. To enable a full view of the whole affair in working order to bn obtained, the operatives were kept at work till 1 o'clock instead of 12, the ordinary dinner-hour. It is hardly necessary to say that his Excellency expressed the greatest interest in and inquired very closely into everything he saw, and that the party spent a most agreeable time. It wa9 about 1 o'clock when the train started on the return journey, and previous to going on board his Excellency had a special rouad of cheering from the school children, who had been granted a half-holiday in honour of the event. In the afternoon his Excellency, the Hon. J. T. Fisher, Captain St. John, his Worship the Mayor, ahri the Hon. G. Maclean drove around the city. They visited and wont through the City Council offices, the Albion Brewery work*, and the Hospital, and then inspected Mr M'Gregor's new house near the Town Belt, returning by way of Roslyn and Mornington to Manor place. The weather was again all that could be desired. In the evening bia Excellency and party attended the Choral Society's concert.