THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 44

THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT

His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by Lady Ranfurly, Captain Alexander (private secretary), and the Hon. C. Hill-Trevor (assistant private secretary), arrived in town on Monday afternoon by special train from Puketeraki, and was accorded a public reception. Prior to the arrival of the train a large crowd had gathered in the vicinity of the railway station, the orerbridge being completely filled with people from end to end. Among those on the platform to receive his Excellency were his Worship the Mayor (Mr E. B. C-Jtrgill), Miss Caxgiii, Colonel Polo Penton, and Lieutenantcolonel Webb, the Hons. D. Pinkerton, S E. Shrimski, and R. Oliver M.L C.'is, Mr J. A. Millar M.H.R., Mr W. Fraser Mja.R, and Mr James Mills. The train drew up at the platform adjacent to Cumberland street, it half-past 2, and as his Excelency stepped on to tho platform the Garrison Band played "God Save the Queen." The Dunedin Engineers, to the number of 50, under the commas d of Captain B*iclay and Lieutenant Ross, tanned a guard of honour ,to the Governor as ho left the station for his carriage ; -and as his Excellency aud Lady Rinfuriy drove off, escorted by the Otago Hussars, under -tbe command of Captain Robin, they were warmly cheered, by the crowd. Those who accompanied hie Excellency in the first carriage were his Worship the Mayor, the Hon. J. T&'Ker-zie (Minister for Lands), and Cupfcaia Alexander (private secretary to the Governor). The second carriage was occupied by Lady Ranfurly, Miss C&rgiil, the Hon. C. HillTrevor (assistant private secretary), and Captain Ward, A.D.C ; ibe third br the Hon. R. Oliver, the Hon. G. M'Loan, Captain Wellesley, A D.C., and L'eat-enaot-coloael Webb ; and the fourth by th© Hon. W. H. Reynolds and Mr Jamea Mills. The vice-regal party drove up Rattray street and along Princes street to the Town Hall, the streets beiDg lined with people all along the route. A large body of police under Inspector Pardy did good work In keeping the way clear at the station and also •leng the streets. Addressee of loyalty and welcome were presented to his Excellency at the Town Hall, Octagon, where suitable preparations had been made. The floral decorations were plentiful and in excellent taste. On the landings tables ' had been placed containing foliage and flower plants ;-a goodly display of botb. The council chamber had been cleared. The large central ,

table and the seats ordinarily occupied by the councillors were removed, aDd the hall as fur- ! ziished made a handsome aud convenient recaption room. Tables, covaied with baautiful bouquets, were placed in the corners and seats were set round the hall, the rest of the floor space to the mayoral chair being quite clear. Shortly before 2.30 p.m. a considerable number of ladies and gentlemen assembled at the building to await the arrival of the vice-regal party. The ladies and a number ot gentlemen occupied the public seats out*ide the dividing rail, but the councillors and the gentlemen who were officially connected with the presentation of addresses were within the rail. Hia Excellency the Earl of Ranfurly, Lady ; Ranfurly and Buite, accompanied by the Mayor, tho Hon. J. M'Kenzie, and the other gentlemen who fcstd met his Excellency at the railway station, arrived at the Town Hall building and entered the council ohambar at about 2.40. There were also prr-sect. waiting to welcome his Excellency, Ors Gore, Carroll, Swan, Uouat, Ohisbolm, Solomon, Dennistoo, Haynaa, and Miller ; Mr W. B. Taylor (town cierk), Mr S. H Mirams (city surveyor), Revs. J. J. Lewis, T. G Brooke, and T. N. Griffin, and Messrs C. S. Rteves, H. Webb, A. Barr, C. R. Chapman, J A. Carrick, J. Knox, J. Paterson, S. A. Scott, F C. Willis, and a numb -r of others. His Excellency having taken up his position benoath tho canopy that surmounts the mayoral chair, his Worship the Mayob formaJ3y presented to hita the councillors and exrnayors piesunt, and then asked tho town clerk (Mr Taj lor) to read an address from the corporation, tbe address being very neatly engrossed in Old English characters on a vellum scroll, the n>*rg'nft of which were tastefully illuminated wita Eo^lisb, Scotch, and Irish emblems, and s. devic* showing the ro.-p, shamrock, and thivJe, interlaced. The Town Cltsbk read and presented the address from the mayor and council, which wan as follows :—: — May it please your Excellency, — We, the mayor, councillors, and citizens of the Cry of Dunedin, respectfully offjr to your Excellency a right hearty welcome to the City of Dunedin. We tender to yoar Excellency, as the representative of her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, the assurance of our loyalty to the Crown, and our affectionate devotiou tn her persoD, and the expression of our earnest hope that sha may yet he long spared in continuance of hsr glorious and happy reign. The visit of your ISxcellency is happily timed for your taking part in the celebration of the Jubilee of the settlement of Otago Fifty years ago, on the 23rd MLirch, 1848, there landed oa the adjacent bhore from the diip John WJckliffe, from London, the fh-at part of 97 settlers, followed at an interval of 24 days by the

completing party of 247 persons from the ship Philip Imng, from GlasgTvv, together numbering 354 souls, under the leadership of the veteran Captain Cargill, and accompanied by the Rev. Mr Burns, the first minister of their church. The site of the city anrl the surrounding country was then in a state of primevsl wilderness. The country i 3 now settled throughout, and this city, with its suburban boroughs, has a population of 47,280. It possesses a university, Boyo' and Giils' High Schools, six district schools, attended by 4060 pupils. It hie churches of all the leading denominations, a fine public hospital, a museum, and other public institutions pertaining to a modern city. To your Excellency, in your high office of Governor, we present our respectful salutations, and the expression of our hope that your Excellency, id your term of office, will enipy ths privilege of effectively aiding in the building up of the prosperity of the colony, and will obtain for yourself, as we feel assured it is your desire to do, the goodwill and sympathy of the colonists of every class. We pray that the blessing of God may rest upon your Excellency and upoa Lady Ranfurly and your Excelleacy's family. With all respect, we subscribe ourselves, on behalf of the citizens of Dunedin (here follow the signatures of the mayor, councillors, and Mr W. B. Taylor, towu clerk). Hi* Excellency replied as follows ; — Mr Mayor, Councillors, and Citizens of Dunedin, — As the representative of her Maj?sty the Queen ia this her colony of New Zealand I am pleased to receive this address and to accept your loyal expressions of devotion to her throne and person. It is with deep interest I loam the early history of your city — a history indicative of the inarvellou3 enterprise and perseverance of British blood, qualities' indeed unsurpassed in the annals of any nation. It is a fact of which your citizens may be justly proud that 50 years ago this prosperous towa wherein we stand was a barren wildernecs, and it is a laeting monument to those nobls pionter* t»f tha past who, nothirg diunted by hardship or privation, gave ungrudgingly their best energies lo its foundation, and who understood co well that without the Divine blessing their labours would be but in vain. It ii, indeed, befitting fchi3 great occasion that the name of Cargill should again lead the citizsns of the town. In congratulating you upon your Jubilee, I congratulate you also upon jour name : it is a tribute to another city which your ancestors, and I am proud to gay some of mine also, mads famous in the history of the world, for the old Dunedin has a record which needs no words of ours to enhance her .fame ; she stands second to none. And though happily her sword is long since sheathed — I trust for ever — there is something in her name tbab etira up feelirjgs of deepest love and di-votion in every Scottish heart. I shall convey to her Most G ac : ou3 Majesty tha assurance oi 1 your unalterable loyalty, and I thank you

cordially for, the welcome you accord to [ me personally and to Lady Ranfurly, and j the good wishes you kindly express towards us. The Mayor said : I thank your Excellency . for the very sympathetic address which yoa 1 have been good enough to read to us in answer { to tho one •wa have presented to yoa. I can only assure your Excellency that all the 6enti- j nienta you have expressed are fully reciprocated by the citizens at large. I think, gentlemen, it would not be out of place for us here to give three cheers for his Excellency. Ido not know that it is quite the rale, but 1 think it would be j right. — (Voices: "Yes, yes!") I would ask! you to give three hearty cheers. j Cheers were then given for his Exoellency and i Lady Banf urly. The Rev. T. G. Bbookb, P.G.M., who was accompanied by several W.M'a. of the Oranga ' Order, then read and presented an address as follows ; — May it please your Excellencs', — We, the Orangemen of Dunedin, working under th? Grand Orange Lodge of the Middle Island of New Zealand, loyal and devoted subjects of her Most Gracious Maje ty, desire to welcome you, her representative, to our city on this auspicious occasion, being the Jubilee of the Province of Otago and also your first official visit amongst us. We trust that the ties which bind ub to the mother country will never be severed ; that peace and prosperity, concord and unity, will ever flourish amongst us ; and that nothing may tend to mar the unity which exists in this fait "land of ours. We feei assured that your fidelity to the laws and (,'onstitution of Great 'Britain and her colonie, will -odd to the happiness of those over whom you govern We pr«iyihat her Most Gracious Majesty may longieign over a loyal, law-abiding people, and that nothing will ari^e to destroy those civil and leligious liberties which we now enjoy. We again right heartily welcome your Excellency to this city, and. pray the M-ost High to watch over yourself, Lady Kanfurly, and family, and that the righteousness which exalteth a ; nation may spread over the length ani breadth of i New Zealand. — We have, &c. j J. A. Oarkick, W M., No. 12. F. C. Willis. W.M., No. 21. ' J Knov, W.M., No. 38 ' W. J. Pollock, W.M., No. 44. ; His Exckli/sncy, in reply, said : It is with luncb pleasure that I receive your address of welcome of)o f ) so auspicious an occasion ats the present. With ihe life-long knowledge I possess of your inmtitution, gained by years of residence among its m-mbera, I am confident that her Majeaty the Qu°.en owns no more law-abiding or industrious citizens than the Orangemen of Ulster, acd I am glad to know that heiv on these distant shores, a3 well as over tha vast continent » of America and Auatra!aeis, yoa have carried your old traditions, and, remembering the darkness of the pasr, are

upholding the principles of civil and-religtoaa liberty which have made our country what she Is. 'and which, I trust, you may ever enjoy. Th»b the J/f? which bind you to the mother couEtry may be more and more clo*oly drawn — that nothing may mar tho existing unity betveea tbe c-olor-ies and Horne — is my fervent wisj, and whH.it I hav«t the honour to represent LerMost G'scloqs Majesty the Queen amcugst you no effort on my part shall be spared to promote those feelings of brotherly ;<j»e co essential to the well-being and advancement of any nation. I heg to thank you most heartily for yovc '(dad allusions to Lsidy RanfurJy and myself p^wcally, and for the -welcome you extend to us to-day . This c; included the proceeding*, which bad occupied juat 5.5 nnisctes. His Excellency *nd Lady Ranfurly were then conveyed to the Grand Hotel, where they are residing during their «b*y in this city. Subsequently his Excellency was. driven round the city, calling at the hosyitbl and museum.