OFFICIAL RECEPTION AT NELSON.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12725, 22 February 1910, Page 2

OFFICIAL RECEPTION AT NELSON.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING. The official reception of His Excellency the Governor (Lord Plunket) at Nelson took place yesterday morning. The weather was gloriously fine, and a large concourse of people assembled on the Church Hill and iv Trafalgar street to witness the proceedings which were most enthusiastic throughout. At 10.15 members of the Oddfellows, Foresters, Rechabites, Good Templars, Fire Brigade and Scottish Society assembled at the Oddfellows' Hall in Waimea street and headed by the Garrison Band marched via Hardy and Trafalgar streets to the junction of Bridge street, at which point they opened out in two lines. The Town Clerk (Mr G. A. Edmonds), and tlie City Engineer (Mt W. A. Smith) waited upon His Excellency at the Masonic Hotel, and punctually at the hour appointed Lord Plunket, accompanied by the Hon. R. McKenzie (Minister in attendance), and Captain Shannon, A.D.C., entered his carriage, which was followed by otlier carnages containing Mr. C. McAlister (Hon. R. McKenzie's secretary), Hon. F. Trask, M.L.0., and the Town Clerk and City Engineer. They drove through Hardy street Collingwood'street and Bridge street to Trafalgar street, where they met the assembled Friendly Societies and other bodies, who fell m behind the vice-regal party, and headed by the Garrison Band, marched to the Church, steps. ■•■,'.■ Between Hardy street and the Church Hill were drawn up into two lines thej Nelson School Cadets, the College Cadets, the Nelson Rifles and the Stoke Rifles. As His Excellency ascended the platform the TJniom Jack was unfurled and the volunteers saluted and the band playad the National Anthem. Upon a dais, specially elected for the occasion were seated the .Mayor (Mr. J. Piper) and Councillors of the city His Lordship the Bishop, Mr J. Graham M.P.,. Crs. J. Hunt and W. Coleman (Richmond Borough Council), and members of the Reception Committee. At the' back of the dais seating accommodation was provided for the old settlers, and between thirty and forty old residents accepted the invitation extended by the city and were present. THE MAYOR'S SPEECH. Having received His Excellency, tho Mayor extended to him a most cordial welcome as tho representative of his most gracious Majesty tne King, whom they all revered. The name of Nelson city, he said, reminded them of one whose famous signal was historical, "England expects every man will do his duty." His Excellency had kept this motto in view, and he had dono well for the Dominion. He had not said ono word or done one action that-had not been for the good of the Dominion, and they were all delighted to honour him. His Excellency was about to leave for Home and he was quite sure he would take with him the goou wishes of the people of this Dominion, and he (the Mayor) was equally sure Lord Plunkett would take back to tiie King a good report of the country he had lived in. "In the name of the people of Nelson" said the Mayor, "I wish you much joy in your Home going. May you receive a right royal welcome there. I trust Lady Plunket and yourself will live long to enjoy the position you have held as Governor of this land, which has rightly been called the Britain of the South." (Applause.) • PRESENTATION OF THE ADDRESS. The Mayor then called upon the Town Clerk to read the address, the text of which was as follows :■ — To His Excellency the Right Honourable Baron Plunket, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George j Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order; Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies ; May it please Your Excellency:— On behalf of the citizens of the City of Nelson, we, tlie undersigned Mayor and Councillors, desire to extend to your Excellency a most cordial welcome on this your second — and what we very much regret will be your final —visit to the city. The citizens of Nelson, in common with all other inhabitants of the Dominion,, gratefully acknowledge the great work which has been accomplished by your Excellency in the direction of helping forward all those objects of which the aim has been for the welfare of the people who dwell in this part of His Majesty's Dominions, and for the strengthening of tlie ties which bind them to the Empire of which we are so preud to form a part. We also wish to assure your Excellency that this community appreciates to the full the noble work which has been carried out by your most gracious consort, Lady Plunket, in endeavouring in so many different ways to improve tlie condition of the women and ohildren in this land. . . .<r „ We regret that, whilst rejoicing at your once moro coming amongst tis, wo are at the same time called upon to make your visit the occasion of . bidding you farewell in view of your approaching departure from the Dominion on the termination of your tenure of office as the representative of His Majesty the King We wish both for yourself and Lady Plunket long life and prosperity, and we trust that the memory ,of your stay in New Zealand, and the recollection of the friends you leave behind, in what has been so aptly termed "God's Own Country," will be amongst the brightest and most pleasant of your reminiscences. . -We also further wish to take advantage of this opportunity to express to your Excellency our loyalty to their Most Gracious Majesties the King and Queen, and our love for the great and glorious Empire over which they, in tbe good providence or God hay© been ordained to rule. We beg to subscribe ourselves, Your Excellency's Most Obedient Servants. J. PIPER, Mayor. A. A. GRACE, M. LIGHTBAND, W. TURNER, T. PETTIT, T. NEALE, T. A. H. FIELD, Wm. McCOMCHIE. T. LISLE ADAMS, - A. H. BISLEY, Councillors. G. A. EDMONDS , Town Clerk.

The Maj-or then asked His Excellency to accept the address in the name Of the corporation and citizens of Nelson. / The address was prepared, engrossed, and illuminated by tr.? l->w»i Clerk, who is to be compiim •iod vi tho excellence of the wonc. Affixed to the parchment wase tlie Cor po ration's seal, which hears the ' c'ovice "H.M.S. Victory" upon a royal purple ribbon. ' The address was enclosed in a Morocco case. " Tho school children, who were assembled on the Church steps then, sang two verses of tlie National An-' them. HIS EXCELLENCY'S REPLY. In his formal reply His Excellency said: ■ "- ■ ."' "I -have much pleasure in accepting the address of welcome, which you have presented to me, and in agaih: acknowledging your expressions df loyalty to the throne andthe Empire. "It is most gratifying to be assured that such •efforts as Lady Plunket and I have been able to make for the benefit of the people of New -Zealand have met with your appreciation.

"I desire, to return my cordial thanks lor your welcome and for the wishes that you have expressed for our fum re happiness, and 1 can assure you tii.it i much regret that- tins is tiie bsc opportunity 1 shall have, ot usitni- .stii-on, the progiess of whicti 1 havo followed witli interest, feeling assured that theire is a future before tne town and district. "PLUNKET, ••Governor." Continuing, His Excellency, addressing the ptioiic, said that- it was hard for him vo express to the people of Nelson his high appreciation of the noble welcome tliey nad extended to iiiru as the representative ot the lling and the kindly farewell they now gave him as the out going Governor. In the courso of all his jourlieyiugs he had ou so many occasions to" reTer tne deep-seated loyaity of tiie people of New Zealand and x-heir pride in the Empire that he feared ms words must often be bald and stereotyped. If he repeated himself ho- was sure his feelings changed every time with increasing enthusiasm and his blocd circulated more freely when he heard the same stirring expressions of loyalty to his Majesty, and enthusiasm in the Empire. Although he could not return thanks in bontting terms lie assured them that he thanked them from the bottom of his heart for their cordial welcome. He would always remember with pride and satisfaction the five aiid a-half years he had spent in probably the most loyal— certainly as loyal as any part— of tlie King's wide dominions. The country was progressing by leaps aiid bounds, and when he remembered what he had seen in a somewhat extended trip, he was sure the future progress would be great. In conclusion, His Excellency said, "I wish you all happiness and prosperity iv future." (Prolonged applause.) THE OLD SETTLERS. His Excellency was then introduced to the old settlers by Cr. Lightbaml, and after chatting to each one. tor a moment or two, again descended to the dais, where he was introduced to the Councillors and members of the Reception Committee. CONCLUSION OF THE CEREMONY. Cheers were then given for the King, His Excellency, and La-ay PlunKet, and the Mayor after which Lord Plunket. inspected the volunteers and school cadets. The formal proceeding then terminated.