The Governor's Visit.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 11391, 5 December 1898, Page 2

The Governor's Visit.

The Tutanekai, with His Excellency the Governor (Lord Ranfurly}, JLady Ranfurly, Lady ConstancQ Knox, Lord Northland, and other members of the Vice-Regal party on board, arrived at the breakwater oarly on Sunday morning. Shortly after 9 o'clock the visitors were driven into town to the Criterion Hotel, where they will stay during their sojourn in New Plymouth. During the afternoon they visited the Recreation Grounds, and listened to the music played by tho Town Band, and Ilis Excellency and Lady Ran urly were afterwards entertained at tea by Mr and Mrs J. B. Roy, subaequently attending service at St. Maiy's Church. VISIT TO THE SCHOOLS. Shortly before 12 o'clock to-day (Mon» day) Lord and Lady Ranfurly and Lady Constance Knox, accompanied by Captain Alexander, visited the Central school. The party was welcomed by Mr R. G. Banchope, Chairman of tho Education Board, who introduced His Excellency and Lady Ranfurly to the members of the Town Schools Committee aud others present, and a guard of honour of the Cadets having been formed the vihitors entered the building, which was decorated with flowers for the occasion. At the entrance was the inscription of welcome " Cead Mille Fuilthe." Included among those present wore Messrs Bauchope and Adlam (members of the Board), W. A. Collis (Chairman), W. Walton.M, Clow, E. Dock riII,E.OKey,C. Carter (School Committee) J. B. Royand N. K. McDiarmid(members of the High School Board of Governors), W. E. Spencer (Inspector), and E. Veale (Secretary). The victors, escorted by Mr. 3.. Dempsey/- head teacher oE the school, were shown through the different class-rooms, in which the scholars were diligently at work on their respective tasks. The children were then assembled in the playground, and, led by Mr. A. Gray, sang the National Anthem with much fervour. Two little girls, Misses Dempsey and Dowling, also presented Lady Jianf urly and Lady Constance each with a nicely arranged bouquet. His Excellency then addressed a f«w words to the scholars He said it gave him much pleasure to visit them that day, and he bad asked— and the request had been kindly granted — that a holiday should be extended them iv honour of his visit. 11 You have," he continued, " a great deal to think about. You ought to get on with your work as diligently as pos-ible, and lose no time while .you are here so that you will properly fit yourselves for the future that lies before you No doubt yott are proud of being New Zaa» landers because the colony you belong to is one of the most prosperous in every way, especially at the present time. And, also, do not forget that you are part of the British Empire, of which every citizen should be very proud. All of you have probably read in your history books how the British Empire has been founded ; that it is -by the energy and perseverance of the British people that it now occupies so rich and large an area of country. Yon know even at the present moment the Empire is beiu<? increased in strength and area, and that on the vast Continent of Africa, by the fall of Omdurman and victories iv the Soudan, which have lately taken place, the ,good and wise influence of your Mother Country is being made paramount, and that ere long there will be a line of oommuDication,between Cairo and the Cape of Good Hope, ail uuder British Tule, and under British protection . It' is the people who have come Jo these far countries, that have made the Empire spread, and have aided in making affairs work satisfactorily. Their labours have not been light. They have had to work, as your fathers did when they first came to this country, but through all they still remembered they were citizens of the British Empire, and that if the need existed England would support them. So let us always remember that to the Mother Country we owe a deep debt of gratitude nphold the dignity of the British Empire. Let us remember that though our army may be small, that army is one which has been invariably led to victory. And why has it been led to victory? Because when the men have been defeated they have never known it. They have always managed to stand and wipe out what should have been on more than one occasion a grave defeat, so that when we think of these things we should feel proud and thankful of belonging to sue an Empire — an Empire, which by the vastness of its navy, is able to keep peace throughout the world. If it were not for Great Britain how would your commerce be protected? You would probably be thrown open to the danger of_ some other country grasping your fair island, and you are not strong enough to protect yourselves ; you have not a large army paid by the State, and you would therefore have to depend upon Volunteers and a very small per* inanent force, so tint in belonging to the Mother Country you must necessarily have a feeling of safety, a sense of security, for she would protect you, knowing as she does that if occasion demanded it, everyone of the colonies would help her. She knows that her citizens, be they black, be they white, be they Maoris, or be they Soudanese, would, if they carao under British officers, give a good account of themselves in protecting British interests." In conclusion, His Excellency thanked the children for the heartiness of their welcome, expressed his pleasure at seeing a cadet corps in the school, the advantages to be derived from which could not be over estimated, and spoke kindly of the interest such a visit had for Lady Ranfurly and himself. Three lusty cheers were given for His Excellency and Lady Ranfurly, and the party then drove to the High School, where a similar cordial wolcoine was accorded to the visitors, whose numbers were increased by tho presence of Messrs W. Bewley and T. S. Weston (members of the Board of Governors). The Principal (Mr Pridham) conducted the party to the class room, in which the scholars were assembled, the visitors' entrance being signalled by the singing of " God Save the Queen." Miss Gracie Paul then advanced and presented Lady Ranfurly with an admirably arranged basket of white and blue flowers, and a button-hole to Lord' Ranfurly. His Excellency , briefly fhanked one and all for the kind welcome, and intimated that he had as ked that they should be granted a holiday in honour of the occasion— an announcement that gave no small amount of pleasure to the pupila. Tho usual cheering was indulged in, and the visitors took their farewell. Lord and Lady Ranfurly were present at a garden party given by Mr and Mrs J. B. Roy this afternoon.