ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OE STATE.

57

A.—No. la,

To His Excellency Sir George Gret, K.C.8., Governor-in-Chief and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Islands of New Zealand, and Vice-Admiral of the same. Mat it please Your Excellenct, — We, the undersigned inhabitants of the districts of Green Island and Caversham, in the Province of Otago, respectfully beg to tender our congratulations on your Excellency's visit to this Province, and to assure your Excellency of our continued loyalty to the Crown of England, and of our personal respect to yourself, as a Bepresentative of our beloved Queen. We feel assured that the rapid progress which has marked the history of this Province since your Excellency's last visit to it, in tho year 1851, will prove to you a source of sincere satisfaction. We much regret that duties and difficulties of no ordinary character have so long denied the people of this Province the gratification which it would always afford us to welcome you. We trust that those difficulties will soon disappear ; and it is our sincere hope that your Excellency may long live to participate with us in the blessings of peace and prosperity which we believe await this Colony. Beplt. It is with great satisfaction that I receive your assurance of loyalty, and of attachment to our beloved Queen. You are quite right in assuming that the great and rapid progress of this Brovince, since 1851, has been to me a source of great gratification. I can assure you that it is with no ordinary pleasure that I see the marks of prosperity and comfort which here surround me on all sides. I thank you sincerely for the expression of your kindly wishes as to myself. It is now, and will at all times be, my aim to assist in the progress of the Province of Otago. In its first establishment I took a great share ; and on my own part, and on that of my Besponsible Advisers, no effort shall be spared to promote tho success of its inhabitants. G Gret. To His Excellency Sir George Gret, Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Order of tho Bath, and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same. Mat it please Your Excellenct, — We, the undersigned, delegates from the various Friendly Societies of Dunedin, beg, most respectfully, on behalf of those Societies, and as individuals, to congratulate your Excellency upon the event of your visit to the Province of Otago, and to give you a most cordial and hearty welcome. The time must still be in the remembrance of your Excellency, before colonization had reared this city, when standing upon Otago soil you foretold with prophetic foresight the bright future of this Province; and it must be with feelings of pride and gratification that you now view the wonderful changes, which, within a few short years, have been effected. But while, as loyal subjects of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, we offer our homage to your Excellency as her Bepresentative in this Colony, we would embrace the opportunity of expressing our love and esteem for you as an individual and as an illustrious fellow-colonist. As representatives of the Friendly Societies, we have to thank you for so courteously countenancing by your presence this effort which is being made in aid of our Benevolent Institution, and long will the remembrance of your visit, and its bright epoch in our Provincial history, be cherished by us ; and may you carry with you the pleasing consciousness, that in us you have sincere admirers aud friends, as well as faithful and dutiful subjects. We have the honor to be, your Excellency's obedient servants, Ancient Independent Order of Oddfellows : W. M. Hopper, P.G.M. ") W. Parker Street, D.P.G.M. / t , ,-., T-, M. Kidston, V.G. \ L°yal 0ta S° Lod Se- . James McGaw, P.G.M. J James MicniE, N.G. ~\ Maurice Joel, W.G. / Lod — Jones v ° D. McPherson, V.G. ) Ancient Order of Foresters: William Woodland, P.D.C.E. } E. W. Shepperd > Court Enterprise. Thomas J. Goodman, P.C.E. ) Thomas Mason, P.C.E. ") Courfc E j James Grant j J H. Brundell, D.C.E. \ Josiah Bogers, D.T. f c Pride of Du j. motlan i Alexander McGregor j Manchester Unity of the Independent Order of Oddfellows: Alexander Burt, B.G.M. ~) W. Geddes, Secretary > Lodge Hand and Heart. Joseph Hopcraft, N.G. ) Frederick Bower, W.G. 7 t „i -n „j- t j Thomas Morgan j "^ Dunedm Lod Se' George Bond, N.G. ) T • «-. T , E. Bastings, V.G. J Loyal Alblon Lod Se' 15