THE GOVERNOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES AT RIVERVIEW.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 37, 19 June 1891, Page 19

THE GOVERNOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES AT RIVERVIEW.

(Tbe Australian Star, June 2.) YMTEBD.A.T was a gala day at St. Ignatius College, the occasion being the first visit by his Excellency Jord Jersey to that great educational institution. His Excellency and Lady Jersey, accompanied by Lord Ancram, reached Biverview at 11 o'clock. The boatshed was gaily decked for the occasion, and presented despite *the weather quite a holiday aspect. As the Governor and his lady stepped ashore the college band, under the ablf direction of Bey. J. M'Cabe, 8.J., struck up the national anthem, and the cadets, drawn up as a guard of honour, fired a royal salute. The rector of the college (Father Ryan, 3 J.;, his Eminence Cardinal Moran, his Lordship Dr Higgins, Dr O'Brien, Beys F. Keating, Dr O'Haran, Father Dalton and the community were present to receive the visitors, and the following address of welcome waß read by the rector : — " May it please your Excellency. — In the nami of the masters and pupils of St. Ignatius College, I beg to offer to yon and to her ladyship, the Countess, a loyal and cordial gresting on the occasion of this your first visit to Riverview. We all nnite in welcoming your Excellency as the representative of her Most Gracious Majesty the Qieen in thia fair and flourishing portion of her dominions. We al«o welcome in your Excellency one who, by the warm interest he has manifested in all our institutions, as well as by kindly courtesy and genial mtnners, has ia so short a time gained a firm hold on the esteem and affections of the people of this country. But «ye, in this college of Biverview, feel n special pleasure in welcoming in you a brilliant representative of that grand old seat of learning on the banks of the Isis which has given so many illustrious men to England in every walk of life ; and this pleasure is singularly enhanced by the presence here to-day of the gifted lady who, by her varied caltura and rare endowments of mind and heart, sheds such lustre on the exalted sphere in which she moves ; and thus, to borrow the words addressed to a former Couutesa of Jersey by one of the master poets of this century : — ' She more decrees her glory to endure Than all a gold Colossus could secure.' Within these walls are gathered youths from every part of this island continent, and it is our object so to train their intellects and cultivate their hearts that they may become not ouly dis inguished and patriotic citizens of their respective colonies, but that also in their after career, linked together by ties of early friendship, they may be able to take a broader and deeper view of tbe responsibilities of their poeition as citizens of a great Australian nation and still more as citizens of a vast united empire. The presence of ycur Excellency and Lady Jersey here to-day cannot but serve to impress upon their minds the reality of this union — a union not preserved by force, but by the bonds of sympathy an I common interests. Once more, then, on behalf of tbe masters and students, I thank your Excellency and your Ladyship f >r the distinguished favour conferred on us by your visit, and again bid you a hearty welcome to Biverview. Signed on behalf of the masters and pupils.— John Ryan, S.J., rector, St. Ignatius' College, Biverview, Sydney." His Excellency, in replying, siid:— Your Eminence, Father Byan, masters and students, of St. Ignatius', — On behalf of Lady Jersey and myself I thank you for your ver/ hearty reception. When bearing the address read I could not help thinking that it was not composed by any of my masers or tutors at Oxford. They would not have been ready to bestow on me such praise ; but it certainly is a consolation that when I have travelled so far my reputation should have increased. I was aware before I came here that the education imparted hera was excellent, and upon this I congratulate the masters, who, in such an institution as this, have a work to perform which demands no ordinary self sacrifice and devotion. lam sure from what I see that you boys will afford every help to them in fulfilling their expectations. For you boys (I speak to you dressed in martial attire, and also to you dressed in the more ordinary schoolboy garb) there is a career open of usefulness and of honour. It is to a person like me in such a responsible position a great comfort io think th-it there are here and there throughout the colony establishments such as this engaged in the great work of education — an education, too, grounded on religion, which is the foundation of all true culture (applansej. Your opportunities here prepare you for taking a foremost place in shaping the des inies of this great nation — which we ougat never to forget, is, as Father Byau mentioned, part of a mighty Empire — and when years have rolled by, and when I shall no longer be Governor of New South Wales, I shall be glad to hear in some quiet nook in England that some of the most distinguished posts in this State are filled by the boys of St. Ignatius. I was a school boy ooce myself, and I caa now enter with sympathy into your contests whether pretaining to books or beloDgiag to tbe healthy rivalry of games. la the latter I was delighted to hear that yon of Bt. Ignatius' can begenerona to your opponents. On behalf

of Lady Jersey and myself I thank you for yonr very hearty invitation to visit Riverview, its class rooms, play rooms and play ground*. After this an album, with a number of specially-prepared views of the college and its grounds, was presented to their Excellencies by Masters Godfrey Austin and Earnest O'Connor, and the latter read a poem especially written for the occasion. The reception over, a tour of inspection of the college and grounds was mads. The president of the boat club, Father Ooanell, showed the party over the boatshed, which was highly praised by the visitors. The college itself was the subject of warm approbation. At the conclusion of the inspection Cardinal Morao thanked his Excellency and Lady Jersey for their visit. At the request of the boys Lady Jersey addressed them briefly. She said that it was difficult for her to adequately express her thanks to the boys for the enthusiastic manner in which they had welcomed her. As a result of the visit she was glad to announce that the rector had, in honour of Lord Jersey, granted the boys a holiday, and en her acconnthai promised to extend the vacation two days (Loud cheers). Light refreshment was then partaken of and before the party left Lady Jersey was presented with a beautiful bouquet. The launch steamed away amid ringing cheers from the boys, and a number of the lads in racing boats accompanied the party some distance down the river.