THE CEREMONY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1628, 20 December 1912, Page 5

THE CEREMONY.

GOVERNOR SWORN !N. PEIMB MINISTER'S WELCOME. The real welcome from tho people of the city vraa at the ceremony in the afternoon, when Ms Excellency toot the

oath that he would "duly execute the office of Governor," and "be faithful and bear true allegiance- to his Majesty King George." A privileged five hundred or so were accommodated on a staging in front of the Government Buildings, and tho .general body of citizens paid their respects to the Governor as ho passed by them in the streets. All along LamLton Qnay tho route was lined with Territorials, and behind them tho civilians cheered his Excellency. Among the people on the platform were some of. tho officers' of-H.M.S. Cambrian, the ■ officers of the German man-o-wnr Cormoran, Genoral Godley, and officers of the: General Staff, the Administrator of the Government (Sir Robert Stout), Mr. Justice Chapman, Ministers of the Crown.-.memberS of Parliament, the Mayor of "Wellington, members ol'.the City Council, and other local todies, ministers .of religion, and officials in the public ser,vioo,''-..- , . The Oaths. . . At 8 o'clock his Excellency the Administrator of the Government (Sir Egbert Stout) took his place in the centre of the dais. He was accompanied by.Lady stout, Mr. Justice Chapman, Mr. D. G. A. Cooper (Registrar of the Supremo Court), nnd Mr. J. F. Andrews (clerk of the Executive Council).. Lord Liverpool, arrived a- minute later, with Lady Liverpool Miss Foljambe, and the Governors aides, Shawe and Eastwood. At once the ceremony began. Air. J. F Andrews; clerk of the Executive Council, read the commission underwhich his Excellency holds office, and, that done, Lord Liverpool took tho'oath of allegiance, and the oath, of office, in form as follows:— : ■."■• ;■ ■■•■•■ . ' ■ . "I, Arthur" Mjambe, Earl of Liver•pool -do swear, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King George the lifth, hs heirs and successors, according to lan. Foljambe, Earl of Liverpool, :do solemnly swear that I will W «ecuto the office of Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand and its •Dependencies,: and : that I will duly \ and impartially administer justice therein. So help me God.

His Excellency appended his signai We to the declarations, and his signature was attested, by Sir Eobert Stout nnd the Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey). : ' ' i . /;. ; ; ' ; A Message From the. King. ' Excellency said that he wished to . x ; lake this the first opportunity, after his ■' I ('."taking -the office of Governor, to convey : : message from, his Majesty the Kin? esijv- '"'pressing his pleasant recollection -oi this i' ,: -' country and how much , both he and her £ .Majesty the Queen enjoyed their visit to ;■■•■' "WemZealand.. '..':■' -■; Prime Minister asked the assem- ■•( 'ilrige ': to acknowledge . tho message con- ' ~ sy«d' by .his Excellency Lord Liverpool ; x r,_ ~y; giving- three.hearty British cheers for '..,^.'. / .-their>Majesties the Kink and Queen.' !■"'( '$'\ .'She cheers'-were lustily given, the iioops v\.~'' presented arms, and'.the band played .I';' ."Gold Sare'Jhe Eing." It was then •V,'.tllalt the Camorian iired a sahite of 17 <■ "' .'gung,; .A similar, ealuto was fired by :'• theILN.Z.A. from Pipitoa Point battery ■Jrhen the Governor left his residence. ~:. PRIME MINISTER'S WELCOME. ';'• ; 'NEW ZBALANDEUS' LOYALTY.. . The Prinie Minister wished Lord Liverr pool, welcome. "As Prime Minister of ' the Dominion," he said, "I desire to coni ' •' . ,Tey to yon, Lord and Lady Liverpool, the ' .very heartiest. welcome from the people pfHhis country. . On an occasion like this ; I'think 'it is well to remember that we ; . lave reason, to congratulate ourselves on. ". the type of man-chosen by the Imperial . - authorities to represent the .Sovereign in -. this, country. They have teen sta'tes- •■ '. men, they have . been Imperialists, and : along -with their partners in life they ; . .'. 'have been models of British citizenship. . It is very easjf to predict even already that Lord and Lady- Liverpool will be no '. exception to the rale, and that they will ]ive up to the very highest traditions of the important office to which they have been called. Whether in the busy streets of our cities, or away back in tie bush ; clearings, where men and women are doing the -pioneer work in developing this -.' country, wherever New Zealanders are found following their callings, this I ! ... want to tell Lord and Lady Liverpool— that .the true Britisli spirit is yi them . nil, and they are ready to extend the heartiest of welcomes to our new Goveri nor. '~ ; ',■"-'

His Father Before Him, "Although this is Hie first time that Lord Liverpool has visited New Zealand, there has been for manjf years a bond of interest between his family and this country. Let me- remind you of the reason. During the dark and. stirring days of the ' Maori War Lord Liverpool's father served as an officer in the British forces in this country. Little, did he think that one day his son would be Governor of New l - Zealand, Many .other changes have taken place since then. The Maori, then . a gallant enemy and a chivalrous foe. is to-day our fellow citizen. (Hear, hear.) Ho share* in oiir joys and sorrows, in our prosperity, • in our adversity, and, if the occasion arose, he would b? just as ready to fight 'for the British flan: as those of bur citizens who are of British blcod. • •T wish to offer to your ■Excellencies, on behalf of the people of New Zealand, a yeTy' hearty welcome. I hope your stay > in New Zealand will be a lonj* and a "pleasant one. I wish you a happy. Christ, mas, and 365. happy days in the year that U coming;." (Applause.)

HIS EXCELLENCY'S THANKS. A. BRIEF REPLY. : ' . • In-.the course of .a brief reply, his . Excellency said that he wished to express lis thanks to the people for the reception which they had accorded him here and in Auckland, and for the kind words ■which , had been spoken Tesnecting Lady •Liverpool and himself. "We feel your .[kindness very keenly," he said, "and will : try to merit it." We were, he continued, on the evo of a new year, when everyone ■wished to be able to do something good. ■There was nothing so great as to be able to do something for our Empire, even if that something was insignificant. He waa prepared to do whatever he could, and he tnew that Lady Liverpool was ever ready to do her part. "Again I.thank you from Jhe very bottom, of my heart for the veTy cordial reception, you have given us," his Excellency concluded. , At the conclusion of the. ceremony cheers .jvetle given for theft . Excellencies Lord &nd Lady Liverpool.

AMONGST THECROWD. {PERSONiLL AND iMPEESSIONISTIC. "Here they come—that's Lord Islington in the hat with the feathers!" "Not Lord Islington—Liverpool's his name!" "Well, I said Liverpool, didn't I?" "No, you didn't, you said Islington, and put the emphasis on the 'Is'!" "Well, it don't matter—he looks all 'Tight, anyhow! Jolly-looking—that'sliow ,1 like 'em. Look, here they come up the steps!" . ■ ■ ■ • "Which is her?" "That's Lady Islington with the hat!" "Liverpool, you mean!" "Oh, all right, don't he so particular— see the hat with the flowers!" "What sort of flowers—everybody's got flowers." "Those bluey-mauve ones—see 'em bobbing just behind the old gentleman with the irig on." "Oh, yes—l say, she looks nice. Smiles nice—looks as jolly as ho does!" "What d'yer think of him, Jim?" "The new Guv'nor—ho looks the right sort of stuff—they say he's a bit of a sport. Thafs the sort of fellow to get the right side of New Zealanders." "Did yer 'ear 'iin talk?" / "Only a bit—short and sweet. 'He'll be' popular if he goes on like that." "Different to Dave, eh?" "3ly oath!" #

"Well, Gwen, I think they're real naico people. There's something eo unaffected and—what shall I say—genial about them! I think we're going to like them!" "I don't suppose it matters a jot whether we like them or not. How will they likn us is the more important question!" "Well, I lite you, *hat on earth is there to dislike in us?" '.

"Different countries—different manners!" . "What nonsense— why, Gwen, when I went to London !"

"D'nl you notice one thing—they drove in a landau!" . . "I thought tlierg was sometliins old-

fashioned about the affair, but I couldn't for tho life of me think whatsit was—of pourse, 'it was tho carriage'!" "But they do motor—two came out ii the Buapehu—perhaps they're not ready for the road yet!" "Something wrong with the carburettor of the big car, I hear!" "That's it—hut,'iron my word, I rather liked to aeo tho carrinses out—somehow or other they fit in bettor with cavalry escort than a motor car!" "That is so—and I hear her Ladyship is very foad of horses—good cross-country rider. Perhaps she'll shake it up here. It never seems to have acclimatised pro"Well, let's hope their Excellencies will, anyhow. If the_ wind will only give them a chance to take root .'