THE ARRIVAL OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2995, 31 January 1881, Page 2

THE ARRIVAL OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.

His Excellency the Hon. Sir Arthur Gordon arrived at Napier from Auckland via Taupo on Saturday night. The lateness, as well as the uncertainty of the hour of bis arrival, precluded a formal reception, fo with the exception of the Criterion Hotel being illuminated there were no indications tbat a distinguished visitor was expected. At a quarter to nine the carriage conveying the Governor, big private secretaries, and Captain Knollys, Aide-de-camp to His Excellency, drove quietly up to the hotel accompanied by a modest escort of three mounted Constabulary. The Hon. Mr Rolleston, received the Governor. On Sunday His Excellency attended Divine worship at St. John's Church, where the Bishop of Waiapu preached.

THE ADDRESS OF THE CORPORATION.

At a little after eleven o'clock this morning His Excellency drove from the Criterion Hotel to the Supreme Court House, and in the Resident Magistrate's room received His Worship the Mayor and Councillors when the following address was read [by the Town Clerk, Captain Bower : —

To His Excellency the Honorable Arthur Hamilton Gordon, K.C.M.G., Her Majesty's High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, Governor and Com- > mander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's colony of New Zealand and its dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same. May it please your Excellency, — We, the Mayor, Councillors, and Burgesses, of the Borough of Napier, respectfully -welcome your Excellency in this your first visit to our district and town. Wβ beg to congratulate your Excellency on the successful completion of your travels through, the centre of this Island, and we, as colonials, cannot but express our obligations

to your Excellency for thus making yourself acquainted wifcli the colony, tlio government of which you are called upon to administer. Again most heartily welcoming yonv Excelcellency to our Borough, tvo beg to subscribe y ourselves with every sentiment of loyalty, your Excellency's obedient servants, J. H. Vatttieb, (Mayor.) Geo. Elijs. J. W. McDougall. G-. H. Swan. H. Monteith. F. I. de Lisle. J. Leonard. A. McKay. D. Cotton. M. N. Bower, (Town Clerk.) The Town Clerk then handed the address which had been beautifully illuminated in German text by Mr P. Bear, to His Excellency, who then received from his private secretary the following reply, which he read : — Mr Mayor and. Gentlemen, —It is with much satisfaction I acknowledge your expressions of loyalty to Her Majesty's person and throne. I thank you for your address, and for the ■welcome you hare accorded to me, as well as for the terms in which you refer to mj recent passage across tbe i-land. The impressions received on so rapid a journey are necessarily of a very superficial character. I trust, however, that the knowledge I have thus acquired of the general features of the country, and the acquaintance I have thu3 commenced with those who inhabit it, may be subsequently improved by more leisurely visits to particular districts in detail. ■ The beautiful weather which has preJ vailed for the pnst fortnight Las rendered * my tour in the highest degree agreeable, a id I rejoice that my first visib to this borough should be made under auspices so favorable. Tne C'ouneillors then bowed and retired. THE LEVEE. T His Excellency held an undress levee ?t noon. The following gentlemen had the honor of private entre : —The Right Rev. the Bishop of Waiapu, the Hon. W. Rolleston, His Worship tbe Major, the Hon. J. N. Wilson, Captain W. R. Russell, M.H.R., Mr F. Sutton, M.H.R., Father Regnier, and the Very Rev. Father Forest. The following gentlemen had the honor of." presentation : — Messrs M. Miller, R. Lamb, W. R. Blythe, J. S. Welsman, C. Weber, R. Dobson, H. M'Lellan, M. R. Miller, E. Lyndon, Rev. D. Sidey, Rev. de Berdt Hovell, J. Begg, P. S. M'Lean, J. W. Carlile, P. A. F. Birch, J. Buchanan, M. N. Bower, N. Jacobs, H. Baker, J. T. Tylee, J. Cowell, W. Miller, S. Carnell, D. Cotton, J. S. Large, T. Tanner, W. Ellison, J. G. Kinross, A. J. Cotterill, G. H. Swan, E. Tuke, C. E. Beetham, F. Waterhouse, C. C. Murray, R. C. Pasley, J. B. Littlejohn, T. W. Balfour, S. Bolton, H. H. Russell, J. A. Smith, A. M'Kay, E. H. Bold, Dr. F. J. de Lisle, Dr. Hitchings, and Rev. S. Williams. .i-JP"- THE MAOBI ADDRESS. v At the conclusion of the levee several Maori chiefs were introduced to His Excellency by Captain Preece, R.M., by whom was read an address in which was embodied a" petition from the natives. After welcoming His Excellency's arrival, the petition set forth that the Maoris had many things of importance to them to lay before the Governor, and it prayed that be would appoint a time at which these matters could be discussed. The Governor thanked the natives for their address of welcome, and stated that as his arrangements prevented him giving them a lengthened interview during his present stay here he hoped when he next came to Napier to be able to visit them at their own settlements. [ Hts excellency's movemments. His Excellency will be entertained by the members of the Hawke's Bay Club at a dinner this evening. Tbe Governor leaves Napier to-morrow morning and will drive through Meanee, where he will visit the Catholic Mission Station and schools. From thence he _-*. will proceed through Taradale and \ Oraahu to the residence of Captain W. K. Ruesell, M.H.R., where he will stay to i luflcb. ;'•! In the afternoon he will drive Uo Hastings, from ther.ee he will proceed by train to Te Aute, where he will remain the gupst of the Rev. S. Williams till the following day, when he will proceed by overland route to Wellington.