THE GOVERNOR CHAFFING THE OAMARUITES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3640, 13 March 1883, Page 4

THE GOVERNOR CHAFFING THE OAMARUITES.

In the course of his .speech at Oamaru on Tuesday, the Governor s:iid:—"Now, perhaps, you expect to hear a vice-regal opinion' as to the merits of each place. If such are your expectations they will be very much disappointed. It is a very bad thing for Her Majesty's representative to express auy opinion of such a kind, and I don't intend to break through the rule in the present instance. There is, however, one thing I have observed in which Oamaru is superior to Timaru ; and that is in the matter of the artillery salute by which Her Majesty's representative was received. It was, 110 doubt, most inclement weather when we arrived in Timaru, and although there was a good deal of friendly greeting on arrival, it so happened that there was no artillery salute. I must confess I did not myself "observe the omission—(laughter) — but Col. Lean, commanding the Volunteer Force, ventured upon making an excuse, and that first brought it under my attention. He said tho reason why there was no salute was that they had only one gun, and that was on the ground, and they had only one <am-earriage, and that was in "Wellington. C It reminded me very much of something I had read about King Francis 1., who,"when visiting a town in France, was, in a like manner to myself on my arrival in Timuru, not greeted ■with a salute. He kicked up a tremendous row and asked the prefect how it was that His Majesty was not greeted with a, salute? 'Why,' said the prefect, ' I will give your Majesty twenty reasons. First! we have no powder ' 'Oil,' said the King, 'that is quite Huincient: we don't want the other nineteen reasons.' In like manner I can excuse the Timaru people for not having fired a salute, since their carnage was in "Wellington. I have now made it perfectly clear to you (hat Oamaru is infinitely superior to Timuru.'' (Laughter and applause.)