THE GOVERNORS VISIT.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2533, 30 March 1871, Page 2

THE GOVERNORS VISIT.

OAMAKU. On Monday morning the town was astir, eariy bunting was displayed ns profusely as moans at hand would all low, and everybody seemed bent on making holidaj r , the business establishments being closed, and some of than having their doorways and porticoes decorated with cverarom-:; wlii'c we noticed at the Swan Hotel and Messrs Sumpter and Lemon's offices, “ Welcome to Oainaru,” and the like motto;s displayed. At ?de. srs Shiin'ski and Moss’ establishment, a transpan ncy bearing a dc>ign leorcsenting the chief resource* of the district—a sheaf of corn, a block of stone, a -beep, and a ship and surmount,d by the words “ Welcome Sir Conge Bowen,” was displayed, tastefu ly r tin-d with evergreens adgnl'iids. r ! lie Oamaru Hotel was a’so very prettily docorated with evergreens and flowers. At, about 9.30 a.ra. a number of civil aos,

spme mounted and some on foot (there being and toloug-the latter a number of members of the A.O. F., wearing the ribbands of their Ord-r). His Worship the Mayor, the members, of the Municipal Conned and of the Reception Committee, in vehicles, assembled opposite the Courthouse, and shortly before It) a.m. firmed in procession, being marshalled by the ITon. 11. J. Miller, Drs Wait, and Fleming, and proceeded to Awamoa House. Here they witnessed the planting of four trees, viz, a Wellington Gigantia, a 0. Lov.ion tana, C. Microcar pa, and aP. In-ojnis. These Mere respectively named after Her Majesty", Lnly Bowen, His Excellency the Governor, and the Corporation of Camara. After the visitors had strolled about the grounds, a procession was formed, the carriage containing his Excellency leading ; entering > *amaru, by Severn street. On the arrival of the cortege at the junction of Sever i and Itchen streets, the first gun of a sa’ute was fired on the Esplanade by Captain Sewell, the last giving forth .its note of welcome just as his Excellency’s caCjriaze arrived at the Courthouse. Here the Volunteers, under command of Captain Steward, were formed up in open order, and-prescntcd arms as his Excellency passed between the ranks, the Band playing life "National Athcm. Ascending the dais his Excellency was welcomed by his Worship the Mayor, the members of the • Municipal Council and the Reception Committee, the members ofthcA.O.F. (in their regalia), flanking the steps. A large concourse of people, including a go ;d many ladies, was assembled in front of the building, fu replying to the Corporation’s address, his Excellency ; “The official tours of a colonial Governor enable him to report in authoritative form to the Imperial Government the iMourcesand progress of the country over which he presides, and thus to draw attention at home to the capabilities of the several districts, and to the field whi. h-they afford for emigration and for the investment of capital. Oh tio 2'J of this mon Is, I addressed the Secretary of State (the Evi* «f Kimbjriy) in a public despatch, stating that that day was the 23rd anniversary of the foundation :of Otago,; for it was on the 23rd of March, IB4S. that the little hand of Scotch emigrants first landed and pitched their tents on, tho site of the now Ho irishiug city,of Dunedin, then wholly uniuhabite laud covered,with a dense forest. 1 added that the official statistics show that now, in 1871, thcqiOjiiil.ltion of this Broviucc approaches n >r!y to 7o,00(); that the annual public revenue, ordinary ana toirit>rial, actually raised therein from all lources exceeds L 520.000 ; that the trade, including exports and imports, is more than! three millions stoil ng in value ; that the number of acres already fenced is above one million ; that the number of horses exceeds 20,000 — of h'T.ied cattle, 110,000— and of sheep four million’. I. further pointed out that the ] ro .r-ss achieved in the other elements of material p osperity is equally remarkable, whil i the P ovincial Council has made noble pr ividon fur hospitals and benevolent-asy-.ums, as also for primary, secondary, and in lustrial schools, and tor the new Universitv whch is to ho open-.d at Dunedin in next June,” TIMAEU. Tlr> Governor arrived at Tim am on Tuesday morning, and was escorted through the town to tl e rendeiicc of Judge Ward, whose guest he is. The Volunteers mounted guard. He was pub’ cly re fcived yesterday morniu.r, at a triumphal arch at the north-end of tho town, by the Via;, or and Corporation, Freemasons, OddftTows, Foresters, and a very large crowd. The Volunteers fired a salute of 17 guns, and the Corporation prer senfed an address to which his Excellency replied. A procession was then formed, and , led by the band, Volunteers and Friendly Societies, it marched through tho town to the Oddfellows’ Hall, where the Governor held a levee, width was largely attended He inspe tsd the losp tal and public biddings, j and was entertained at a cold collation, laid at two o’clock, but Hie attendance'was small. . There was a ball last evenin '.