THE GOVERNOR IN OTAGO.

Evening Star, Issue 3383, 23 December 1873, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR IN OTAGO.

HIS EXCELLENCY AT OAMAKU. The Governor, Lady Fergussou, and suite arrived at Otekuike, the residence of the Hon. Robert Campbell, ou Saturday, and leit yesterday morning for Oamaru. Bir Francis Dillon Bell, his Honor the Superintendent, Messrs George Parker, M.H. R., M‘Master, and others were invited t> meet his Excel loncy at Utekaike). The Governor arrived at four oMock, and was received at the Council Chambers, near the bridge, by the Mayor and Councillors, a platform having been erected for the purpose, decorated with [lags, etc. A salute was tired from the Es planade, and an address was read by the Mayor, to which his Excellency rep Jed in a orief speech (not read), in which he expressed the gratification he had in visiting the Provinces of Canterbury aud Otago. He li id spent a month at the former place, and now was about to spend a similar period in )tago, and he had had the advantage of being accompanied by the .Superintendent, than whom none was more qualified to give him in formation aud accounts of the progress of the Province, which were very gratifying. During his first year of office it was his de*irc to visit every part of New Zealand, an i it was therefore impossible for him to stay long in any one place ; but his object was to acquire some correct estimate of the requirements of every district, so that he might undsrstand the several questions of important improvemsuts when brought before him in the Executive. He could not i»e so fuolish as to appropriate to himself personally the expressions of respect and goodwill which he received as the representative of her -vi ajesty, but he hoped before ie left New Zealand to have acquired also some measure of personal respect for himsell m the discharge of the duties of his office. There were some important works, some of those requiring a large exp mditure of money, being executed, which he viewed with interest, ami during the few hours he had upw at his disposal he proposed to see what he could uf these works, and of the town ; and he had already seen enough to enable him to congratulate them on the possession of a fine district. Thanking them for the manner in which he was received, he would not detain them longer, i hree cheers were then given for his Excellency, also for Lady Fergussou, and his Honor the Superintendent. The party then drove off to the tramway, where x special train was in waiting, to convey his xcelleucy and party, the members of the duck trust, aud others, to the harbor works i.'he crane was then put in motion, and a block buried in presence of bis Excellency, who evi .eutly viewed the work with great interest. Refreshments were afterwards provided by the contractors, Walkem aud Bey man, and success to their contract was drunk by his Excellency and party, who ihen returned to town, and drove off to visit he hospital, t tis Excellency was the guest of Mr John M'Lean while at Oamaru. AT W'AIKOUAITI. The Governor readied Palmerston at II am. The Town Council presented an address during the change of horses. His Excellency replied briefly, expressing his pleasure at the visit, and said he regretted the shortness of his stay. He arrived at Waikuuaiti at 12 30, and lunched at the Golden Fleece Hotel, There was no demonstration. At the lunch he expressed to the iMayor his satisfaction with the way in which he had been received. He left for Dunedin at i, 15, amidst the cheer l * of the people assembled. AT DUNEDIN. His Excellency desh ed that he might be received here without the demonstrations which are customary qn a first visit of a Governor to a town; and bis wisqes have been attended to. He entered Dunedin in a cjuieter way than any previous Governor has done, but the welcome of the hundreds who lined the route- he had to traverse from tfie City boundary to his residence at Fern bill, was as hearty and sincere as that accorded to Sir George Bowen this day twelvemonths, when all Dunedin turned out to receive him.

o-iiay we have been very undemonstrative. The Mayor proclaimed a half-holiday, but it was only partially observed; moat people along the line of route put up their shutters while his Excellency passed, and then took them down again. The vice-regal party reached the City boundary at a little after four, and on the Water of Leith bridge were met by the City Council, who welcomed Sir Jamt-a and Lady Fergusaon to Dunedin. The ceremony of introduction over, the Town Clerk stepped forward and read the following address To Sir James Fergcsson, Bart., &c., We the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Dunedin desire respectfully to tender to your Excellency and to Lady Fergusson a hearty y/ejcome on this the hist occasion of your this City and Province. In doing sri", we wish to ' express tl;o satisfaction With which your vifeit here so soon after ttye commencement of your Excellency’s tenure 6f offibe as Governor of New Zealand is regarded by wo believe the Whole population. • We are pleased to learn that, according to present arrangements, your Excellency purposes spending in this'district a period, of tiipe sufficiently long to enable you to fqnn a correct estimate of the commercial importance of this City, and of the mining, agricultural, and manufacturing interests pf t)p> whple Province. Jt xyijil be lijanifest to your Excellency that the entire country is in a stute of very satistac tory progression; that the railways and other public works, b>th Colonial, Provincial, apd Municipal, are being prosecuted with all practicable energy, the only hindrance as regards those works arising from the state of the labor market aud the difficulty in obtaining an adequate supply of workmen. We are, however, assured that your Excellency’s Government is at present conducting the Colonial Emigration ccheme with wisdom and with vigor, and we lock forward, with much interest to the time as not 1 far distant vvLoe. the Electric Telegraph will unite .this' far 'oft 1 ' Qmony w?*h the Mother Country whifffi we ad Toyp, apd, her, with the whole world. Finally, wo hope that your Excellency may enjoy your stay litre, and that long before your term of office as Governor shall have expired, we may be favored with repeated occasions of your Excellency’s presence amongst us. Signed by the Mayor and Councillors and ' - ' ; Tcwb Ckri.: The ’ passage > of $e Vice-regal party through the City calls for fto'cojpaifcnt. ► j the street corners, where knots of peoplfc ;

vero formed, the men cheered and the women waved their pocket-handkerchiefs, :uul the Governor frequently bowed hs acknowledgments. As the grounds of Government hoose were entered, a detachment of the Artillery fired a salute from the reclaimed ground, and the battery’s tine band, which was stationed on the lawn in front of Peru hill, played the National Anthem. Beyond the Corporation arch in the Octagon and a liberal display of bunting, there was nothing to indicate that anything unusual was happening. Ihe arch, which was designed by the City Surveyor, was simple in design and not very handsome in appearance. It consisted of a tdng’e span, supported on each side by aouttress, and surmounted by five turrets—the whole being covered with evergreens and each turret bearing a flat. On the north side was the motto “Freedom, Order, and Progress,” and on the south the words “tong Jive our nobis Q icen,” with the Koyal arms.