ARRIVAL OF THE GOVERNOR.

Evening Star, Issue 3807, 7 May 1875, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE GOVERNOR.

His Excellency the Marquis of Normanby arrived at the Water of Leith at twenty minutes past three this afternoon. The only preparations made there consisted of a carpeted platform, erected a few yards on the town side on the toll-bar and prettily decorated with fern trees and'creepers, and a couple of flag staves hung with hunting. A few hundred people had assembled, but these were m arly all children. Through the city ocu .sicnal flags floating from the housetops and from the public buildings were the only signs of an uncommon incident. A bdy of mounted troopers and the City podee, under Commissioner Weldon, were in aU u Luce at the Water of Leith. The May*,.- (.Mr K. Ramsay), Councillors Mercer, Reeves, Walker, Woodland, Barron, Beck, Carroll, n ! Grant, Mr Massey (Town Clerk), Mr d. )!. Mi rams (City Engineer), Messrs J. Bathg do, R.’ff., A. C. Strode, I!.M ,J. M'Glasbau, Mi 1,11., J. L. Gillies, Speaker of the Provincial Council, D. M'Kellar, Goldfields Secretary and several other leading citizens drove ou: t > m-et tin gubernatorial party, Aj; the al.ove-nuutione 1 time these returned, and tiro MV,. r and Oily Councillors took up their position on the plat form, at which his Excellency’s carriage drew up. In the latter were also Lady No m nrby, his Honor the Superintendent, and an aide-de-camp, and these all alighted, togeLher with Dr Pollen and the remainder of the Governor’s suite. After the Superintendent ha I intro ducedhis Excellency and Lady Normanby to those on the platform, Mr Massey r _-ad the following address: —

To his Excellency tho Most Honorable George Augustas Constantine, Marquis of Kormuuby. Earl of Mulgrave, Vicouut Normanby, and Baron Mulgrave, of Vlulgrave, all in the county of York, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; ami Baron Mulgrave of New Boss, in the county of Wexford, in the Peerage of Ireland; a- Member of Her Majesty’s Most Honorable Privy Council; Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George; Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty’s Colony of Now Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same—

May it please your Excellency—We, the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Dunedin, desire respectfully to tender to your Excellency and to t: ,o Marchioness of Normandy a sincere welcome on bids the first occasion of your visiting this City .;ud Province.

We would congratulate your Excellency upon the fact that during your administration, so far, the whole Colony continues in a satisfactory state of progression, and it will be apparent to your Excellency, we think, that in this particular Dunedin will compare formally with any other City in this or the neighboring Colonies. We venture to hope that your Excellency may, during your visit, liave on opportunity of personally inspecting the principal ot mu’ 'local manufactories and other establishments, and thus be enabled to form a judgment as to the important character of the work .rid productions of this City, which, as your Excellency is aware is of so recent growth. The railways in this district, not only main trunk, but branch lines, are being prosecuted with all practicable energy, and the time is drawing near when the coiupV.ion of the whole line from Invercargill to Chris ' church will be an accomplished fact. At the present time the citizens of Dunedin and Port Chalmers have on hand the gigantic work of deepening the Dunedin harbor, with a view to the largest ocean steamers and sailing vessels being enabled to discharge and load at Dunedin instead of at Port Chalmers. The importance of this work will no doubt commend itself to your Excellency. As regards municipal matters, good progress ha ; been made, and only recently the City has purchased from the local water company, at a cost or 1.120,000, the whole of their works, plant, and privileges. As an indication of the rapid expansion of the City, we may mention that for several year’s past the annual rateable value thereof has increased at the rate of fifteen per cent, per annum. We regret your Excellency could not have made it convenient to have visited us carl’cr in the year, in our summer season; yet we hope that your Excellency and the Marchioness of Normanby may enjoy your visit, and that possibly on ,i future occasion we may be enabled again to wlouic you in a town hall commensurate with the growing importance and requirements of Dunedin. by the Mayor ’ Councillors, and Town His Excellency replied as follows :

Mr Mayor and Gentleman, —I have just mentioned the fact that having only received a copy of your address yesterday evening, I have not yet had time to prepare a written reply, hut I may express my thanks to you for the very cordial and kind reception you have accorded us. I cau assure you that I felt great regret that circumstances over which I liad no control prevented my visiting this portion of the earlier in the season, but that feeling of regret is much relieved by my know;. ig i it I s all have other opportunities of visiting you. My feeling during the whole journey through this part .of the Colony has been one of unmixed satisfaction, and of pleasure, at the extraordinary progress made in this lsland-,at tho evidences of tho energy and prosperity which I have seen. I am aware that Dunedin is untitled to rank as the first commercial town of the Colony, and I trusi that the great public works now in progress amongst you will add to that prospo-i!y.

Three hearty cheorti were given for his Excellency and Lady Normanby, and the carriages were then re-entered, the party driving rapidly through the town to Fei nhiil.