THE ROYAL VISIT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 21 June 1901, Page 3

THE ROYAL VISIT.

[per press association]

Wellington, This Day,

At dinner last night Ward said that in order to let the visitors from England and Australia sec as much as possible of the beauties of the Colony, the Government had arranged for a steamer excursion to the Otago Sounds. The weather is still dull, and the wot wind shifted to the South. Misty rain is tailing with a promise of worse to follow. The only public function to-day is the laying of the foundation stone for the new railway offices and at 4 o’clock the Royal party leave for Christchurch.

The Government entertained the visiting Australian politicians and visiting journalists at dinner at Bellamy’s last night. The toast of the evening was the Press.

A banquet to the returned members of the New Zealand Contingents will be given this afternoon.

Wellington, This Day. The ceremony of laying the stone of the new railway offices in Featherston street took place at noon. The drizzling rain of the morning settled down into a steady pour precisely as the function was commenced. The lofty staging forming three sides of a square provided seats for some 1,300 people to whom invitations were issued, but apart from these the attendance of the public was not large. The Taranaki battalion supplied the guard of honour and attracted general attention and high commendation for their splendid physique. There was a small army of cameras in position, all levelled at the stone which stood ready under a gaily decorated pavilion, approaches to which were through banks of lycopodium and evergreens in which, as in-mockery, two fountains played.

The stone was inscribed with Edward licgma and the Royal Arms in gilt relief above words : “ This stone was laid by H.R.H. the Duke of Cornwall and York on 21st June, 1901.”

The Royal party contained several members of the suite, and the Governor and Ministers with a number of ladies occupied the scats of the pavilion. Lady Ward presented] the Duchess with a bouquet in a beautiful holder of gold, greenstone and pearls, and the Minister of Railways then read the statement which with coins and documents in a cylinder were placed beneath the stone. After declaring the stone well and duly laid, His Royal Highness said he was happy that the last ceren ony of a very pleasant visit to Wellington should be in connection with so important a department as railways, which was always the sign of the prosperity of the country, and the fact that more accommodation was needed was proof of the prosperity of the colony. After alluding to the work done in construction, he congratulated Ward and his predecessor (Cadman) on r thcir administration and expressed gratification at what he had scon yesterday in workshops and praised the handsome carriage provided for his accommodation. (Cheers). Carmichael, the contractor, having been introduced, the wraps were produced and the Royal party drove away in closed carriages. At all public functions where they have appeared the Prince has been welcomed with hearty cheers. A very handsome gold trowel with a greenstone handle enclosed in and carved Maori casket was presented to the Duke along with a mallet of native wood. The Christchurch Preparations. Chuistuhukcu, This Day. The weather is slowly clearing, but the decorations present a bedraggled appearance the result of yesterday’s heavy rain. All the arches are still in an unfinished state. Work is going on incessantly. The Royal party land at 1130 to-morrow.