ARRIVAL OF SIR GEORGE GREY IN KUMARA

Kumara Times, Issue 442, 25 February 1878, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF SIR GEORGE GREY IN KUMARA

It was a great relief to the inhabitants of Kumara and district when, after last night's threatening weather, the morning broke fine, and with every promise of a glorious day. From an early hour it was evident that Kumara meant to keep high holiday, and lone before noon the streets were crowded, the presence of members of Friendly Societies in fall regalia givin<* nu animated appearance to the scene. About this time the Marshal, Mr Munyard, mustered his forces, and lined the Main street with them from the Arch at the corner of Seddon street to the Greymouth and Kumara Tramway, the children of the two Schools, numbering nearly 400, occupying the post of honor next the Station. The Dillman's Town band was early in attendance, and enlivened the time occupied in waiting for the arrival of the

expected guesta by playing a number of popular airs. In the meantime a great crowd of miners, and a large number of ladies assembled in the vicinity of the Arch (bearing the word " Welcome") and the platform; and it was quite evident that the reception about to be accorded to Sir George Grey and his colleagues would be a hearty and demonstrative One.

At 1.45 p.m., the loud blast of a bugle announced that the special train carriage was approaching, and the Marshal at once proceeded to put the children and the members of the Societies in proper order, while the general public hastened to secure van-tage-ground from which to see Sir George, and hear the proceedings. The Ministerial party consisted of Sir George Grey, the Hon Mr Fisher, Postmaster-General, Mr J. C. Brown, M.H.R., the Hon. Mr Mitchell, ML.C, Mr W. Mitchell, Private Secretary, and Mr Seymour George; and they were accompanied by Mr A. R. Guinness, Chairman of the Grey County Council, Mr Nancarrow, Mayor of Greymouth, the Hon. H. H. Luhman, M.L.C., Mr Martin Kennedy, M.H.R, and a large number of prominent citizens of Greymouth.

His "Worship the Mayor, R. J. Se-1-don Esq., welcomed Sir George Grey, and introduced him to the members <>f the Reception Committee, after which a move was made towards the platform. The order of the Procession was as follows:—Band, Soh6ol Children, Sir George Grey, and party (aocompanie I by Reception Committee), Foresters, Oddfellows, Hibernian Society, General Public.

Arrived at the platform, Mr Wylde, Town Clerk, read the following address.—

Kumara, February 25th, 1878. To Sir George Grey, K.C.8., Premier of the Colony of New Zealand.

Sir—The inhabitants of Kumara beg to offer to you and to your honourable colleagues a most cordial welcome upon the occasion of your first official visit to this the youngest town and goldfield in New Zealand.

We are pleased to observe that since your accession to office you have displayed a desire to become personally acquainted with the existing condition of all parts of the Colony ; and we take it as evidence of your interest in, and desire for, the welfare of the West Coast of this island that you and your colleagues have taken an early opportunity to come among us. . Feeling assured that during your stay you will make yourself personally acquainted with the wants and requirements of the district, we will not now trespass on your valuable time further than as briefly as possible to enumerate what, in our opinion, are the most pressing of these.

We are pleased to know that preliminary steps have been taken for bridging the Teremakau River, and we trust that this most urgently pressing work will be proceeded with and completed without delay. The importance of this work cannot be over-estimated, as the goldfield is practically cut in two, and ordinary traffic on the main arterial road stopped, by this highly dangerous river. The gold workings are rapidly extending eastward in the direction of the Christchurch road and the mountains containing the matrix from which the gold has come. A road from Kumara, six miles in length, passing directly through the goldfield, and connecting with the Christchurch road, would lead to a great extension of the workings, open up a large district for permanent settlement, and increase the prosperity of the town and district. A road that can be easily formed has been already surveyed ; and we trust the Government will expend in its construction a portion of the money which, in the absence of railways on the West Coast, it has been understood would be laid out on roads.

An enormous impetus would be given to the prosperity of this goldfield if the miners, in place of driving out the ground, could adopt the system of groundsluicing. To do this it would be necessary to have a main tail-race carried through the diggings, and a much larger supply of water than is at present available. We trust the Government will take this matter into consideration with a view to meeting our pressing requirements in this direction.

From the large.number of men engaged ] in mining operations, and the dangerous j nature of the work, accidents are unf or- j tunately of frequent occurrence. The es- i tablishment of a local Hospital has therefore become an absolute necessity. The want has been partially met by the building of a local ward, in which patients are received, and from which they are for- ! warded to the Hokitika Hospital, the cost j of their maintenance there being defrayed by the town and district. But, owing to the distance which patients have to be | conveyed, and from other causes, this ar- ! rangement is found to be unsatisfactory ; j and the inhabitants earnestly trust the ; Government will assist in the establish- r ment of a separate District Hospital, by j contributing towards the funds necessary | for its erection, and subsidising it under the provisions of the Act..

It is considered an anomaly that within the limits of the town freehold land cannot be obtained, one portion of the town being Education Reserve and the remainder Crown land that can only be occupied under business licences. As this is a serious drawback to the advance of the town by deterring persons from erecting permanent and substantial buildings, diverting from the town a legitimate source

of revenue, and by interfering with mining operations, we hope that the-Govern-ment will take steps to cancel the Education Reserve within the Borough, and allow Crown lands to be sold, or vested in the local governing body. We avail ourselves of the presence of the Postmaster-General to remind him that he has already been asked to appoint a letter-carrier for the town; and we doubt not that when he shall have bepome practically acquainted with its extent, he will appreciate the inconvenience under which the public labors, for want of a postal delivery and that our reasonable request will be complied with..... Another pressing requirement is an evening mail from Greymouth and Hokitika respectively, for the conveyance of which ample facilities are in existence. In drawing your attention to what we consider our chief requirements, we have not entered into details, believing that you will not leave the district without making yourself personally and pactically acquainted with it. In conclusion, we would <again tender to you and to your honourable colleagues, on behalf of the inhabitants of Kumara and district, a most hearty welcome, and we trust that your stay among us, brief though we regret it must be, will form not the least pleasant experience in your travels through the Colony in which you hold the high and honorable position of Chief Minister of the Crown. We have the honor to be. Sir, R. J. Skddon, Mayor, James Wyidb, Town Clerk, (On behalf of the Inhabitants).

Sir George Grey said :—Mr Mayor and Gentlemen, —I will not ou this occasion reply at any length to the subjects of local importance which you have brought before me. I shall have an opportunity of discussing them with you. I will simply say that you will find myself and ray colleagues anxious in every way to promote the prosperity of this place, and to do all we possibly can for the people who inhabit Kumara. (cheers). One point I will allude to, and that is the necessity for establishing a Local Hospital, and what I will do is I will make a promise to the children who have met me here to day, that fr Local Hospital shall be established, so that if their fathers or their relatives meet any accident in pursuing their dangerous ocbupation, they shall not be taken from their homes and familiesto a distant hospital (cheers). I will see that that is. done. Then further, I must express my gratitude to Providence for having allowed,'me to gee tft.e sight I have witnessed this day—a sight which you must all feel proud of; that here in a country that was utterly unpopulated and densely covered with forest, a town has sprung, up iu such a short time, inhabited by people who, have not fled from civilisation, but have, brought civilisation with them, bringw ing all their home comforts aboutthem, and establishing what I believe has never before been seen in so short a period of time, a town possessing every element of prosperity, and every-thingthatcan-attach men to their homes; a town no* inhabited by semi-barbarous miner?,, hut by heads of families, and owners of happy homes, (cheers) Such a sight is truly wonderful, and I will do my very utmost to aid you all in the work which yoit have begun, and to carry on £0 a successful issue the task which you have undertaken (cheers). '': ■ . - The Mayor then; called fov three cheers for Sir George Grey and the Ministry, which were heartily given. Three cheers were then given for the Mayor, at the instigation of Sir George, after which the party retired to,the Crown Hotel, where Mr Spindeler had prepared, a la Francaise, in the upstairs dining-room, a luncheon in a manner that would have reflected credit upon any caterer in the colony. After the luncheon, the.party, accompanied by his Worship the Mayor and members of the Reception Committee, proceeded to Dill man's Town, where an address from the Miners (for which we cannot find room in the present issue) was presented to them. Our report of this portion of the proceedings is unavoidably held over. To-night a graud banquet will .take place in the Public Hall, the preparations for which are on a scale adequate, with the importance of the occasion.

At the Teremakau River, Sir George Grey and party were met by a deputation representing the Arahura Road Board. These gentlemen left Kdmara by special tram, the party consisting of Mr Matthew Griffiths (Chairman ofthe Board), Messrs Hannan, Sandle,'.'and'..' Stanton (members), Mr Byrne (Secretary), Mr Price, R.M., . Mr B,irff % M.H.R., and several other gentlemen. Sir George and his colleagues were warmly welcomed, and Mr Byrne read- • the .following address-: ■ - . u To the Hon. Sir George. Grey, KC.B. 1 Premier of. New Zealand. ' Sir—"We, the Chairman and members -■ of the Arahura Road Board, on the inhabitants of this district, bjeiyou • most cordial welcome amongst us. I We confidently believe that your "visit will result in much benefit "ijo-the West V Coasts, inasmuch as you will have -$n op- -*

"portunity from personal observation of judging of its resources and importance. Sir, we feel that your visit will be productive of much good from the, opportunity it will afford you of enquiring into the work of our newly created Local Governing bodies, which •it is to be regreted exercise fimcjfcions so similar as to 'cause them to clash with one another, and, indeed, seems to shew that either the Coun|y Council or the Road Board •should be, abolished. As members of the Road Board we. regret to say. that many most important works which would tend to the development of'the Mineral Resources of this district, have since the coming into force •of the Counties Act been necessarily neglected by the Board owing to.the ab«orbtion by the County of all revenue. In conclusion, Sir, we beg, in again welcoming you, to assure you of our full confidence in the Government of which we feel proud and happy to welcome you ;as the leader. Matthew Griffiths, Chairman Arahura Road Board. Dennis Hannan, B. W. Sankle, Henry M'Alpine, "W. S. S. Stanton, James Murphy, James F. Byrne, Secretary. Sir <3eorge Grey and party remain here to-night at Spindeler's Crown Hotel, where excellent accommodation has been provided for them. Tomorrow morning they hecome the guests of the County. The Chairman of the Council and the members propose ♦coming up to Kumara in special coaches, »nd meeting the Ministerial party at the town boundary. Sir George will Teach the Hokitika town boundary at 12.30, where he will be rapt by the Mayor and members of the Bordugh •Council. In front of. the Town Haft the school children will be marshalled, •and as many of the public as can conveniently be present. At 2.30 p.m. the Premier will receive deputatious "from the various public bodies, when the addresses and replies will be delivered. At 8 o'clock in the evening the. banquet will takejjriace. The day be observed as a public holiday.