HIS EXCELLENCY IN CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4399, 26 April 1875, Page 3

HIS EXCELLENCY IN CANTERBURY.

THE RECEPTION AT LYTTELTON. Great preparations were made in port for the reception of the Governor, the day being observed as a holiday by many of the citizens. Flags were displayed from all the flagstaff's in the place. An arch of evergreens was above that part of the railway station where the Borough Council presented their address. The ships in harbor were all nicely dressed, noticeably the Lady Jocelyn, the Hudson, and the Avalanche, but where all did their best it would be invidious to make distinctions. On the Gladstone Pier Mr. Yule's office was decorated with the Union Jack, and an arch, surmounted by the American flag, with the motto " Cead MUle Failthe," was erected near. At the railway station, a double arch of flags was put up by the harbor department with the device of "Welcome" in the centre. The artillery, under Captain Craig, arrived from Christchurch by the 10.30 a.m. train, and proceeded to the Orphanage for shot and shell practice.

The Phoebe was signalled about 1 p.m., and was inside the Heads at twenty minutes before S p.m. As she came up the harbor abreast of the Lady Jocelyn, the men on board that ship and the Avalanche saluted her with a tremendous cheer, and a salute of twenty-one shots was fired by Messrs. Hawkins and Co.'s men on" the breakwater. In order to effect jhis, holes were drilled in boulders, and the salute was fired by means of a difference of three inches in the lengths of the fuse. A carpet was spread, from/ the steadier to the platform, along which the Governor walked on his arrival at- the wharf. The harbor pilots' crew, clad in white, were in attendance, and the moment his -Excellency landed, the Orpharige band strupk up tha National Anthem, '■ and the first; gun of the Christchurch Artillery ,in salute was fired. His Honor the Superintendent and Mrs. Rolleston, Sir J. C. and LadyWilson, Mr. and Mrs. Peacock, Mr. and Mrs. Webb, Dr. Donald, and his Worship the Mayor, together with several members of the Executive, were , in . attendance, and , .Miss Maude Rouse presented, the "Marchioness with a bouquet on board the stearner. It was about ten minutes past three when his Excellency landed, and about a quarter-past he arrived at the station attended by those mentioned above,, a special carriage, appropriately decorated, having conveyed, him from the platform on the Gladstone Pier. A great crowd was present, arid a number of ladies occupied the platform, together with the Borough Council and ' those in attendance on his Excellency, including his Honor the Superintendent and Mrs. Rolleston,', and Mrs. Richardson, Sir J. Cl and Lady'Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Webb, Dr. Donald, the Mayor, and a number of others. Omthe open space in front of the portion of the station set apart for his Excellency's reception, whicli was appropriately decorated, with flags, &c, were marshalled the borough school children, nearly 500 in number, and it speaks highly in their praise when we say that they were on the ground from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. in the hot sun without a murmur. Every master and mistress in the schools was in attendance, and immediately on the arrival of his Excellency the children, under the leadership of Mr. Phillips's baton, sang "God Save the Queen." Behind these again were the members of the friendly societies, the Odd Fellows and Foresters, who mustered in great' force with their banners, the Foresters displaying a.. new banner. Hearty cheers were then given, and an. address was presented on behalf of the Borough Council by his Worship the Mayor. His Excellency replied as follows : "To His Worship the Mayor and the Corporation of Lyttelton. Gentlemeny—l thank you for the kind and cordial welcome which you offer to mo on this my first visit to your municipality, and I beg to express to you my sincere regret that circumstances which I could not well control have prevented my sooner visiting this important and flourishing portion of the colony. The congratulations which you offer to me on my assumption of the Government of New Zealand at a period when peace and prosperity prevail throughout the land, are indeed most acceptable to me, and I sincerely pray that those dark days of strife and enmity which so unhappily marked the earlier history of the colony, are now passed for over, and it is most gratifying to me to know that negotiations are even now pending which promise to set at rest all existing differences, and to terminate that state of isolation which has been so long maintained by some of the Maori race. With peace at home, with improved internal communication, and a rapidly increasing white population, I cannot but believe that the speedy development of the great resources of these islands will be secured, and that New Zealand will long remain the happy home of a loyal, contented, and prosperous race. I thank you sincerely for the kind wishes you express towards Lady Normanby and myself." His Excellency, Lady Normanby, and party then took their seatß in the carriages of the special train, and were conveyed to Christchurch. AT CHIUBTOHUROH. Shortly after ten o'clock the guard of honor furnished by the Christchurch Artillery, -under. Captain Craig and Lieut. Stansell, paraded on their parade ground ; and having been inspected by the officer in command, proceeded through the city to the railway station, and thence to the port, an Armstrong having been sent ori by the first train, >

Shortly before one o'clock the joint guard of honor, comprising the Engineers under Captain Pavitt and Lieut. Stuart, and the City Guards, under Captain Hawkes and Lieuts. Woolfe and Malcolm, the whole being under command of Major Bean, paraded at the drill shed, and marched to the station, followed shortly afterwards -by the C.Y.C., under Lieut. Slater. As it was expected that his Excellency would arrive between one and two p.m., the streets shortly'after the,latter hour were crowded with people, and High-street, from the White Hart to Barrett's Hotel, was lined with spectators, the footpaths from the latter hotel to the railway , station, being nearly impassable. The railway enclosure was also so lined with spectators that Mr. Inspector Buckley, with Sergeant Pratt and a posse of police, experienced some difficulty in keeping a clear space. Shortly before four o'clock the first gun fired from Mr. Hesketh's battery of seventeen guns informed the patient spectators that the train was approaching, and shortly afterwards the special train drew up to the platform. His Excellency and the Marchioness, attended by his Honor the Superintendent, the Hon. E. Richardson, and Sir Cracroft Wilson, having alighted, the guard of honor presented arms, and the band of the'C.Y.C. played the National Anthem. His Excellency and Lady Normanby then took their seats in a barouche and pair, driven by Mr. J. Page. Just before starting- the guns of Mr. Hesketh's battery startled one of the horses, and ultimately they set off at a good round pace ; happily, however, no accident occured, and the party landed at the Clarendon without any damage being done. To-day his Excellency will hold a levee, and will afterwards visit the Museum, Domain, and other objects of interest, and with the Marchioness will be present at the Citizens' Ball this evening, at the Odd Fellows' Hall.— Press, April 22.