THE GOVERNOR ON THE WEST COAST.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4980, 9 March 1877, Page 7

THE GOVERNOR ON THE WEST COAST.

Hokitika, February 23. j , About 500 persons were present at the prize firing yesterday during the visit of the.Govefnorl i ' , In'the evening his Excellency and suite attended' the citizens banquet, -- in the Town Hall. The Mayor; presided. ; The Governor, in; fespondihg to the toast of the ex- i pressed" his gratification at the signs pf progress presented in .the district.,, ~3ylr. Button, in proposing the toast “ The s Gpyenjoi’s responsible j advisers said he ,was .convinced, tiujt’. there was no part of New Zeiand in which th'e; people were,mpre]generailyi;satisfied with thei Ministry of Ihedaythanthe people of .Westland. Mr.'" Bowen, in said no doubt, oh the .question of. abolition, ; a great part pf^■. thh c6untry„was at the baek of the Ministry,-and this - part of the • country especially. In after-, wards proposing prosperity to 'Westlahdii he referred to ’ the recent discoveries of 'itin, ant|ruony,- silver,- and lithographic, stone; r he ; should have liked much to’have seen th'e County Council in full working,prder, he might have discussed with'thera at this: :meetfiTg the“'questroiroC“watef”faFes7' After the banquet, 'the Governor, drove 'through -the town, esedrte'd by' the. Volunteer Band'anli' Fire-Brigade.in 'torchlight'procession.-, r ffHe ' day’s proceedings ended with iUumihations anid a_..great display; of "fireworks?.. .The-Goverudr’ is, now ;oa, hisrvyay .to GreyttoMth, Via’.Ku-, mara,_ where .there-isV,Sorbs’a lunch apd'prA: sentation- of-addresses -and -characteristic mi- 1 ?riers’?pfoe’essiori. -i ‘| , - -‘ Kumar A,‘-February 23. i His Excellency, and suite,,.accompanied by the -Hori. Messrs: Bowen and"Bonar, and Mr. McWhirter - (Chairman - of the Westland > County :.C6un'cil), amved'at Kumara at’noon, and were met by ;the'members of the -Hoad “Board,“■yhq^- presented-an ;address • of- • welcome. ’' Hil r Excellency then 1 went /over ja portion of the lead/ and-washed %ut a prospect in one-bf the claims., - Gn returning the viceregal' party was - entertained - at a-publio lup- ' dheoft;'.-' The' Governor said-'Kiimara- was the mdSt -wonderful ’goldfield he had ;s’een,'and He. ‘Jiad/ visited ■ numbers , iu Queensland."' He left for - Greymouth at 2 p.ra.', ■ Qri- - crossing"the. Teremakau he was ‘received' ’by ■ the -Grey’ County 1 Chairman’? (Mr. Guinness); ‘who 7 wel-_ corned’him ’to- the’district; - and presented; an - address. -tJ-’ j ' ■ ’ GreVMOOTH, February 26'. i ■ • His Excellency the Governor' and party ar- , rived at Teremakau' a little • after.three o’clock:, on Friday’afternoon; and wert—received there, by,A. H. Guinness, Esq,, County Chairman, and 'the members. ■ of/Grey County Council. The Governor was presented with - an "ad’dresfe. The Paroa Road Board received Ihe'Govemor at Marsden and presented him with an address,He reached the ’boundary, of ./ the : town - * |»£' Greymouth at half-past, six’ in; the 'evening, J where; he was received • by his Worship the Mayor, F. Hanrilton, - Esq;, the'-Counoillprs, Fire Brigade, _ Volunteer Rifles, ' friendly societies, citizens,’and 600 - children. He was! presented with Ain -address'from the Boroughs Council, - ' after; iritich the National-Anthem was sung by ’the children.. The procession then proceeded .:tb. the: residence; of his Worship,,: the ’/Mayor, where the .’ Governor - and party were’entertained during his stay. The Governor was escorted'to a ball af ten o'clock by. the Fire Brigade, in torchlight procession. Ofi Saturday morning the 'Governor 'went to Brunnerton by a special train, accompanied by the County .Chairman, ,the Mayor,’and a number of ’the' business men..' About eighty persons sat dovvn./to. lunch, and _a number [of' toasts were, proposed and responded ,to. ;;,Tne party returning to Greymouth’ in the evening. :His' Excellency’attended , church ,on Sunday. He .intended ’ to ‘.'go on'.board the Hihemoapn 'the evening, but was prevented from'doing so by a heavy sea being bn the bar?' ’ ‘V; ' J Westport,. February, 28.1 , -His.Bxoellenoytho Governor was received by.1500;persons,.including, the ,Maaons, Odd Feb., lows;'Foresters, Templars,:,and Reyhabites, ]ip full regalia, l the Borough and. County Councils, and’ school children., .Salvos, of. artillery..were: . fired, - and a - brass bancl- -played.i . Addresses were*read and. replied ..to; at . the, wharf. The procession wiishalf a .mile long, arid escorted the Governor to the Empire Hotel,, where a'.levee - was held at 6.30. The Governor opened the ball at the Masonic Hall at 9.80, and attended;supper at 12. The ball’was !an immense ,success. Next morqing a spepial traiu was run,to Wairaangaroa,,wherothere,was,a Reception; audaddressgg vverepresentedby tlie.cpal lessees. In a marquee a collation vyas.subse-i quently given. The Governor, on returning, embarked’ at eleven, being escorted,,to,- the .wharf by the-citizens, the band playing’the National Anthem. The,/vessels dipped their ensigns. His Excellency could not remain for. the banquet provided, but the reception committee and guests afteryards partook,of lit. -

There was fine weather throughout his Excellency’s stay. The Governor expressed his gratification at the cordial and homely welcome from Westport, and complimented the committee on.the excellent accommodation provided. ' ' .