THE GOVERNOR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 37, 14 October 1913, Page 6

THE GOVERNOR.

AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME.

PRESENTED BY THE MAYOR. This afternoon His Excellency the Governor, Lord Liverpool, accompanied by Lady Liverpool, paid his first visit to Stratford, arriving by special train from New Plymouth at 2.30. He was met at the railway station by the Mayor and Borough Councillors and representatives of other local bodies, beihg then escorted to the Post Office steps. Stratford very much regretted that His Excellency could not make a longer stay on his first visit, but were very glad to welcome both himself and Lady Liverpool to the town. It is just a little unfortunate that tA-day should have been one of those grey, cold days which sometimes visit Stratford instead of such a brilliant day of sunshine as yesterday proved. So brilliant, in fact, was yesterday that some Australian visitors to th*. town remarked-,that the boat was more like Sydney than New Zealand. A

considerable* amount of bunting wa hoisted on business premises.

The Address,

At the Post Officd tlie Mayor rear the following address, signed by him self and the Councillors:—

To His Excellency, the Governor, 'i'he Right Hon. Earl of Liverpool. May it please your Excellency, On behalf of the inhabitants of the Borough of Stratford, we desire to extend to your Excellency, a most loyal and hearty welcome to our town, and at the same time we wish to place on record our gkea't appreciation of your visit, and trust that the present visit is but the forerunner of others to our district, while acting as the representative, in the Dominion of v New Zealand, of His Most Gracious Majesty, King George IV. Although our town is one of the youngest in the Dominion and we are not in the position of showing your modern attainments that might be expected in a town founded many years, nevertheless venture, to hope that you will he interested in the progress made' 1 by a town carved, put of the native bush, situated in dhe heart of TaVanald, and lying on . the slopes pfjMount -- Egmont. If. The ! fact of our town 1 .'being i flamed after Stratford, t in Eng-, . ■ c land, the Mrtbnchf-britljpiace of " i the inimortal :ba^d t . Shakespeare,' i t and ot the streets called after characters in Shakespeare’s plays, may possibly serve as a connecting link- in j*our Excellency’s thoughts with this overseas Dominion and the Old Land, to which we owe and have ever shown allegiance. In conclusion, we desire to again express put, deep*sense of the'hon- :1 ‘ our upon us by the visit 1 of your Excellehcy arid fhh 'Cdufii itess of Liverpool, and we sjhall at all -times be most happy to cordially welcome your Excellencies on any future'occasion you may honour us with a visit

His Excellency’s Reply. In reply, Lord Liverpool expresses thanks to the citizens for the kindly greeting extended to him that day a: the Sovereign’s representative in Xeu Zealand, and also for the expressions of loyalty to the King and the Motherland. Both he and the Countess wert most anxious to pay a visit, though i. had of necessity to he a fleeting one. to their'borough that day. He was perfectly aware of what had to be done in order to make a town like Stratford. It was stated in the ad : dress that it had been carved out oi the virgin hush. In doing so, mud; bush would have to he destroyed; but he hoped the citizens would’'alwaysbear in mind that the bush was one of the most characteristic of the mam beauties of these islands, and he sincerely hoped, therefore, that at much as possible of it would be preserved. Though the situation of the Xew Zealand Stratford differed great ly from that of the English cry, still it bid fair to rival in size its English namesake. He looked forward to the town of Stratford continuing on its steady course of progress and prosperity. Concluding, in personal vein, His Excellency said; ‘T thank yov. citizens for the hearty welcome which you have extended to myself ami the Countess to-day. lam sorry you have not managed to let ns see Mount Egmont, which has been so well pour trayed on the address presented to me. I must confess that wo nave been enjoying glorious weather since we have been in Xew Zealand. Sometimes the wind has been very strong, hut I think you have every reason to he proud of the climate of the country.”

Three cheers were then given for the Governor and three more for the Countess of Liverpool. After this the guests of the day were taken for a motor tour round the district by the Mayor.

Before the speech-making His Excellency inspected the Boy Scouts, who were drawn up on three sides of a square in front of the post office. A large crowd of citizens watched the proceedings.