A WELCOME TO THEIR EXCELLENCIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 936, 1 April 1930, Page 8

A WELCOME TO THEIR EXCELLENCIES

FLAGS and banners of welcome flew over the City today for Lord and Lady Bledisloe, who have allowed very little time to elapse before making the acquaintance of the largest city of the Dominion. Their visit so soon after landing in the country will he interpreted as a compliment. The community’s appreciation of this gesture of friendliness was reflected in the warmth of the welcome this morning, when the opening part of the programme was attended by an effective ceremonial and a genuine demonstration of public interest in their Excellencies’ visit. The public’s real opportunity to greet Lord and Lady Bledisloe will occur this evening, at the civic welcome in the Town Hall, and The Sun is confident that the public will make this an opportunity for sincere and whole-hearted appreciation of the spirit which has led their Excellencies to make their visit to Auckland virtually their first important engagement. Among the things they will discover here are a warm respect and admiration for Vice-Regal representatives who, as Lord and Lady Bledisloe are so evidently eager to do, fit their lives and interests as much as possible into the interests and aspirations of the people' as a whole. Another attraction Lord and Lady Bledisloe will find in Auckland is a home for which every preceding Vice-Regal couple have cherished the deepest affection. Government House, Auckland, is so much more pleasant as to site, appearance and design than the large hostel-like edifice on the wind-swept site in Wellington, that the place it has won in the hearts of earlier GovernorGenerals may he easily understood. The site has about it a flavour of history and romance. Its associations go back to the earliest days of government in New Zealand. There one of the first Government Houses was burned. Opposite stood the first Parliament House. The plain timbered hostel, erected for members who had to come long distances, is still standing. Governors come and governors go, but the fine old oaks in Government House grounds still flourish, as if to perpetuate the memory of those who have sone before.