NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION. Dunedin, this day.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 425, 4 December 1889, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND EXHIBITION. Dunedin, this day.

THE BANQUET. The banquet given by the President and Commissioners to celebrate the opening of the Exhibition was held last night. It was a real Otago affair. The only Aueklanders present were the Hon. E. Mitchel&on and L. D. Nathan. The Mayor of every province of importance was present, with the exception of the Mayor of Auckland. There was a lot pf bungling over the list of invitations sent out, and to this cause must be put down Mr Devore's absence. His invitation appears only to have reached him at a late hour. The Governor was most happy in his remarks regarding the Exhibition. The Governor, in the course of his speech, said : "Here we are, all gathered together. Here is, or ought to be, Mr Devore, Mayor of Auckland, who extended to me the hand of welcome when 1 first landed on the shores of New Zealand not as Governor, but, as my "Wellington friends were caiefui to inform me, as a simple nobleman on touv. Here is Mr Duthie, who welcomed me in the capital city, and who gave an entertainment which tor magnificence has not been, surpassed in that city. Here ia Mr Louisson, who, when I came to Christchurch, nearly ran me off my legs with the number of entertainments I found afc my disposal and, last of all, here is Mr Gourlay, who burned out all the citizens of Dunedin in the dead of night to welcome me when I landed here, and who had no small share in preparation of the magnificent residence which enables me to have the honour of addressing you to-night. Whatever these worthy mayors may write in their papers, when they come to Dunedin they mean to enjoy themselves — to have what Americans call a "lovely time of it.'*

MR DEVORE'S EXPLANATION". In explanation .of his nob being present at the banquet last night, Mr- Devore tells me this morning that he had no invitation till ye-terday at one o'clock, when Mi Roberts sent him a note asking 1 him to pro pose the toasb of " The Parliament of New Zealand." Until then he had received nc notice or intimation of the banquet, and ai that time he had accepted another mvi | tation, which prevented him attending.