THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO LAWRENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 321, 14 January 1874, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO LAWRENCE.

Between 3 and 4 o'clock on Monday afteriioon, the Mayor and Crs. Walker, Hill, Hay, Armstrong, and Hayes, accompanied by J. r C. Brown, Esq., M.H.R., and Mr. Ferguson (T,ttapexa Times), proceeded in buggies "to meet the Governor at . Havelock ; but' before they reached that place they met bis Excellency, with whom were his Honor the Superintendent and his Excellency's aide-dc camp. His Excellency was driving four-in-hand, and was going at a sharp pace. On meeting the buggies, he drew up, ■when Mr. Macandrew introduced to him His Worship the Mayor. After exchanging compliments, the Mayor resumed bis seat, and the two buggies proceeded on the return journey in advance of His Excellency. Along the line of road, at every human habitation, some enquiring faces presented themselves. A union jack on a long manuka pole was fixed to the fence at Mr. Tyson's house, by which the casual observer was reminded that a live Governor was about to pass that way. During the progress of the procession, we only observed his Excellency uncover his head on one occasion, and that was on his observing a little girl, near the Hospital, waving her handkerchief, which she had tied to a stick. The entry into the town was very tarne — people appeared mostly to be attending to their own business and looking in a contrary direction. In Peel-street things were a little different. There was a

considerable gathering of sight-seers, and the cheering, although not vociferous, indicated

the approach of some uncommon personage. One thing which created a very pleasant effect was Mr. Bachelder's band on the balcony of the Victoria Hotel playing the National Anthem. We learn that Mr, Bachelder, on being asked by the Mayor, nost willingly supplied the band. •After performing the requisite ablutions so pleasing after a dusty journey, his Excellency, being desirous of making himself acquainted with the various institutions of the town of Lawrence, asked Mr. J. C. Brown to show him the lions thereof. Mr. Brown first took his Excellency to the Athcnoeum. He closely p inspected the library, and expressed himself highly pleased with the selection of books and

the geneia 1 character of the institution. Trey then walked on to the Hospital, and visited the several wards of that institution. His Excellency seemed to take a very great interest in the patients and their treatment, making numerous enquiries of them as to their respective ailments. The appearance

of cold tea here and there in mugs on the

forms in the ward, with dead flies floating on the top of it, apparently left by some of the patients, did not by any means form a pleasing attraction to hi 6 Excellency, who, thinking

the tea was bad, would not be satisfied until

he had some specially brewed for himself, on "tasting which, however, he pronounced it to be very good. After visiting the gaol and other public .buildings, his Esc?llency returned to his quarters in the Commercial Hotel, On the following morning, accompanied by his Honor the Superintendent, the Mayor o*f Lawrence, J. C. Brown, Esq., M.H.R., and Cr. Hill, his Excellency visited the Gabriels Gully quartz battery, when Mr. Squires, the manager of the company, showed and j explained to his Excellency the machinery. While Mr. Brown con-

Veyed his Honor the Superintendent in a truck into the Clarks Hill drive — a distance of 1100 feet — to show his Honor the wonderful things which were being accomplished in the bowels of the earth in these parts, his Excellency and Mr. Squires crossed over the tailings to the Spur workings, where they •were met by Mr. W. D. Morrison and Mr. Samuel Hales. These gentlemen then explained the mode of operations carried on at the Spur ; and his Excellency, we are informed, administered some very wholesome •advice W»tli uogard to litigalitm — U thing ie had heard the Blue Spur miners were not

entirely unacquainted with. His Honor the Superintendent returned to Lawrence, but

his , Excellency, the Mayor, Mr. B^gwn and "others ascended the hill to the township, where they visited Mr. M'Lelland and his young charge in the new schoolhouse. After having a look round at the great havoc made by the miners in search for the hidden treasures, they returned by the main road and found the buggy waiting for them a short distance on the road. . Shortly after arriving in Lawrence, the Mayor and Councillors entertained his Excellency to a cold collation in tljp Commercial Hotel. There were a few gentlemen present by special invitation, but there were some absent whose presence might have been 'desirable. We can ■quite understand the peculiar position in ■which the Mayor and Councillors were placed and we have no doubt their coniuct in this matter will have given offence to some. Mr. Armstrong cannot be too highly complimented upon the excellence of the lunch provided. The table was elegantly spread, and must have created a favorable impression on his Excellency, who, we may remark, passed a high compliment in ourpresencenpon the cleanof the house and the attendance he had The Mayor proposed "The Queen," trhieh was dulyresponded to. He then proposed "The health of His Excellency Sir James Fergusson, Governor of New, Zealand." He •assured their guest that the people of Lawrence would only have been highly pleased to liave given him a much more demonstrative reception than they had done had they not Understood that bis "Excellency desired that euch a reception shoult^ not be given to him. The health was drank Yfih enthusiasm. His Excellency, in a capital speech, explained that he was aware that public demonstrations of the kind referred to by the Vayor always entailed an outlay by people il 6O me cases of from one to three guineas, a>»d these sums were often expended by those \h 0 could ill afford to do so. He looked upoi these demonstrations, therefore, as an unnecessary tax tipon the people, and as a rule disL ura gg eel e cl them where he could, He thought hX ideas on these matters would soon be understood over the country. He remarked that it always gave him pleasure to watch the\i ge and progress of new communities such as Laurence, and he hoped that by the time the Bluk Spur was all washed into the sea a large and \ prosperous community would be established. He then spoke strongly on the subject of education, andhoped that a really high-class education "would be .brought within the reach of every child in the oouaJ-jry, A wealthy Province like Otago, he considered, had no excuse for, ■withholding Buch an education f rO m its rising population. His Excellency concluded an eminently practical xmd intelligent Speech by proposing the toast of "The Lawrence Coloration," to which the Mayor responds in suitable terms. The Mayor then proposed the health of his Honor the Superintendent who also responded in a few appropriate words. The intimation given to his Excellency that his coach was waiting was taken by the company as a signal to, disperse. After his Excellency shook hands with each gentleman' present the party broke up. HK Excellency his Honor .and Captain Fergusson then took their seats and proceeded on their up country tour, Messrs Cargilland Anderson's station being the terminus of their day's journey. On their, way, his Excellency was presented with an address at the Chinese Camp f>y Mr. Won On and Mr. Qui King, which ■was read by M*. King. His Excellency, in reply, complimented, the Chinese on their orderly conduct, and trusted the same good . feeling would long continue to exist between thetwo races. The Mayor and Councillors iaccompanied His Excellency in buggies as far as JSvan's Flat, when another good bye brought » A «tae Ac Governer's visit.