THE VICE-REGAL PARTY IN WAIKATO.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2766, 5 April 1890, Page 2

THE VICE-REGAL PARTY IN WAIKATO.

VISIT TO HAMILTON. , > THE RECEPTION. Thubsday being'the day fixed by His Excellency the Governor for his visit to Hamilton, and a telegram having been received from the Hon. E. Mitchelson stating that the party would arrive at the Hamilton station at 11.20 a.m.,, Rhortly before that time His Worship the Mayor and the Councillors proceeded to the station to meet the Governor and present him With an'address, this being his first official visit to Hamilton, a guard of honour of the Hamilton Light Infantry Volunteers, under Capt. Reid and Lieut. Dyer, was drawn up at the station to meet His Excellency, _ and everything was in readiness at the appointed time. There was also a large attendance of the general public, the fair sex, being in the niaj >rity, assembled to sh»w their respect to the representative of our Gracious Queen. At 11.45 His Worship the Mayor received another telegram from Mr Mitchelson, stating that the train would not arrive till 12.45, and the assemblage dispersed, the volunteers being inarched to the Commer- j cial Hotel, where the Mayor had very liberally arranged for their entertainment. The train, however, arrived at the station a little before time, and some little delay occurred before the arrival of the municipal authorities. His Excellency was received by the Mayor, and after being introduced to the Mayoress, the following address waß read by the Town Clerk To His Excellency the Right Honourable the Earl of Onslow, Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Coloay of New Zealand.—May it please your Excellency, —We. the inhabitants of Hamilton desire to respectfully extend to you a most cordial welcome t» our town upon this the first occasion of your visit to Waikato, and to congratulate you upon the wish thus evidenced by you to become acquainted personally with the country and people whom you have been called upon by our Most Gracious Majesty to govern. We trust that during your Lordship's term of office the colony will continue to advance and prosper, and we hope that your Lordship's residence amongst us will be a long and pleasant one. With loyalty and respect, we, on behalf of the inhabitants of Hamilton. subscribe ourselves. Isaac Coates (Mayor), C. J. W. Barton (Town Clerk),' ~ In replying His Excellency said that it afforded him great pleasure to visit Hamilton. On a previous occassion he passed through in the train, and he was greatly struck by the beauty of its situation. He considered It the duty of a Governor to make himself acquainted not only with the larger centres, but also with the smaller boroughs. He said he was much pleased with the hearty and loyal reception he had been accorded by both natives and Europeans, and he thanked the people of Hamilton for the loyal address thev had presented. Several gentlemen, including Mr Primrose (Chairman of the Waikato , District Hospital Board and the Waikato County Council), Messrs Bell and Salmon (Borough Councillors), were introduced by the Mayor, His Excellency and Lady Onslow and suite were then driven to the Hamilton Hotel. LUNCH HON. A luncheon was given to His Excellency and Lady Onslow, Hon. Mr Michelson and the Governors' suite by Mr Coates (the Mayor of Hamilton) at Gwynne's Hotel, the following gentlemen being invited to meet the vice-regal party Mr W. A. and Mrs Graham, Capt. Reid, Lieut. Dyer, Mr A. Primrose, Mr James Hume, Dr. Kenny, Mr Von Stunner, Capt. McPherson, and Mes-srs Knox, T. G. Sandes, and C. .1. W. Barton. The luncheon was set down in Mrs Gwynne's usual excellent style, and before rising the host Mr Coates proposed the usual loyal toasts and then the health of His Excellency and Lady Onslow. In replying His Excellency said he had great pleasure in coming to Waikato. It was a magnificent country, growing in prosperity, not only of itself, but relatively with the rest of the colony. The people had a magnificent sheep country at the back of them and around them, and would become large exporters of frozen meat, which would form one of the principal staples of this colony, and which would command a market at Home that worn Id cause them to have no dread of a diminution in prices. He hoped that the Auckland province, which had been the last to feel the depression, would soon be lifted onward on the wave of prosperity. The company then broke up, and His Excellency and suite, accompanied by Mr Mitchelson and the Chairman of the Hospital Board, proceeded to the Hospital to inspect that institution. They left tor Cambridge by special train about four o'clock.

VISIT TO CAMBRIDGE. His Excellency the Governor, Lady Oilslow, and staff, arrived at Cambridge, on Thursday afternoon, at 4.40 p.m. They travelled per the special train that has been devoted to His Excellency's use, which contains sleeping apartments and all the necessary appurtenances. The Hon. E. Mitchelson (Native Minister) was likewise a passenger by the train, and introduced the Governor to many of the Cambridge inhabitants. A deputation consisting of Councillors James Hally (acting Mayor), Gillett, Bond, Fawcett, Boyce, Messrs Wells (chaiiman of Domain Board), J. P Thwmson (Town Clerk), Tuck, Clements, Moon, Davies. and many others, were waiting upon the platform when the train arrived, and the.following address was read by Mr Thomson and presented by Cr. Hally : To tho Right Honourable tho Earl of Onslbw, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same. May it please your Excellency, on this your first visit to Cambridge, we, the Mayor and councillors representing the burgesses of Cambridge, bee to offer you our most sincere and cordial welcome, and as the representative of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, we are glad to have the opportunity of giving expression of our goodwill as her true and loyal subjects. This being the fiist time your Excellency has visited us and our district, we trust that in the short time you are remaining with us, you may form such a favourable opinion of us and it that you may feel a desire to see more of Waikato, and that we may have the honour and pleasure of again welcoming your Excellency at an early date. We beg to conclude this short address with our best wishes for the health of your Excellency, Lady Onslow and family, and trust that we may always entertain towards your Excellency the same good feeling as at present. —Signed on behalf of the Borough Council, John H. Priestly, Mayor, Ja.s. P. Thomson, Town Clerk.—Cambridge, Waikato, N.Z., April 3rd, 1890. —His Excellency briefly replied as follows Mr Mayor, Councillors and gentlemeu. I thank you very much for the loyal address you have presented to me, and I entertain no doubt that the sentiments of the inhabitants of Cambridge are as loyal as those of larger towns. I have already visited some of your Waikato tewnships, such as Lichfield, Hamilton, and others, and I hope to have the opportunity of seeing more of your district to-morrow before leaving. Cheers were then given for His Excellency, Lady Onslow and family, which the Governor suitably acknowledged.—Mr J. S. Masters, (native interpreter) on behalf of the natives of Maungakawa and neighbouring settlerinn'.s expressed regret that there had not been time to make arrangements for them to greet His Excellency.—His Lordship asked Mr Masters to convey his thanks to the natives ; he tr jsted that he might meet them on a future occasion. The party then proceeded to the National Hotel, where they dined. yesterday's proceedings. Yesterday morning the Governor, Lady Onslow and the Hon. E. Mitchelson, accompanied Mr Wells rnund the Te Koutu domain grounds. His Lordship expressed the opinion that the Domain was one of the prettiest, if not the prettiest, in the colony, and complimented Mr Wells (who is chairman of the Board), upon the manner in which the grounds had been laid out. The party then drove to Gorton, Mr Hally also attending. His Excellency drove, Lady Onslow sitting beside him. The drive was a short one as Lady Onslow had expressed a wish to attend service at S. Andrew's Church. They arrived at the Church just before 11 a.m, and attended divine service, the Archdeacon preaching. Her Ladyship expressed herself greatly pleased with the Church and the service. We regret to state the choir on this occasion consisted of two ladies only. After lunch at Gillett's H431, His Exctllency, Lady Onslow, two of the suite, and Cr, Hally were driven to Hamilton in order that the former might view tho country, Processing through Hamilton

His Excellency went to see the Claudelands race course, embarking in the special train at Hamilton East and coins straight on to Auckland. !It is greatly to be regretted that it was a wet afternoon when the Governorarrived, and that more elaborate preparations had not been, made for his reception. Tho latter, however, was a difficult matter to deal with, as all sorts of contradictory messages'were received about his visit, and even some of those who went to the station doubted if they had rightly been informed.