Num. 26.

549

THE

NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

EXTRAORDINARY.

Published by Authority.

WELLINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1886.

Premier's Office,
Wellington, 5th May, 1886.

HIS Excellency desires it to be notified that he has this day received the following telegram from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales:—

In forwarding proceedings of opening ceremony of Colonial and Indian Exhibition by Her Majesty this day, should be glad if you would publish them in special issue of Gazette.

Address by His Royal Highness the Executive President to Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of the opening of the Exhibition.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,—

As Executive President of the Royal Commissioners appointed by your Majesty's royal warrant of the 8th November, 1884, for the promotion of an Exhibition of the British Colonial and Indian Empire, subsequently incorporated by Her Majesty's royal charter of the 10th September, 1885, I humbly beg leave to lay before you a brief statement of our proceedings up to the present time. The general interest manifested in the display made by your Majesty's Colonial and Indian Empire at the Paris Exhibition of 1878 led me, as President of the British Commission, to express a hope that an opportunity might soon occur by which your Majesty's subjects in England would be enabled to witness the marvellous development which under your beneficent rule their brethren and fellow-subjects had attained throughout so many portions of the globe. It was therefore with the highest gratification that I accepted your Majesty's gracious invitation to assume the executive presidency of this Commission, the appointment of which by your Majesty has been the means of making this hope a reality. The invitations which we were empowered by your Majesty to issue to the Colonial Govern-
ments and to the Government of India were forwarded towards the close of the year 1884, and from the answers received it at once became apparent that this undertaking had obtained warm and hearty sympathy throughout your Majesty's dominions, in your Majesty's Dominion of Canada, throughout your Australasian, African, West Indian, and Eastern Colonies, in your Mediterranean possessions, and elsewhere. Grants were voted, commissions formed, and Executive Commissioners appointed. That the work of preparation was undertaken with enthusiasm, and attended with success, is evident from the complete and varied collections which at present fill the building throughout which your Majesty has just passed. The response received from the Government of India was also of the most cordial character. His Excellency the Viceroy caused, through the Revenue and Agricultural Department, instructions to be issued to every district of your Majesty's Indian Empire for the collection of objects illustrative of the arts, manufactures, and resources of that great realm. These collections, which now adorn a large section of the Exhibition, have been supplemented by generous contributions from their Highnesses the Princes of India, by collections the formation of which we ourselves have authorized, and by the contributions of private native exhibitors. We are desirous of bringing under your Majesty's notice our deep appreciation of the hearty interest manifested by the respective Colonial Governments in the Exhibition, and of taking this opportunity of stating how greatly we are indebted to the Commissioners appointed by these Governments, and to the Executive Commissioners, on whom the superintendence of the entire work of installation has devolved. We further desire to record the valuable assistance which we have received from your Majesty's Viceroy, from the Supreme Government of India, and from the various officials who have so ably and thoroughly carried out their instructions. Our grateful