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THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 26

thanks are also due to the Colonial Governments, to the
Government of India, to the Corporation of the City of
London, to many city companies, and to the firms and indi-
viduals who have contributed to the guarantee funds. The
fact that the list of subscribers not only includes those whose
interests are likely to be specially affected by the Exhibition,
but also comprehends every class of the community, supplies
gratifying proof of the universal sympathy and interest which
this undertaking has aroused. We venture to avail ourselves
of this opportunity to convey to your Majesty our dutiful and
loyal acknowledgement of the interest which your Majesty
has been pleased to take in our labours, proved as it is by
your Majesty's presence here to-day. Nor can I resist a re-
ference to a similar ceremonial presided over by your Majesty
a few paces from this, about thirty-five years ago. On
that memorable occasion, the first of its kind, the
Prince Consort, my beloved and revered father, filled the
position which I, following in his footsteps, at however great
a distance, now have the honour and gratification of occupy-
ing. Your Majesty alone can fully realize with what deep
interest my beloved father would, had he been spared, have
watched, as their originator, the development of the Exhibi-
tions both in this country and abroad, and with what
special pleasure he would have rejoiced at the opening of
such an Exhibition as the present, as having for its object the
prosperity of your Majesty's Empire, the interests of which
he had so much at heart. In the Great Exhibition of
1851 your Majesty's colonial and Indian possessions were
indeed represented, but their importance was then but little
realized, and their present greatness was at that time un-
foreseen. During the years that have elapsed since 1851
few greater changes have been wrought than the marvel-
lous development of the outlying portions of your Majesty's
Empire. It is our heartfelt prayer that an undertaking
intended to illustrate and to record this development may
give a stimulus to the commercial interests and intercourse
of all parts of your Majesty's dominions; that it may be the
means of augmenting that warm affection and brotherly
sympathy which is reciprocated by all your Majesty's sub-
jects; and that it may still further deepen that steadfast
loyalty which we who dwell in the Mother-country share
with our kindred who have elsewhere so nobly done honour
to her name.

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.

I receive with the greatest satisfaction the address which
you have presented to me on the opening of this Exhibition.
I have observed with a warm and increasing interest the
progress of your proceedings in the execution of the duties
intrusted to you by the Royal Commission, and it affords me
sincere gratification to witness the successful result of your
judicious and unremitting exertions, the magnificent exhi-
bition which has been gathered together here to-day. I am
deeply moved by your reference to the circumstances in
which the ceremony of 1851 took place, and I heartily concur
in the belief you have expressed that the Prince Consort, my
beloved husband, had he been spared, would have witnessed
with intense interest the development of his ideas, and would, I
may add, have seen with pleasure our son taking the lead in the
movement of which he was the originator; and I cordially
concur with you in the prayer that this undertaking may be
the means of imparting a stimulus to the commercial interests
and intercourse of all parts of my dominions by encouraging
the arts of peace and industry, and by strengthening the
bonds of union which now exist in every portion of my
Empire.

ODE
On the opening of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition by
Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate:—
Welcome, welcome with one voice!
In your welfare we rejoice,
Sons and brothers that have sent,
From isle and cape and continent,
Produce of your field and flood,
Mount and mine and primal wood;
Works of subtle brain and hand,
Splendours of the morning land:
Gifts from every British zone.
Britons, hold your own!

May we find, as ages run,
The mother featured in the son;
And may yours for ever be
That old strength and constancy
Which has made your mother great
In our ancient island State;
And where'er her flag may fly,
Glorying between sea and sky,
Makes the might of Britain known.
Britons, hold your own!

Britain fought her sons of yore,
Britain failed, and never more,
Careless of our growing kin,
Shall we sin our fathers' sin.
Men that in a narrower day—
Unprophetic rulers they—
Drove from out the mother's nest
That young eagle of the West,
To forage for herself alone.
Britons, hold your own!

Sharers of our glorious past,
Brothers, must we part at last?
Shall not we, through cold and ill,
Cleave to one another still?
Britain's myriad voices call,
Sons, be welded each and all
Into one Imperial whole;
One with Britain heart and soul,
One life, one flag, one fleet, one throne.
Britons, hold your own,
And God guard all!

His Excellency has replied as follows:—
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, London,—
The Governor and Government of New Zealand, on behalf
of the colony, acknowledge with respectful thanks receipt of
telegram. They heartily congratulate your Royal Highness
on opening Exhibition, success of which so greatly due to
your gracious exertions.

His Excellency has forwarded to Her Majesty the Queen
the following telegram:—
Her Majesty the Queen,—
The Governor and Government of New Zealand, on behalf
of colony, most humbly tender to your Majesty their
respectful thanks for great honour conferred on colonies by
your Majesty opening Exhibition.

Telegram from Secretary Colonial and Indian Exhibition
to Governor of New Zealand:—
4th May. The Prince of Wales this day officially inspected
the New Zealand Section. He was received by Sir Francis
Bell, Dr. Von Haast, and Dr. Buller, and examined with
much interest and in detail the various sections of the Exhi-
bition, and expressed his great satisfaction at the hearty
co-operation of the Government of New Zealand and the
completeness of the arrangements.

ROBERT STOUT,
Premier.

By Authority: GEORGE DIBSURY, Govt. Printer, Wellington.