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The visit of Earl Belmore to Manaro

The  following transcription was provided by Judy Richards [judy.richards-at-westnet.com.au]

From Bombala Times Thursday 18 January 1872

 TUESDAY, 9th instant, will long be remembered as a red letter day in its annals, by the residents of Bombala and district, that being the day of the visit of his Excellency the Earl of Belmore, the first vice-regal visit ever made to this part of Manaro. The people turned out in their best style to do honour to the occasion, and all stores and places of business were closed, most of them displayed bunting, evergreens, and floral decorations. Our town had a regular holiday appearance.

Shortly after ten o’clock a number of horsemen and vehicles left the town to meet his Excellency, who was at that time expected to be on his way from Bibbenluke, where he had passed the previous night.

His Excellency, driven by Mr. H. T. Edwards, J.P., and escorted by a cavalcade of some 100 horsemen and vehicles, reached the Court-house at about five minutes past 12, where the Sons of Temperance, formed in line, received him with three hearty cheers. After some tea minutes; the Governor, accompanied by his aide-de-camp Captain Beresford, entered the hall of the Court house to receive the addresses of the inhabitants of Bombala, &c.

Mr. John Nicholson, J.P., on behalf of the inhabitants of the town and district, read an address, to which his Excellency replied in suitable terms.

The Sons of Temperance also presented an address to the Governor.

At about 2 o'clock, some seventy gentlemen sat down to a luncheon, and after full justice had been done to the good things on the table, The Chairman proposed the usual loyal toasts.

The toast of "The Governor," was received with a loud burst of cheering, and drunk with all the honours.

His Excellency rose and said that it gave him the greatest pleasure to be amongst them, and he thanked them very heartily for the kind and enthusiastic manner in which they had drunk his health. He had been highly delighted with all that he had seen on his trip through Monaro, and he could assure them that he should always remember with pleasure the kindness of their reception; he had, at a former period, visited other portions of the district, but he was very favourably impressed with all that he had hitherto seen on his present trip. (Cheers.) He had a great preference over all other parts for the table lands of the colony, and if he were to settle down amongst them and have a choice of residence he should select either, the table land of Monaro, Orange, or New England. (Cheers.) Their climate was well adapted for persons from the old country, and their glorious mountain scenery and bracing air, with the rich lands all over the district, would, he did not doubt, draw a large population. He had noticed that the people on the high lands of the colony were more prosperous than those of other parts, and he hoped that population would increase; for he believed that in their district they possessed all the elements of a lasting prosperity. (Cheers) With population, and the development of her vast resources, Monaro would become second to none in the colony. (Cheers.) He again thanked them for the cordial manner in which they had drunk the toast.

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