GOERING'S GLORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 72, 9 October 1939, Page 6

GOERING'S GLORY

POMP AND SPLENDOUR

sumptuqvjs hunting lunch

Not even an Indian, prince's palace could surpass the pomp and splendour that awaited guests at a recent hunting lunch at the private residence of Field-Marshal Gocring, Germany's -second in command writes Boe.je Benson in Berlin gske Tidcndc. Copenhagen,

During a recent trip to Gernviuy I was invited to attend a hunting lunch at Gocring's sumptuous Karinlinll, named after his first wife, Karin von Fock. Upon arriving at the castle we were ushered into a vestibule which was adorned with bcau-< tifill Roman sarcophagi and several exquisite paintings. Proceeding to the Great Hall, which ran the entire length of the castle, we saw Marshal Goering leaning against a table. He was dressed in, a unique kind of sporting outfit. It consisted o? high green suede boots > the front part of which reached above his knees; a dark green, sleeveless leather jacket with silver edged elk's teeth instead of buttons; riding breeches of beige-coloured suede and a white shirt with an unusually wide collar and large sleeves which narrowed suddenly at the wrists. A Scots tartan tie was held in place by an enormous gold pin. In a gold embroidered belt he carried a golden hunting knife in a golden sheath, j

On his left' brenst Goering wore the medal of the German Hunting Society: a stag with a swastika between the antlers. The stag was o? gold: the swastika consisted of diamonds which moved about.

PALATIAL CASTLE. On our way to the dining hall we passed through several chambers and halls, all in different styles. I recall a Byzantine Room with a fountain in tlie centre, and an impressive Viking Hall. The dining hall was Louis Quinze with manv French' windows opening onto a large terrace from which one had the most glorious view over the lake. Bclrnd each •hair stood a waiter in eighteenth century hunting outfit—white boots, green velvet dress suits boots, and cuffs. T was surprised to see that they did not wear wigs. In renjy to my question about this, iuv neighbour at table, who was? well 'nformed, told me that dunng huntthe servants never wo"e wigs whir-h nii°'ht become entangled like Absalom's in the branches. THE MEAL. The hunting lunch consisted of ~aviar. soud i green asparagus (a -a'e dePcacv in Germany), venison and dessert; near each cover wprg 'uir wine glasses which were filled : n succession with finer vintage than T had ever tasted befo'e. The glasses Tnd the china bore Goering's coat o>'| ar.ins: a mailed fist grasping an iron ring. Later, coffee and cordials were served in. the Hall of Vikings.

Gocring conversed nnimntelh r with his guests, He then suggested a tour of the castle and led in -through si" mdless row of chambers. ll's pri-

vatc gymnasium complete with the most; modem apparatus, attracted my attention above all else. It contained an electrical riding horse, rowing machines, punching bags, artificial sun lamps, a miniature shooting gallery and a bowling alley Finally, the Marsha] conducted vis to the top floor. In a huge room we found an artificial mountain landscape in which a miniature electrical railway had been set xip. Gocring turned to the switchboard and immediately locomotives and railway carriages rushed out O'g their depots and through the landscape —over bridges, around curves and through tunnels. Miniature motor cars moved swiftly along the motor roads, bu f the climax was achieved by an aeroplane model on a wire which soared over hill and dale.

Before departing each of us signed the guest book and received a hunting knife embossed with the Marshal's coat of arms as a souvenir.

TRAPPING ON MT, EG MONT

Opossum trapping on the slopes of Mt. Egmont this season has been phenomenally successful and returns by trappers show a total of over 300(5 skins for the six weeks' operations says a correspondent. The bags have been varied by the catching, in, addition, (>$ three kiwis, many goats, a dog, 420 rats several cats, 37 weasels, a rabbit wekas, and a crav--1 * fish. This last catch was the capture of an opossum taken, and was of the fresh water variety.