BRILLIANT SCENES

Chronicle (Levin), 19 February 1947, Page 5

BRILLIANT SCENES

Press Assn.-

. Royal Family Lands Safely At Capetown crowds g'lvewarm welcomf.

By Telegraph

-CQpyright

CAPETOWN, Feb. 17/ Every race and colour oT the nuxed population were represented in the crovvd which watched the Royai Family drive through the ci'ty streets. His Alajesty througiiout the drive saluted continuaJly and the Queen smilingly wraved. Their Majesties, with an escort oi mounted police in brown unifonns anu helmets, drove at a snail's paee in the lirst car and the Princesses, eagerJy looking from side to side, in tlie second. Then followed a line of offieial cars so long that at jtoints tlie trooxis Jining the route fell out before the iast eat fiad passed. Volunteers from the TJnion's Citizen Force, naval forces, school cadets, Boy Seouts and white and coloured ex-ser-vicenien Jined the • four-mile route, which took the party twiee down Adderley >Street and along Castle Wtreet past the grey walls of the historic Capetown Castle. The crowds were deepest at the City Hall where 1 0,000 e x -se r v icemen parad - ed. Huge sjgns in blue and yellow lights, surrounded by the city and Union anns, read-: "Welcome to the Alother City." Tlre Royal cars stopped at the gates of Government House, where the Gov-crnor-General and JMrs. V'an Zvl, who had gone 011 ahead, "awaited the Royal guests. I His Alajesty inspected the military 'guard while the Queen and Princesses looked across the famous Cape Gardens lilled with rnasses of gaily coloured flowers. I At 12.;30 the members of tlio South I African Parliament presented loyal addresses, after which His Majesty bestowed the insignia of the Order of -M erit 011 Field hlarshal fSmuts, | ' The Governor-General sent the following niessage to the Royal Family .before the Vanguard 's arrival: ' * YoujI visit is an event of the greatest significance for (South Africa. A warm welcome from every section of the community awaits Your Alajesties and Your Royal Pligiinesses. " His i\l ajesty replied: "Please express to all in the Union my sincere dhanks for their kind niessage. It is with very real pleasure that we are awaiting our iirst sight of Bouth Africa aud arrival at Capetown." . At 4.30 p.m. Their AJ ajesties received diplomats^at Government House. i The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Malan) did not attend the presentas tion of the loyal addresses by the Houses of Parliament to His Alajesty. Only 1(1 of the 45 Gpposition meniuers from the Assembly and none from the Senate were present. The midday temperature in Capetown was 100 degrees in the shade. At least 1000 persons are estimated to have received lirst aid before and during the proeession. Eight lorry loads of Royal luggage were taken off the Vanguard. Thanking Field Alarshal Kmut.s at n State banquet, -His Alajesty said: "Your kirid words set the seal on the wonderful reception given to us since setting foot 011 African soil. The loyal ty and alfection which has been shown to us will ever remain a treasured memory for us. This is a wonderful evening for the Queen and me since it marks the fullilment of a long felt wjsh. We would have come to South Africa many years ago but for the compelliiig duties and neeessitities of war but thank God victory is ours and at last. I can tell the South African people in person how deeply I honour them for the splendid eontribution to it they made, " Speaking to Field Alarshal Smuts, the K'ing said: " You guided your country with sure hands through the second as well as through the lirst world war and the whole commonwealth is deeply indebted to you. Like all nations you have hard problems to solve in the war's aftermath but your stewardship has not failed you in the past hundred years and I am confideni ihat it will guide yo!u- steadily towards a just and 'conte.hVedi jFeiatipnsfiip bptw'een all -dwellers in your 'many peopled land. By achieving sueh relationship you can show to tlie troubled 1 world how the peoples of different race and colour mav live a?id work together for the common good." His Arajesty, after saving he had b rough t a niessage of warm affection and goodwill from the British people, added: "We are looking forward .to our travels most keenly. I have no doubt that before we leave Soutli Africa we will be wondering when we mav hope to visit it again."