DUKE IN SOUTH
Picton, Blenheim and Nelson En Fete PICTURESQUE SCENES Warm-hearted Welcomes Everywhere EVENING WITH “DIGGERS” By Telegraph.—Press Association. Blenheim, January 5. Like a silvered wraith gliding through the frame of a fairy picture, the cruiser Australia, with the Duke of Gloucester aboard, entered Charlotte Sound this morning from Wellington, and slipping through the mirrored waters, dropped anchor off Mabel Island at 8.30. Escorting the Australia for a portion of the way was the sloop Leith, which had left the Picton wharf about half an hour earlier. In a lake-like sea, and fortressed by the majestic hills rising sheer from the water’s edge in the bay, the cruiser and sloop presented an attractive spectacle as the smoke from the salvo of the Royal Salute hid the topmasts of the ships in its mantle as does mist a mountain peak. The weather was gloriously fine anjJ every other circumstance favoured a miniature nautical pageant which appropriately started the South Island tour as did the larger naval display in the north. Small craft from Picton, carrying holiday-making sightseers, and with gaily-coloured bunting flying from every masthead, played their part in enlivening the scene. Launches, yachts, and rowing boats threaded in and out of the procession as the Leith, to which the Duke of Gloucester had been transferred, moved up to the wharf, leaving the cruiser glistening m the sun at its anchorage. His Royal Highness touched South Island soil at 9.55 a..m. to receive the advance guard of the welcome which awaits him from the warm-hearted southerners. “This is a historical part of New Zealand,” said the Duke of Gloucester, replying to the Picton welcome, “and as we steamed up Queen Charlotte Sound I could not help contrasting the size of the Australia with that of the Endeavour which Captain Cook so often brought up the sound during his voyages of discovery. It must increase our admiration for the heroes of our race, another of whom is commemorated in the name of your town. The Duke was received at Blenheim with equal warmth. He said he would bear away memories of the many countryside and kindly people. NELSON’S RECEPTION Demonstration of Loyalty Unrestrained By Telegraph.—Press Association. Nelson, January 6. Nelson’s reception to the Duke of Gloucester was Auckland’s welcome in miniature with the entire town en fete, sightseers excellently controlled, and their acceptance of the Royal visitor as generous as the sunshine which flooded the picturesque scene. Lined four deep along the main streets, the crowds spread fanlike above the embankment dais and there was no restraint about their demonstration of loyalty. Always in his element at the wheel, the Duke drove the car most of the way from Havelock to Nelson. A brief stop was made on the Wangamoa Hill, where his Highness and members of his. party walked about a mile in their shirt-sleeves, the cars overtaking them later. At Havelock everyone turned out to greet the Duke, who described the township as a charming corner of the Empire. The parade of ex-servicemen at Nelson was again a feature, the Duke and his staff devoting a considerable time inspecting and talking to the decorated men. A separate children’s demonstration, where the Duke made another of his everlasting impressions on the young mind, ranks with the Wellington and Wanganui gatherings as an inspiring spectacle. With his face beaming, his Highness walked among the children and spoke a word here and a word there, while the elated youngsters cheered. There was no holding the ranks of the children after the Duke had announced the granting of an extra day’s holiday and had wished them happiness in the future. They swarmed round the band rotunda and cheered the Duke to the echo as he walked through the tunnel of ardent hero worshippers. Many children came from outlying districts, and as each wagon load passed the hotel on the return home cheers
were given his Highness, notwithstanding the fact that for part of the time he was not in the hotel. “I have to-day passed through towns tnd districts which commemorate in their names heroes of the race,” said the Duke, replying ro the civic address. “I pay tribute to the stock which has drawn its inspiration from this source and proved’ its worth in peace and war alike.” In the evening the Duke visited the Nelson Club and attended an annual reunion of returned soldiers. To-mor-row will be a day of heavy travelling, involving a motor journey through the Buller Gorge. The party will leave at 9, arrive at Murchison at noon, Inangahua at 2.15, Westport at 3.45, and reach Greymouth at 7.30. After the reception at Greymouth, the Duke will rejoin the Royal train and stay the night on it at South Beach, proceeding on Tuesday morning to Hokitikq, and Ross. A CHARMING MIXER Informal Atmosphere at Soldiers’ Reunion By Telegraph.—Press Association. Nelson, January C. Sitting successively among various groups of Diggers, conversing with animation, laughing and joking with the men and joining heartily in the singing of wartime marching choruses, the Duke of Gloucester won the lifelong affection and admiration of several hundreds of Nelson ex-servicemen
whose annual reunion he attended on Saturday night. There was a refreshingly informal atmosphere of good-fellowship about the proceedings, his Highness entering into the spirit of the occasion and proving himself as charming a mixer as. his eldest brother. His chief of staff, Major-General R. G. II Howard-Vyse, and his equerry, Lieutenant D. Schreiber, similarly left the official table to take their seats among and exchange experiences with the returned soldiers; some of whom had served in Palestine, where Major-General Howard-Vyse had a command during the war. The reception given the Duke was worthy of the best traditions, the soldiers cheering and singing and the toasts being honoured vociferously with sounds of acclamation heard a long distance away. As the Duke himself explained, it was the first reunion of returned soldiers he bad informally attended in New Zealand —his visit to the Returned Soldiers’ Club At Wellington had been an official engagement —and he appreciated.it thoroughly. The association’s appreciation of the Duke’s action in attending the gathering during so strenuous a tour was voiced by the president, Mr. C. Duke, who said that as the King’s son and ambassador his Royal Highness brought the returned soldiers of Nelson into touch with his Majesty, and none understood better than the ex-service-men the wonderful leadership given by the King in the late war. Not only his Majesty, but other members of the Royal Family, had played their part in that direction. Throughout the tour the Duke had taken an outstanding interest in those matters which concerned the affairs of returned soldiers, and they greatly appreciated the fact that one of the Duke’s Australian terriers had been christened with the name that meant so much to them —“Digger.” The cheering was deafening when the Duke rose to reply, several minutes passing before he was able to speak His Highness said it had given him the greatest pleasure to be present, and he appreciated the manner in which the toast of his health had been received. His inquiry as to how many of those at the gathering had received their training on Salisbury Plain produced a fair show of hands, but those and every other pair of hands were vigorously applauding the next utterance of the Duke.
“Carved on the hillside, close to Bullford,” he said, “is the figure of a kiwi. That kiwi is still being kept, and is still being painted annually.” His Highness concluded his remarks by wishing the men every happiness in the future. There was a remarkable demonstration of good wishes as the Duke took his departure down the cheering ranks of men, who for a brief hour had met him, not as the Duke of Gloucester, but as a soldier, comrade and man. A QUIET SUNDAY Duke Bathes at Tahuna Beach By Telegraph. —Press Association. Nelson, January 6. The Duke of Gloucester spent a quiet Sunday.at Nelson. In the morning be attended divine service at the Cathedral, where the sermon was preached by Bishop Hilliard, who expressed the high appreciation of the Diocese at having the Duke in its fellowship of worship. He assured his Highness of the congregation’s warm loyalty to the King, and the sense of rich privilege and challenging responsibility with which it viewed New Zealand’s membership in the Empire. As a churchpeople they valued the Duke’s eminent example to the community in adopting the custom of attending divine worship in the Lord’s House on the Lord’s Day. After resting at the hotel, the Duke had a swim at Tahuna Beach late in the afternoon. Wearing cream flannels and a canoe shirt, lie drove a car to the beach and changed in the Surf Club’s dressing shed. As the tide was on the turn, he had to go out a considerable distance for depth, but remained in the water about threequarters of an hour. There was a moderate surf running, but the water was almost tepid. Five members of the Life-Saving Club remained in the water until his Highness left. The beach was well patronised by bathers early in the afternoon, but when the Duke entered the water, spectators were not numerous. However, the size of the crowd rapidly increased once the news spread that he was there. DUKE’S ENGLISH MAIL South Island Delivery By Telegraph—l’itks Association. Christchurch, January 4. While the Duke of Gloucester is in the South Island his mail from England will be taken from the port of arrival to wherever he is at the time by aeroplanes of the New Zealand Air Force. The first batch of mail is due on Monday by the Monowai, which is bringing to the Dominion its third England-Australia air mail. Flight Lieut. M. W. Buckley. R.N.Z.A.F., will leave Wigram aerodrome to-morrow to fly to Wellington. As soon as the Monowai arrives he will take the Duke’s letters and leave for Hokitika. A week or so later, when the next air mail reaches the Dominion, the Duke will probably be at the Hermitage, Mount Cook, and the Air Force aeroplane will take letters to the nearest landing ground, probably Simon’s Pass Station, near Lake Tekapo.
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Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 87, 7 January 1935, Page 8
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1,705DUKE IN SOUTH Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 87, 7 January 1935, Page 8
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