FIVE ROYAL TOURS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 26 (Supplement)

FIVE ROYAL TOURS

: Loyal New Zealand's Bond ' with the Throne MANY HAPPY MEMORIES As Duke and Duchess of York, King George YI. and Queen Elizabeth visited Kew Zealand in 1927. Theira was the fonrth Royal tour of this conntry. The first member of the Royal Family to set foot on these shores was the# Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Yictoria, who came to the infant colony in 1869 not 'only as the repre■entative of the Queen bnt also as captain of H.M.S.S. (the naval designation of warehips in the early days of steam) Galatea. This vessel of ''28 guns" was a unit of the Anstralian sqnadron *nd the "finest ship that ever sailed these water*." The late King George V. and Queen Mary, then Dnke and Duchess of York, visited New Zealand in . 1901. While Queen Yictoria still lived preparations were made for theai to take part in the ceremonies in connection with the Commonwealth Federation and also to convey to "gallant New Zealand" Her Ma^ jesty's thanks for its aid to Britain in the Sonth African War. In the midst •of the preparations ..the Queen died, trut King Edward YEL decided to give effect to his mother's wishes in the matter. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York — to give them their full title — travelled in the steamer Ophir, which was convoyed by the warehips St. George, Royal Arthur and June and, in sonthern waters, by varf ous ships of the AustTalian Sqnadron. There were memorable celebrations throughout the conntry. The next Royal visitor wa* King Edward Vlll, who ae Prince of Wales came to New Zealand in 1920 to convey to the conntry the thanks of the sovereign for its aid to the Empire in the Great War. He travelled in H.M.S. Renown by the Panama ronte. His personality made nniversal appeal, and, moreover. the country was still in the flnsh of victory and of a prosperity that was to prove false. • - The new King and Queen, then Duke and Duchess of YoTk, visited the Dominion in 1927. They fravelled in H.M.S. Renown, arriving at Auckland on February 22 and departing from Bluff roadstead on MaTch 22.- The one regret of the tour was that, owing to an atfaek of tonsilitls, the Duchess was compplled to leave her husband at Nelson. There she rested for a few days, and then she returned on the Renown fo Wellington, wheTe she stayed at Govemment House nntil Mnreh 20. Then she emharked on the Renown Trh^n the vessel left for the south. The last member of the Royal Family to visit this emmtry was the Duke of Gloncester. He came here after a visit to AtistTf»l*a eaTlv in T025 nnd made a most irrrbtorw tour. Thrn"orhout the connfrry. which v-nc sHR tl-e efonmie doldrums. he recofred n vcrv hcnrtvwelcome. particnlarlv from ex-servieemen. with whom he hpd mstnr hanpv hours He proved hiniself the keenesf spoHs nuts of al] the Rov al visitors.