PRINCE OF WALES’ TOUR.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1920, Page 3

PRINCE OF WALES’ TOUR.

tßy Electric Telegraph—Copyrigticj l ' I PASSAGE OF PANAMA CANAL. I PANAMA, March 31. (delayed). I After a fair weather run from Barbados, escorted by the light cruiser Calcutta, the Renown has' reached the coast. Salutes were exchanged with Colon. The resident British Minister accompanied the President of the Panama Republic on board the Renown, and were received by the Prince of Wales

on the quarterdeck. Colonel Chester Harding, United States Governor of the Canal Zone, explained all the working operations to the Prince. Shipping was held up to allow the Renown to pass through the Canal.

| A squadron of American aeroplanes flew overhead just before the Renown entered the Culebra Cut, which is now officially named the tiaillard Cut, after the engineer who planned the work. ; It was reported that a large rock had been located in the bottom of the channel opposite Crtlebra village, and it was found that there was only twenty j feet of water over the obstruction. The work of removal commenced immediately, and eventually divers shattered the rock with explosives. Moving slowly, the Renown passed over the spot safely, after a delay of three hours. It is considered that the rock was squeezed up into the channel by the pressure of the surrounding rockformations. GREETINGS BY WIRELESS. ' LONDON, March 21. The following wireless message has been received from Mr Keith Murdoch, the special representative of the Sydney “Sun” on board the Renown on her way to Barbados.:—

The voyage of this wondership, bearing messages of affection and friendship to the Britons overseas in the most impressive way the Old Country could send them, is stirring feelings even in mid-ocean. The Renown's wireless gets littlerest. All the large ships within speaking distance seem to want to convey

greetings to the Prince. I The liner Baltic, 600 miles north, sent the captain’s, officers and passengers’ best wishes. j The Sicilian,- speaking from an unknown quarter out of the night, wirelessed cordially. The cargo boat Alston sent the more ambitious message to the Prinoe:—“We know yon will keep up tlie great reputation you made in Canada as the greatest British ambassador.”

Among other voices came that of the Duke of Devonshire (Governor-General of Canada) ,100 miles away (aboard the Empress of France, sending tlfe Can- 1 adian Government’s best w-shes. He - asked tho Prince to call at Canada j when returning homewards. ] .The Prince, returning hearty thanks, declined the invitation because his route lay by way of the West Indies, but added that he would look forward to visiting Canada again at the first opportunity , Unknown friends are using old methods to make the Prince feel that he is among well-wisheth. For example, the Greek steamer Grnnicos, passing in the darkness flashed out enquiries and greetings by signal lamp. The Prince is in splendid health, and is enjoying the voyage thoroughly. Fie spends much time reading about the countries on his programme and playing racquets. A young Australian lieutenant happily unearthed a. few hundred day pigeons board, and these, while they last, will proyide some good shooting. The gusty winds make markmanship difficult, but the Prince and Sir Lionel Halsey usually get their birds. For the rest, the Prince is having a quiet time, finding solace in London’s latest songs for his natural homesickness. The seas are roughisli, but the great ship Is wonderfully steady. - Using 24 boilers at three-quarter pow er, sho maintains a steady half-speed of 16 knots.

METHOD OF ENTERTAINMENT.

Several matters in connexion with the visit of the Prince of Wales to New ! Zealand were discussed by the Minister. |of Internal Affairs (Sir Francis Bell), who explained that the Prince would he the guest of the Government of New Zealand, acting on behalf of the. people of the Dominion, during hie; visit, i At .Auckland and lWeli(ington the Prince of Wales, the Minister stated | would stay at Government House as the guest of the Governor-General and the Countess of Liverpool. Except in these cases and the single further ex, ceptiou of the door shooting in tho Wai, rarapa, the Prince would not be pri- ■ vately entertained. At Rotorua the I Government was securing the whole | accommodation of the Grand Hotel and ■ Waiwera House, and the Governor-

General would, on behalf of the Govern ment, act as host. At Wanganui, Reefton, Hokitika, and Invercargill, the , Government had secured the whole accommodation of the several hotels at which tho Prince would stop, in order to make full provision for his privacy apd comfort- At Napier, Christchurch, nnd Dunedin the principal Clubs had generously placed their club-houses at the disposal of .the Government, and the Prince would stn v there with the chief members of his staff as the guests of the Government, the clubs, in the meantime relinquishing all use of their premises. Without that help the Govednment would have been unable to ensure the privacy and convenience of the Prince in the throe centres last mentioned for the reason that it was impossible to obtain the whole of the accommodation of any hotel there. Fur-

LliLl j Lllc Viliili mi'y mio household service had been met by the kindness and consideration of the clubs. During his remarks the Minister emphasised the fact that while staying at the elubJiouses the Prince would he the guest of tho Government and not of the clubs concerned who wore most generously giving up all rights to the use of the clubs during the Prime's stay in the towns concerned. WHAT MELBOURNE AND SYDNEY ARE DOINq.. SYDNEY, March 16. The two chief cities of the Commonwealth seem to he looking forward to

the visit of the Prince of Wales in £ way that is characteristic. Melbourm is all in a flutter of pleasurable- excitement. Sydney has a blase air and a cynical smile. Melbourne, already, is buying gorgeous evening clothes and planning gay functions; the Sydney shops report no unusual demand for clothes and, while there is a general

and obvious intention to be gay, not very much has been said about it yet; the Melbourne City Council has set aside £IO,OOO wherewith to do honour to Royalty, but the Sydney City Council has quibbled over the allocation of a- very much more modest sum. Melbourne has got a. prominent citizen, of substance, in the Mayoral chair, while Sydney, owing to the unfortunate death of Sir Richard Richards, has placed a

i Labour man in the high office. The Mayor will have to be the city’s official head while the Prince is here, and Sydney is wondering rather audibly to-day how the new Mayor, Alderman Fitzgerald, will shape at it. He has j never been, by any means, a notable public leader. He is the type who sits on a public body till the moss grows upon him. He has always been a mild 'Labour advocate-, and he has been 14 years in the City Council. He.conducts a .small grocery business in a workingclass district. His wife is a very worthy lady who has taken no part in public affairs, and describes herself as “a home • bird.” Asked by reporters how she regarded her new duty of helping to entertain the Prince, she said, calmly, “I suppose I’lf manage it.” The details of the Prince’s Australian tour are still in the hands of portentous and leisurely committees. What is believed to be the prize horse of Australia has been secured for his use, however. It is a remarkably handsome black -animal called Bayard,, owned by an Adelaide lady, and a.’ famous prizewinner at shows. The military authorities, as a matter of fact, tried very hard to buy the animal as a gift to the Prince, but the lady refused to sell. She offered. Bayard on loan —and agreed that if the Prince takes a fancy to him she will give him up. Bayard is a particularly good tempered animal, and should suit the Prince admirably.