PRINCE OF WALES’ TOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1920, Page 1

PRINCE OF WALES’ TOUR

i.AC'STKAUAN A' N.Z. CAlll.li ASSOCIATION] | THE CHILDRENS’ WELCOME. j ' * I 1 A GLORIOUS SUCCESS. | ‘ I ; AUCKLAND, April 20. j' 1 Children licit! the pride of place in j the morning porjjraniine for the enter- • taininent of the Prince of Wales. it j was their day out and they made the most of it. Many thousands of parents i ‘ friends, and the public generally tilled all the space on the rising banks above the level sward on which the evolutions took place. When the Prince arrived, at about 10 o’clock, the scene was one of great interest. Eight thousand school children were drawn up in ordered ranks, girls in sections clad in red, white and blue and carrying flags of tile same colours. The Chairman of the Education Board, Mayor, Ministers and other officials were at the grand-stand when the Prince’s car arrived, which was the wig- j nal for an outburst of cheering. As tlio band from HALS. Renown played the National Anthem the front portion of the 1500 children resolved itself into tile word “Welcome,” formed j by girls who as the Prince took his place in the stand curtseyed, and then the whole assemblage of children gave . three cheers for the Prince, who stooct and saluted. j Tho girls then moved to the sides and , 2500 boys marched up from the hack and went through physical drill, evolving warm commendations of all the beholders. The boys then retired and a transformation of wondrous beauty followed in a moment as it were. The girls moved from tho front, sides, back , and corners in towards the centre, form ing the Union Jack. As they carried out their exercise with Hag effect, it was almost beyond description, and the beholders were unstinted in their acclamations. At the conclusion, the Prince congratulated those in charge of tho display. He then entered his ear and made a circuit of the ground when an ( unrehearsed incident lent a piquant, picturesque touch to tho finale. I lie trills in the flag broke away and swarmed round tho Royal ear, the Prince standing and raising his hat to tho little ones. The car had thus to make a circuit through scurrying crowds of

gaily .dressed and highly delighted girls. Meanwhile the boys on parade at the back ol the ground remained as steady as a rock, not one moving a foot from the appointed place, till tho Prince drove away off the ground. It was indeed a. 'great day and one that will live in the children’s memories and afford the subject for stories to other children in years to come. Tho streets to and from the Domain held cheering thousands, to which the Prince’s passing and the march of the Royal Marines Hand from the Renown, with a detachment of blue jackets and marines, evoked great enthusiasm on all sides.

The Prince in tho afternoon was the guest of the Auckland Racing Club, at a special meeting at Ellerslie. There were over 50,000 on the Domain.

After the display, the instructors ' icame before the Prince, who shook hands and congratulated them warmly upon the results of their work. Tho little girl and fb'oy leaders were also j presented and retired tho proudest of ' all these at having luid personal con ’Tabulations. from him who some day they will acclaim King. A further little girl became- the envied of all beholders as slie stepped forward with a camera and the Prince stood while she obtained a special snapshot of him. Then came an unrehearsed incident which was pro- | bahly the finest of all. The Prince entered a. car, and before leaving the I ground nrocceded on a slow circuit of J the living flag. For a. few moments, j the ranks stood still, then they broke ! in proximity to tho car. which became ' the centre of a moving inaess of colour, and excited and cheering, the juveniles struggling to get close, and- with * childish abandon, trying to get a handshake or throw a banneret upon him as lie stood smiling and bowing acknowledgment to his small admirers’ worshipping demonstration. They had taken this slight fair young man to their hearts. He was not only Prince of Wales to them; he was their Prince; and they meant to let him know it. So the scene went on, till at last the circuit of the ground was made and the Royal pnrty proceeded homeward for luncheon and other engagements. The people, however, did not huii\ away. They had brought lunch with them and had it “alfresco.” Then they waited at various vantage ?omts to gain another glimpse of the Prince as he went to the races at Ellerslie. Here in-the afternoon he was the [guest of the Auckland Racing Club. The Ellerslie course was looking at 1 its best. Rich gilden tints of autumn mellowed the former brilliancy of the trees in the ground, making a foil to set off the vivid green of the- lawns and the bright hues of the ornamental flower beds and borders. The stands and lawns were filled with visitors aid ladies dressed in the uniforms of men from the warship, and the colours of flowers. They made up kalicdoscopic effect not easily forgotten. The Prince’s arrival was the • gml for a arc at outburst of cheering, which continued almost all the time- while lie was being received by the • resident and stewards of the club, and conducted to the space reserved for the Royal party in the stand. The Prince did not remain there, however, but after watching a race, made a tour of inspection of the paddock, staples, and appointments generally also taking great interest in the working of 'the totalizator. Returning from, the races to the city, the Royal car was rtill a magnet that drew all eyes till it turned into Government House gates to issue again after dinner as he went off to a civic reception at the Town Hall.