PRINCE OF WALES’ TOUR.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1920, Page 1

PRINCE OF WALES’ TOUR.

(Per Press Association.) AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN, May 18. Glorious weather to-day rendered the Prince of Wales’s visit to Dunedin lhost pleasurable to the Royal party and to thousands of people who in the afteruoon turned out to see His Royal Highness as he passed along the streets. The morning was scheduled as “free.” He was motored out to the Otago Golf Club links at Balmace-wen, and played a round. The news spread on wings, and soon quite 1000 people gathered to see tb© scion of the Royal House enjoying himself. At 2 o’clock an official welcome to (lie city was extended to the Prince at a special dais erected in the Octagon. Several hundred college girls were massed and sang “God Bless the (Prince of Wales.” A huge crowd occupied an open space in the Octagon and streets converging thereon. Mayor Begg read an address of welcome and tlio Princo in repiy expressed appreciation of the: splendid reception accorded him. lie also referred to the great part the people oi the Dominion had taken in promoting educational progress among the people, tho part they thus played doing worthy of' the noble traditions tho pioneers brought with them from the schools and colleges of the Old Country. Their devotion ,to British ideals had been sternly tested in the past live years, and the response had been- a splendid one.

The Prince then received various addresses from church and other bodies in the province. A visit to the Medical School and the Soldiers’ Ward of tlie Hospital followed. The crowd cheer od the Prince along the route.

At the.hospital gates 300 of the medical section, armed with leg and arm bones and other grisly reminders pi their chosen profession, gave the Prince a typical students welcome. In the main hall of the hospital, the Prince was received by Surgeon-General McGavin and Coionel falconer, Officer-in-Charge oi the Institution. Here us many oi the stall as could be spared from duty were grouped and inspected also several tiny patients, with an expression oi keen delight on their iacos as tlie Prince bent over each one in turn and spoke a .low kindly words. Four ol these tots, whose ages range from live to eight years, addressed a letter to the Mayor pleading that the Prince should visit them, and His Royal Highness saw ,to it they were not overlooked. The soldier patients’ ward was next visited, the Prince spending some time among the cots. The Prince also inspected a gallery in which are displayed cases showing wonderful results attained iu the treatment and remedy oi terrible .facial injuries sulfered by men in the war. Tins and similar hospitals at Sidecup, England, are the only ones in the world specialising in this work, and Liout.Coionel Piqkerell, who has charge here, is to be congratulated on his success. The Prince was specially commendatory in .his remarks on wliat lie saw. “Walking” eases in the hospital were inspected ,by the Prince in one of the exercise corridors. Altogether half-an-hour was spent within the hospital precincts, crowded with much of interest.. Later tlie Prince visited-Port .Chalmers, which was gaily decorated, anc received an address of welcome in the. presenco of a large numbei. Returning to the city by way of the Lower Port ltoad, the Prince was stopped at -Ravensbourne and .accords - l heartv impromptu welcome. An official citizens reception took place in the evening at the Drill Ha and later on the Prince was the guest at. a. ball given by the Otago Women’s Club in the Art Gallery. Visiting pressmen with the Royal party were the guests of local journalists at a dinner in tlie Commercial Travellers’ Club this evening.

further movements. The Renown will leave Lyttelton r.n Monday, May 24t1i., for Melbourne, whence she will subsequently proceed to Sydney, Hobart and Albany. She will afterwards return to Sydney and on leaving Australia finally will call at Rabaul, Fiji, Honolulu, and. San Francisco before passing through the Panama Canal to the West Indies. i'hc Prince in tile Renown will "isit -Jamaica, Trinidad, and other places m the West Indies, .before returning to England. THE ROYAL TRAIN.

A sleeping car, containing twenty beds has now been added to he Royal train. This car will be used on the final train journey of the New Zealand tour, when the Prince and members of his party will spend the whole night travelling prior to his departure b r Australia. The train left Christchurch on Monday at 10 a.m. stopping at Ashburton, Temulia, Timaru, and Oamarn, on its way to Dunedin. The return journey from Invercargill will b© commenced at 10 p.m. on Thursday May 20tli.

A FAREWELL DINNER, WELLINGTON, May 1". Mr Massey, if circumstances permit will go to Christchurch to say farewell to the Prince of Wales who N giving a farewell dinner on board the Renown before his departure from New Zealand