THE HOKITIKA RECEPTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1920, Page 2

THE HOKITIKA RECEPTION.

“SOME” PItALSE. 13V AN AUSTRALIAN JOURNALIST. At the time ol the Royal visit here, great praise was given Hokitika for llicliaracter of its reception. Congratulations came from outside places, and Hokitika folk were rather pluming themselves on having done their little bit fairly well. It remains for Mr John Sandes, the eminent Australian correspondent representing Sydney and Melbourne newspapers, who accompanied the Royal party, to mete out to Hokitika the highest praise possible. ; An East Coast correspondent sends us the following extracts from the Christchurch “ Sun,” which was reviewing the tour:— “ The Hokitika bail is described by Mr Sandes as an enormous popular success. It was not the hearty, one is given to understand, because few except the ladies, “many of them accomplished dancers,” were concerned to make it fashionable in the last degree. The Prince, when he attended halls, usually cuts out waltzes, which he does not care for, ! from the programme, substituting one-steps or fox-trots, but he waltzed at Hokitika, and evidently enjoyed himself Tiugely. The Ilokitikians, we are told, “ retired at an early hour in the morning, tired but still exhilarated.” The West Coast town had the credit of providing more original legends of welcome than any other. “ A comparison of tho first three city welcomes which is made by the Australian journalist is distinctly interesting: “ The temperamental differences between New Zealand cities, I'’ 1 '’ writes Mr Sandes, “ are distinctly observable by those witnessing the reception to the Prince at the different places. . All were eager to see that the streets were invariably filled with people desirous of viewing the Prince wiL their own eyes, hut the physical thermometer would have disclosed varying degrees of heat. Auckland was tropically lavish and exurberant, but Wellington burst into a flame of enthusiasm as though by spontaneous combustion. Hokitika was explosive, while the attitude of one or two smaller West Coast townships might fairly be described as genuinely interested. Christchurch showed contemplativeness touched with emotion. She did not fall into a transport of ecstasy like Wellington. She did not lose her ‘block’ like Hokitika. She gave the 'Prince a splendid welcome, strongly tinged with her own individ. uality as the most English of New Zealand cities.” Hokitika appears to first all the time, the rest also started.