THROUGH SOUTH 18- LAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1920, Page 1

THROUGH SOUTH 18LAND.

FASHIONS AT THE BALL.

THE PRINCE HAS A WALTZ

(Reprinted from Melbourne “Age,” of Friday, May 14th, 1920.)

[From the special representative of The Australian Press Association, accompanying H.M.S. Renown.]

' GREY MOUTH (N.Z.), May 13, The decoration! of Hokitika inch-

more original legends of welcome than other centres. One motto, hung across the street, read—“ Welcome to the people’s Prince of to-day and the King (if to-morrow.” | The Prince’s appearance on the balcony of Keller’s Hotel last evening, standing beside Mr Tom Seddon and the Mayor (Cr. George Perry), was the ifignal for a tremendous burst of cheering. Hokitika was the home of the fate R. J. Seddon, and his son, Mr linn Seddon, is now member for the district.

,;In his reply to an address of welcome the Prince said it was his desire to bo Regarded as belonging just as much to that Dominion as to the old country, ilo appreciated deeply the warmth and friendliness of the welcome which met him there and everywhere in New Zealand.

* The hall at Hokitika, last night was an enormous popular success. After a public reception the Prince, attended by his staff, proceeded to the ball, which began at 10 o’clock. Most ol the young men attending Wore tweed suits. One old gentleman wandered

through the happy throng wearing a long overcoat, dating hack to the period when “Dully” Hayes used to make Hokitika a favourite port of call when returning from predatory expeditions among the islands. Another elderly dancer appeared in tweed trousers and a Cardigan jacket buttoned tightly around the throat. The ladies devoted more attention to dress than the Hokitika men. Many were accompli shed dancers, and the Prince danced vigorously w'itli a succession of Hokitika girls. In the official set which opened the ball Mrs R .J. faeddoii, widow of the late democratic Imperialist, took part. The Prince danced in the set with Miss Perry, the Mayor’s sister. A dance or two later the master of ceremonies, taking the middle of the floor, issued in a loud | word of command, “Promenade your partners for circular' waltz.” The Prince does not care about waltzing as a general rule at-balls’which he attends. I and iio frequently exercises the Royal prerogative of cutting waltzes out of the programme, substituting one-steps or lox-trots. At Hokitika, however, he promenaded liis partner, according to directions, with the rest. Suppci was an immense success. Rising early, a cooi breeze from the snow-clad; mountains ' refreshed overnight .revellers. From the hotel windows out could see Mount Cook, covered with snow, apparently overlooking Hokitika, but in reality many scores of miles away. BOYS “SPOT” THE PRINCE.

The Prince was up early this morning, but juvenile Hokitika was up before him. He went on to the balcony in pyjamas at 7 o’clock to have a look at Mount Cook, which presented a splendid sight, every snow-clad outline being clearly visible through the crisp, transparent atmosphere. The Prince was enjoying the matchless view when shrill shouts warned him that the small boys had “ spotted ” him. they raised loud cheers and dashed down the street proclaiming, fortissimo, Hurry up, the Prince is on tile balcony.” Ip the twinkling of an eye, a crowd assembled in front of the hotel as the Prince vanished through a window. ( The crowd patiently, and with gradually increasing number, expectantly waited for the Prince to come back to the balcony. They were still waiting, restrained by the police and a rope barricade, until at last the. Prince emerged on the street and walked among the school children. MENTAL DEFECTIVES AT THE PACES. A dense crowd of people surrounded Government buildings at Hokitika this morning, where the statue of the late “Dick” Seddon benevolently surveyed the assembly- Maories who welcomed the Prince presented gifts. A special space was reserved for mental patients, who joined in the general throng. 'Hie racecourse posessses four stands, one of which is reserved exclusively for mental patients, who, under the supervision of attendants, attend all race meetings. A cynical resident of Hokitika, who lacks a sympathetic appreciation of the turf, expressed the opinion that the real mental .defectives were not to be found in the stand re served for patients, but in other p-lrt-s of the course.' The Prince is accumulating a stock of gifts during his journey through New I Zealand. At Westport yesterday a Maori chief presented to him a gold watch mounted as a carriage clock in a magnificent block of greenstone. The Prince made a brief tour at Hokitika before departing on the Roval train for Greymouth ,and a trip through tho Otira Gorge, being due to arrive at Christchurch in tho evening. GREYMOUTH’S SOLDIERS. Tlie Royal train stopped at Grey n ,oiiGi, a prosperous coastal mining town, where the Prince left the tram and drove through the streets to the racecourse [Victoria Park], where he was received by the Mayor and councillors and the general public. The town was decorated with flags. Tho people received the Princo quietly, in marked contrast to the excitement at Hokitika, onlv a few miles away, where the Prince walked around the lowed bv the entire population, cheerjnrr enthusiastically, until he departed. Greymouth contributed a strong con

tmgent to tlie war, and tile ■ Prince inspected a long line of returned soldiers, including several wounded, on crutches, also a detachment of veterans of earlier wars. ‘ Glorious weather prevails again to-day, and there has been an almost unprecedented run of line days for this . rainy coast. Mr Tom Seddon and Mrs It. J. Seddon accompanied the party. A COACHING JOURNEY. THROUGH OTIRA GORGE. PRINCE ARRIVES AT CHRISTCHURCH. ! CHRISTCHURCH, May 13th. . , On the journey to Christchurch today, travelling in the Royal train, the Prince reached Otira well ahead of the time-table. F our and five horsed coaches were in jreadiness to talie the party up the Otiia Gorge, eleven miles ■ to the new railhead at Arthur’s Pass. A/pilot coach had already gone ahead, containing police, the Prince’s New Zealand bodyguard. Then came two J mounted troopers to tonsure the road being clear, next the Prince’s coach, drawn by four fine browns, driven and owned by Mr A. Hall. This remarkable old man, 79 years of age, who is in robust, vigorous health, drove the; Duke of Edingburgh up the Otira Gorge in 1869. He proudly exhibited a silver-mounted coach whip presented to him by the Duke of Edinburgh after j the drive. The coach was newly paint'ied scarlet with yellow wheels, I The Prince took his place on a seat J behind and above the driver. Accom- j panying him were Admiral Halsey and j t Colonel Grigg. The next coach con- j tallied other members of the Royal i staff. Six other coaches carried the re- j ' muining members of the party. Soon . j after starting the staff coach passed , the Prince’s coach on the road, by ar- j I rangement. The procession of coaches ; I moved on at a steady pace up rising j ! ground, the road running beside the j I Otira river, dominated on both sides! by mountains. Far off cou|d be seen the summit of the Pass, 3000 feet above , tlu> sea, with snow-clad peaks rising |- on both sides. It was perfect weather, j with bright sunshine, but a cold wind . off the mountain was cutting. • The Prince saw this famous scenery under the best possible conditions, frequent waterfalls, rimu-clad lower slopes and skv-piercing peaks combining to make a memorable example of Nature in hei wildest mood. \ For a mile or two, , the embankment j of the projected railway could he seen running up the Gorge until it ended rn j a tunnel, which has already been com- ( pleted for a distance of five miles, the , other end being Arthur’s Pass. The j tunnel was driven from both ends sim- ; ultaneously. When "they met in the middle the ends were less than an inch j and a. half distant from each other, show jug-the wonderful precision of the engineer’s calculations. The new railway from Otira to Arthur’s Pass will he opened, it is expected, in twelve months, providing through railway communication between the West Coast and Christchurch, Coaches and coach drivers they will vanish from the scene. If the Prince re-visits it in later, years he will travel by .train. ~ A few miles up the Gorge, the .gradient became much stiffer, and all tie passengers were asked to descend in order to ease the horses. ,The Prince was quickly down, and discarding Ins overcoat, he set a brisk pace u P/ the. Pass. The Prince is physically in perfect health owing to constant execise on board ship, and his habit of snatching an hour wherever possible toi walkin'* on roads, even while travelling. He soon had Admiral Halsey and Colonel Grigg in difficulties trying to keep up with him. The climb to the summit was about three miles, but the Prince walked some distance after the road started to descend, crossing t-.< mountain torrent on stepping stones on the higher ground than the road. On the right hand from the summit or the Pass he could see the snow-covered middle, on the other side of which is the settlement where Samuei liutlei wrote his famous book'. The Prince was out of sight when the long procession of passengers by the remaining ; coaches, toiling up the steep ascent, reached the spot where it was permis-, sable to hoard the coaches again. The j Prince, being heated by the hard walk-, ing, travelled as an inside passenger m his coach for the remainder of the journey to the railhead The whole trip from Otira to Arthur’s Pass is eleven miles. Just beyond the summit we saw a post driven into the grown.* marking- the boundary where we le Westland County and entered the Province of Canterbury, celebrated al the world over for its mutton an lamb. It also possesses scenic beautic. that vie with Westland’s rugged landscapes. The views- from the tram windows, which looked out on M aimakariri river and snow-capped mountains tinged with the sunset hue, inspired homeless longing and vain breast of the cinema man who lament the insufficient light to record such matchless specimens of Nature’s handiwork.