OFFICIAL WIRELESS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1928, Page 1

OFFICIAL WIRELESS

[Special to Press Assn, by Radio.] OVERSEAS FARMERS. RUGBY, June 4. The Prince of Wales this afternoon received at St. James Palace some sixty farmers from Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Mesopotamia, who are studying agricultural conditions in this country. The farmers afterwards expressed their delight with the informal way in which the Prince received them.

The Prince tokl them ,of the good time he had had on his tour of Australia, and said that he had quite mad© up his mind to visit the country again if possible, and ho was looking forward to the time when he could do so.

The Prince spoke to all the farmers .individually ami recognised several whom he had met in Australia.

RENUNCIATION OF WAR. \ . R UGBY, June 4

Sir Austen Chamberlain lias addressed to Mr Ray Atherton, United States Charge d’Affaircs in London, a Note informing him that his Majesty’s Government in the Common wealth of Australia has received with appreciation the invitation of tho United States Government to participate as an original party in tho proposed treaty for tlio renunciation of war.

His Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth of Australia has carefully and sympathetically examined tlio draft exchanged between the- interested Governments, and believe that a treaty such as that proposed would be a further material safeguard to the peace of tho world. It will be happy to co-operate to tlio fullest extent in its successful conclusion.

WAR GRAVES. RUGBY, June 1. The Prime Minister and Mrs Baldwin returned last night from a pilgrimage to the battlefields and cemeteries on the Western Front. Mr Baldwin, in a statenint, declared: “The work done by the Imperial War Graves Commission during the last ten years has impressed me more than 1 can sav. The magnitude and beauty of the task achieved must he seen to be believed, and I should think that many from ail parts of the Empire might find or lie helped to find the occasion to make the same pilgrimage.

“Speaking from deep and intimate experience. I believe that nothing in this world could bring to them so much help and solace as tile sight of those cemeteries, scattered throughout France and Belgium, hut all tended with love-and cure by the hands of former comrades.” Mr Baldwin added the wish that those who had not experienced war bereavement might make the pilgrimage and derive inspiration from it. The visit to him was a “revelation to ray eyes and a comfort to my heart.”

THE KING’S BIRTHDAY. TROOPING THE COLOURS. RUGBY, June 4. Tho celebrations of the King’s sixtythird birthday, which occurred on Sunday, were held to-day on the Horse Guards’ Parade. ’The annual ceremony of trooping the colours, the greatest military display of the year, was held in lino lint dull weather. The colours of the Welsh Guards were this year selected for the honour, and there were 70 officers and 1882 men on parade under tiie command of Colonel Grace, of the Welsh Guards.

The King rode from Buckingham Palace at the head of the King’s Guard, followed by the Prince of AA’ales, the Duke of York, the Duke of Gloucester, and A’lscount Lascelles to the saluting base before the Horse Guards’ Arch. All the foreign military attaches attended. * The complicated ceremony was performed with that superb precision which invariably characterises the parades- of the Guards, while massed bands played many traditional airs associated with the ceremony. Great crowds watched the proceedings and the King was loudly cheered on riding to and from the parade.

LONG JOURNEY BY MOTOR, RUGBY, June 3

Major Sinclair and Captain Coleman have just arrived in England after motoring overland from India, a distance of 7000 miles. They left Bombay in the middle of February.

During the whole tour, despite the terrible . condition of parts of the route they experienced no mechanical stoppages.