ROYAL TOURISTS

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17748, 11 March 1927, Page 5

ROYAL TOURISTS

V j rr dax amongst scenerb^T • V.

... is FEARSOME' BULLER GORGE. WESTPORT, Last Night. The Duke left Nelson this morning per timetabl'e making the journey to Glenhope in a train through interesting coxmtry with hopfields and orchfcrds sandwiched in hetwe'en the grazing paddocks. All along the line of route he was greeted by groups of settlers and wives and children. A fleet of cars for the drive from Glenhope to Westport . through the Buller Gorge raced along on an up-grade road beside the train, often at over fifty •miles an hour, in order to be on time to convey the party from Glenhope on the most interesting scenic stage of the tour. At Murchison every man woman and child trn-ed out. The Mayor, in welcoming the' Duke referred with great rpgret to the illness of Her Royal Highness, andl assured him that .all Murchison hoped that she would quickly be restored to normal health. The Duke' feelingly thanked the Mayor and added that his wife's illness was not, he wasglad to say, of a serious nature. An interesting fact may be chronicled as sbowing the contrast between the early sixties and the present day. In a room in the hotel a private telephone had been connectedl with one of the Duchess' bedrooms far away in Nelson, and the two talked for some time. Apparently the news the Duke received was good for he seemed very cheery as he resumed the path of i duty. To-night as I write I learn | that a similar arrangement has been ! mad possible from Westport, and ; that their Royal Highnesses are at ! present talking to one another. i To-day's itinerary was not so j mnch seeing people as the scenery, | especially the thrilling descent of f the Buller Gorge road with its E corkscrew bends and steep gradii ents with the river with its deep S pools and foaming rapids far below. | There is general commendation of | the Duke's prompt and manly action j in carrying on ihe tour as planned f tp the minute notwithstanding his [ wife's illness. { | As the Duke's car passed under j Hawke's Crag a photographer took | several pictures, a,nd a! cinema man • was also at work. Such excellent i time had been made by the whole s fleet of cars that wben the lower j valley was reached it was found | that the Duke was considerabiy ! ahead of schedple, so far several miles we crawled along at a slow pace. The Duke and staff and others seized the opportunity to get out ! and sample the fine ripe blackber- ! ries that were growing beside the road. He and Sir Heaton and his staff walked on ahead of the cars which picked them up soon afterwards. Meantime the sun had come out, the tuis were singing gloriously, and the flaming rata blossom added a touch of colour to the sombre green of the forest. Westport, which is gaily decorated and illuminated, turned out in force. There was the usual reception, after which the leading citizens were presented. Amongst them was Mr Holland, leaderi of the Lar bour Opposition in the IJouse of Representatives and Miss Holland. The Duke remained fpr a while chatting with Mr Holland, who with Miss Holland, is dining With him at his hotel this evening, There was the usnal large gathering of children who received special attention from the Duke, who walked along their ranks and ac- ' knowledged their cheers. | To-morrow the party leaves for Tnanghua by motor, thence proceeding by Reefton and Hokitika .to Greymouth where the night will be spent. His Royal Highness vi,sited the Returned Soldiers Club and spent half an hour with the men. Mr Lynch, the secretary, expressed the soldiers' gratitude and pleasure at the visit and the Duke briefly replied. The pipers band then appearedl on the scene and led the Duke and a lengthy procession to the citizefis • ball, where His Royal Highness was given a wonderful reception by the largest and most demonstrative gathering of citizens J even assemhled in the hall.