ROYAL CAR PASSES THROUGH TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 101, 24 December 1953, Page 7

ROYAL CAR PASSES THROUGH TAUPO

The three- ton Daimler Pullman limouslne in which Her Majesty the j Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will drive through Rotorua on January 1 and 2 passed through Taupo on Thursday December 10. It was driven by Mr J. N. G. Mouncey, who will drive the Queen and- the Duke throughout the New Zealand tour. The car was one of a small convoy which attracted considerable attention as it passed slowly up Tongariro Street en route to Rotorua and Auckland. The other cars were a Humber Imperial, five Super Snipes and a small Daimler Conquest. AlTwere new cars, the big Daimler having only a thousand miies "clocked up." The dashboard of the big Daim- | ler, with instruments for the 36 h.p. engine, resembled that of a small aircraft. Behind the glass screen the rear seat, which will be occupied by the Duke and the Queen, is luxuriously upholstered in grey material. The hood above and behind them fofds down at a touch of one of the many buttons on the dashboard, but from the interior it looks more solid and better finished than that of the usual fixed-top .car. Mouldings are of polished walnut. The floor: is carpeted in grey | matching the upholstery. The car is air-conditioned and not a spot of dust was to be seen. The doors which close with the massive precision of a bank vault, allow no dust through. A small knob controls the aii> conaitioning, lamps built in below | the driver's seat flood the compartment when light is needed, while another button sends a roof panel sliding back when desired. Silver telephone connections enable the Royal couple to talk to the driver, or by automatic radio-telephone to anybody in any of about six cars in the procession. There is also a small radio.