VISIT OF PRINCE OF WALES.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1920, Page 3

VISIT OF PRINCE OF WALES.

NO DEFINITE DATE KNOWN YKT. The Prime Minister, when asked at Auckland on Saturday morning if he was in receipt of any particulars- of the j forthcoming visit to the Dominion of the Prince of Wales, said that he knew the I Prince w;» coming this year, but that so J far as the. Government was concerned it had not been officially informed of the (Life of his arrival. He added: "We are in communication with (lie Imperial authorities through Ilis Excellency the (Jovernor-Geiicral, but have not yet received any information which can be made public."

ilr. Mas-spy remarked that the vessel referred to in the cablegrams as the ship on which the Prince of Wales is coming out is one of the class of vessels known as the "Hush'' ships, very fast battlecruisers, and armed with very heavy guns. When he, was at Home he went over the Kenown himself. 'She is a magnificent vessel of something over 30,000 tons, as far as I can remember," said the l'rime Minister, "and at the time I visited her I believe she was practically unarmmired. but since then I think she has been armoured."

Although tho Prime Minister can say nothing of a definite nature about the date of th<> Prince's visit, there is some reason to believe that this visit may interfere with the proposed Parliamentary tour of our .South Sea Island possessions (says the Star). The visit to Samoa was mooted for about April and Majj, hut if the Prince is likely to he in New Zealand in either of those months the Prime Minister, at the least, would have to be in the Dominion to receive him. It is probable, therefore, that some modification of the plans for the visit to Samoa before the next session will have to be arranged.