ROYAL VISIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1920, Page 5

ROYAL VISIT.

ORIGINAL PLANS UPSET, PRINCE GOING TO AUCKLAND. THE FUTURE INDEF3MITB. . By Telognipb.—Frear Assn.-MJop-rlght, Rotorua, Last NigWi. At midnight it was announced that arrangements were being made to oalty, the Royul party back to Auckland tomorrow, but the Ministers are reticent a* to further movements, evidently. hoping it will be possible that Mr. Masaey, on reaching Wellington to-morrow; will be able to arrive at a settlement with the railwaymen. , That would permit of the North Island programme being carried out as origin* : silly planned, though, of course, there may be a delay of a day or so. This, now** ever, depends on the result of the ftegor • tiations. ' It is expected there will be no difflctfltr on the run to Auckland, which ii the' home town of the train men here, who" are naturally anxious to get hack. $«• difficulties are increased <by the fact that the A.S.R.S. joined the loco, men on strike, but the authorities are still fcopeful. ~ ft An earlier message from Rotorua stet* ed: "It may be necessary to go baolt to Auckland, whence the Prince will proceed to Wellington in the Renown, and resume the programme from that point* ' POSITION IN TARANAKI. ARRANGEMENTS HELD UP. Telegrams passed between the Mate* and Sir William Fraser. garding the Prinoe's visit to New Kvmouth and the last message received irom the Minister was that there wa» a grave possibility of the visit being tan- ' ceiled. s In view of the above message from, Rotorua, which reached New Plymouth early this morning, it appears thai th» visit to Taranaki cannot take pla« tomorow, even if it should be possible to arrange it for a future date THE PRINCE AT ROTORUA/ PICTURESQUE MAORI WELCOMB, RAIN STOPS THE PROGRAMME. Rotorua, Last Night. * * e *Y*l am Ml durin g grwteU part of the morning, making the pro* ' reedion uncomfortable for everyone" At P. 30, the Prince started for Ohinemutu. where a large gathering of Arawas gav« him a typical Maori welcome, with poi and war dances, on a courtyard in front of a meeting house. ' ' The acme was one of. curious" cow "' touts. Maori girls in red skirts, «hji» '' blouses and blue sashes, with flax mat* , thrown over their skirts did poi dances : and songs their voices blendir* Wonder- ' hilly, and the effect was heightened when the men's voices joined in the " tram steam rising from the ground a»ngled with thin r « m that f«U throughout: .—■*•». The Prince and his party oil Raised Bets in front of the meeting house/and a background of trees through which' ■ glimpses of the lake were obtainable! • with the old English church ontfc . point, and the welcoming Maori, gather. * ed on the courtyard in the foreground* ■ ' made up a picture that should lire 5 ■ .' the memories of its beholders. ! '■ An aged Maori chief then delivered art ■■ orat.on of welcome to the grand-son of / Queen Victoria from the Arawa tribe*, t to which the Prince replied: "1 know the Arawa tribe has always been loyal and true. Thank you sincerely for your '. kind welcome." He was then presented with gifts of Maori mats, which he don- , ned, to the delight of the Natives, and' ) imia feathers, which he placed ro his h cap. r ,■ Then carrying a taiaha or Nattw ■■'■ spear, he made the rounds of the line ' x of poi girls, one or<«wo of whom became : * envious of their sisters, who,, in the ■&j ecstasy of the moment, bent arid kissed 1 the Prince's hand. Warriors in the war 'i, were also inspected. Then the Prinoo \ walked to the statue of Queen Vie* : , toria, and stood for a few moments con- » femplating it, the assemblage maintain- i ing reverent silence. . -j A visit to the King George Hospital 1 for wounded soldiers on the hill above j Ohinemutu followed, the boys In Hue Riving the Prince a right' hearty wel- ■ ?■ come. j Whaknrewarewa pah was the next place visited. Here there was mora "' dancing and singing, and the present*/- \ tion of an address from the assembled A tribes was followed by a stroll fbostf*'the thermal wonders of the spot. ' Y'i By this time the rain set in to • - ! steady downpour, hut it did not dettf'-i the people from turning out- Thsirj Maoris were greatly excited and could/» not restrain tlieir enthusiasm at havin| ; ;*g amongst them one in whom they visible reminder of the Great King fat vM whom so many of their sont «a#l| brothers had gone to the war, many rested now in foreign lands. Mfr?-} this sentiment was poured out rn bsaWra tiful poetic oratory, and was imprasiivj ',- in the extreme. • ■,* Owing to the continued downpour t/tV 1 ram in the afternoon, the progr*n>«i-.' i for the entertainment of the Pruje* abandoned. ~*K It is hoped to carry out the m*M gramme to-morrow morning. ■'■ t J3