THE PRINCE OF WALES.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1920, Page 11

THE PRINCE OF WALES.

BALL, BUT NO DANCING. CHRISTCHUECH ENTERTAINS THE PRINCE. (From The Press.) It was fortunate that the Ball Committee had put a limit on the issue of tickets; it was unfortunate that the limit imposed bore no degree of corelation to the other factors involved. According to orders the guests approached the Casliel Street door to gain entrance. Those who arrived when the door opened found that only one passage through was available, hut that didn't matter so much at the beginning. It became a highly important consideration later. There were over 3000 people attending, and the bulk of these appeared within an hour of the time set down for the arrival of the Prince, tlmt is, between eight and nine p.m. It was then that the single entrance scheme failed dismally. Hundreds and hundreds of ticket-holders surged round the iron gate, which every now and then would open a few inches to allow another small hatch to enter. .Meanwhile, myriads of taxis and cars were discharging their passengers on the roadway to swell further the struggling throng, through which the taxis themselves had to plough their way to reach the calmer wateii; at Cambridge Terrace. Whatever success the traffic arrangements for vehicles may have achieved was not shared by the entrance arrangements for the guests. Nor was it altogether a haven of rest when one actually succeeded in forcing an entrance. The ballroom wag undoubtedly immense, but it was more than swamped by the multitude present. The cloak rooms, refreshment booths, and supperroom were all grossly overtaxed during the earlier stages of the ball, and particularly—and this was a permanent trouble—the exits, entrances, and pas-sage-ways leading from one department to another., One had to squirm and screw and resist counter-currents of people in order to get anywhere. By nine o'clock the hall, to the naked eye, appeared full. Every seat on the raised platforms surrounding the dancing floor was occupied, even to the ledges, and the floor itself was packed with re3tless people. The canopied and decorated box for the orchestra stood out like some lonely island in a surging ocean. In looking round that vast assembly, one could not but marvel at the diversity represented, especially among the men. All sections of the community seemed to be there, and the representation coveted all ages: elderly clergymen and gay bank clerks, thoughtful professors and light-headed youths, serious-minded business men or Labor thinkers and specialists in mental vacuity. But all had this to their credit, and it was a very fine tiling, that despite the many personal inconveniences and discomforts involved, they were determined to "do their bit" in doing honor to their Royal visitor. A few minutes before the arrival of

the Prince, a bugle Wast, brought silence, and it was announced by a clear-voiced official that the Prince' would descend from the balcony by the central steps, would traverse the ballroom from one end to the other to reach the Royal enclosure, and would then, standing in front of that enclosure, shake hands with everyone present if the guests would pass in orderly procession before him. Accordingly n more or less Q.dequate passage-way through the crowd was cleared, and then a cheer was heard from without. It was the arrival of

the Prince, and a moment later _ Ms Royal Highness, followed by his retinue, appeared on the balcony. The Prince descended the steps and stood to attention, as did all present, while the National Anthem was played. Accompanied by the Mayor and Mayoress he passed through the hall, and took his station at the Royal dais. The notion of shaking hands with that vast assembly was appalling, but the Prince set to work like a hero. The guests filed I before him rapidly, but he never missed one, and was keenly observant of each individual. Frequently he stopped to say a word or two to a be-medalled soldier. The process of shaking hands lasted well over an hour, but the Prince

gave no impression that the task to him was dreary. Quite the contrary, for the Prince throughout maintained a marvellous freshness and geniality. Each and every recipient of the Royal handshake received also the impression that the pleasure was mutualThe passage of the guests past the Prince was still in operation when the music started, and the first few dances were quite nominal affairs. There were too many on the floor to make it possible to do much more than walk round. When the handshaking cams to an end, a space was cleared in front of the Royal dais, and the "Official Set" opened, Lancers, danced to Regimental airs. Even with the overcrowding the ball was a brilliant success. The floor, when found possible to use it, was surprisingly good, in view of its hasty construction ; the decorations, already described, gained a now brilliance by the lighting eifects provided, and the supper arrangements appeared to be adequate.

A Manawatu correspondent writes to the Farmers' Union Advocate aa follows: Land goes on rising even down the ««ast. I heard of a dairy farmer who soli out at £65 (making a handsome profit) jn Bangitikci, and buying in near I#yh» at £IOO an aero, from where he can e«pply tho Wellington City Council with milk during the winter time and get equivalent to over 3a a pound for l" s butter-fat, The milk has to bo delivered at the railway station, which adds considerably to the expense; but although Wellington has to go further «<*? M ovoi'y year for its milk, it still dtn-M not, so far ua I have heard, come j»!» much past Otaki, Daspite the price, most farmers prefer to deliver to tho i'aetmiw, and it is astonishing te sea so many on the coast, everyone a. Inpf well, apparently. Tho Wellington milk supply iluea not affect the price «« land. It la eald that round about tlfc larp luaimfuoturiug towns In Kngluml the Iftiifl is ukihl (is u litrga jullk run, and that, although niivnv buttw and eheeee faetaftea were started, Uiey elased be* cause tif the demand for jailk, Vfhioh JislM ft hettw sfisa.