PRINCE'S TOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 October 1920, Page 5

PRINCE'S TOUR.

j MESSAGE FROM THE KINO. f i APPRECIATION OF LOYALTY. / i ST Tellgwßh.—Press AssoclatloE ■ Wellington, Last Night. The Governor-General has received the following telegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, communicating a message from his Majesty the King in connection with the recent tour of His Royal Highnlss the Prince of Wales i—"Hig Majesty the King has addressed to me the following letter on the return home of the Prince of Wales: "I would ask you to express to my representatives in, and to the people of, those Dominions and Colonies which he visited, my heartfelt appreciation of the universal affection and loyal enthusiasm evinced to him throughout his travels. "These warm-hearted and spontaneous manifestations of regard for our eldest eon have deeply touched the Queen and me. We have followed with pride and admiration the triumphant success of his mission, and all the more bo when we recognise that these happy results are chiefly due to his own personality, "to the buoyant and genial spirit in which he has played his part, to his sense of duty, and to the unstinting manner in which he has given of his best. "This and his previous tour have given him special opportunities to gain knowledge of our overseas Dominions and Colonies, and become personally acquaints with their peoples. May such mutual intercourse create fresh ties of confidence and devotion between the Throne and the generations, present and future, of these great lands, and thus promote the unity, strength, and prosperity of the Empire. To my son the wide and happy experience he has earned will ever be a priceless possession." (Signed) Milner." His Excellency to-day forwarded the following reply:—

"On behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand, I beg to thank your Majesty for your gracious message, and to express our loyal and hearty congratulations upon the successful termination of the historic and* epoch-making tour of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. One of the most striking results will be to strengthen the ties of loyalty to the Throne, and unite more closely together than ever the great Empire to which we are so proud to belong (Signed) Jellicoe."

PRINCE AT HOME. THE PRINCE'S GREAT WELCOME. A TRIUMPHANT PROCESSION. London, Oet. 11. The Prince of Wales arrived in glorious weather, and had a magnificently enthusiastic welcome from enormous crowds along the route to Victoria Station, which was gaily beflagged. A distinguished assemblage were admitted to the platform, including the Duke of Connaught, Prince Arthur, Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. Bonar Law, and other Cabinet Ministers, Lord Beatty, General Trenehard, the Bishop of London, the Lord Mayor, the Chief Justice, Mr. Andrew Fisher, Sir James Allen, and the Agents-General. Queen Alexandra arrived at 12.10 p.m., followed five minutes later by the King, wearing an admiral's uniform, the Queen and Princesses Victoria and Mary. The King stepped across the platform and conversed with Mr. Lloyd George and the Ministers. Five minutes early, the train steamed up to the platform- The Prince of Wales, dressed in naval uniform, was standing looking from a window, his face flushed with boyish excitement at his homecoming. Immediately opposite the carpeted platform were bold white words on a red background: "Well done! welcome home!"

The King and Queen entered the train and a few moments later the Prince emerged and kissed Queen Alexandra, the hand playing "God Bless the Prince of Wales." The King did not conceal the pleasure he felt in the re-union. He smiled as he chatted with Mr. Lloyd George and the others. The Prince, followed by his brothers, shook hands with the personages on the platform, including Mr. Fisher and Sir Ja». Allen, before he and the King inspected the King's Company of Grenadiers. A little later the assemblage, faced the photographers, and, as the' Royal carriage drew up, Mr. Fisher called for cheers for the Prince. These were heartily given, the Prince smiling throughout. Preceded by scarlet outriders, a splendid procession moved off, the Prince in the first carriage, the King and Queen in the next. The cheers of the huge crowds outside marked the opening of a triumphal procession through- the principal thoroughfares of London, the city's millions evincing unfeigned delight as the procession traversed miles of streets en route to Buckingham Palace. Cheers soundedi along the whole route, punctured by "coo-ees." The weather was glorious, reminiscent of an Australian summer day. AST IMPOSING SPECTACLE. London, Oct. 11. Mr. Sandes, the special Australian correspondent, wires from Portsmouth that the Renown left her moorings at S o'clock and steamed up Portsmouth harbor in the cold, grey morning, but. as happened so frequently during the tour, the sun shone out brightly when the moment arrived for the people to greet the Prince. He stood on the bridge as the Renown came up the ancient harbor, past Nelson's Victory, which thundered a welcome from her guns. Many modern warships were present, all gaily dressed in flags. The Renown flew an immensely long paying-off pennant, the Royal Standard and the rear-admiral's flag as she arrived with slow and stately ease at the same jetty whence she started on her memorable voyage seven months ago.

High military and naval chiefs awaited tile Prince on the scarlet-carpeted jetty, while Portsmouth's Mayor and aldermen in blue and scarlet robes of mediaeval magnificence, attended by the beadle and other functionaries. These touches of traditional ceremonial, and the fact that the popnlace were rigorously kept away from the landing place by barriers and police, emphasised the difference between English and Australian

welcomes. Enormous crowds were gathed on Portsmouth Hard, but were not allowed to come within sight of the Prince. Before leaving the Renown the Prince shook hands with all the officers, who formed up on the ceremonial deck, and received the Marquis of MiJford Havenj Lord Mountbatten's father. The Prince landed with his staff and inspected guards of honor from the King's Rifles and H.M.S. Excellent, whose bands played "Nancy Lee," and "Home, Sweet Home." He received a mayoral address of welcome home and also the congratulations of the navy, military and air force commandants of Portsmouth. He then boarded his train and stood at an open door as it moved off, while the officers and men of the Renown gave three rousing cheers, and a faint welcome from the distant crowd indicated that they would have added to the cheerful din if they had only been allowed to approaoh the Royal presence. London prepared a rousing reception for the Prince. The streets were unofficially decorated. People offered righ prices for windows on the route from Victoria Station to Buckingham Palace, which was lined by 1000 special constables. All the newspapers have congratulatory leaders, with many pictures of incidents in AustrsJia and New Zealand.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FUTURE Of" EMPIRE SECURE. London, Oct. 11. The Prince of Wales, replying to the mayoral address at Plymouth, said that, although British institutions were not in the same stage of development in all the British lands he visited, there was everywhere without exception the same spirit. He returned deeply touched and impressed by the unity and strength of the sentiment binding all parts of his Majesty's dominions to the Crown, making the future of the British Empire secure.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

A FAMILY PARTY. STATE DINNER."TO BE GIVEN. Received Oct. 12, 9.55 p.m. London, Oct. 12. There was a family dinner at Buckingham Palace in honor of the Prince of Wales Inst night. Their Majesties to-day will give a banquet similar to that after the Prince's Canadian tour, at which Minis, torg and Colonial guests will be present, and when the Windsor plate will be used.—Aus.-N.Z. Cabin Assn. [The Windsor plate referred to is one of the moat treasured possessions of their Majesties, being all of solid gold. It is only brought from Windsor and used at Buckingham Palace on important State occasions. On the occasion of the Prince's return from Canada the plate was used for the first time for several years.] , THE COLONIAL LUNCHEON. Received Oct. 12, 8.25 p.m. London, Oct. 12. The Prince of Wales has fixed the 19th inst. for the luncheon at Australia Hquse.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.