THE ROYAL VISIT

Wairarapa Age, 24 February 1927, Page 5

THE ROYAL VISIT

AUCKLAND CHILDREN FORM LIVING FLAG.

BEAUTIFUL SCENE IN DOMAIN. THE ISLAND CHIEFS. AUCKLAND, February 23. Auckland to-day fully retrieved its reputation as a city of sunshine. From the earliest dawn, Nature seemed to smile her brightest upon the festivities arranged in honour cf the Duke and Duchess of York, and as a general holiday was observed, the whole population was able to participate in some part of the proceedings.

These included a private function at Government House at which Native delegations from the Cook Islands, Samoa and the Tokelau Group, presented addresses of welcome and loyalty on behalf of the Natives of those islands. The ceremony was brief, but impressive in its simplicity, the Native dignity of the brown-skinned chiefs showing out in a remarkable manner.

Tho picce-de-resistance, from the public point of view, however, was the children’s display in the* Domain, between 11 o’clock and 12.30, when twlve thousand young New Zealanders were assembled in certain ordered formation to carry out the various evolutions leading up to the massing of four thousand girls in red and white in such a manner that the movement culminated in presenting a living flag—tho red Cross of St. George on a white background. When, a.s a finale, the whole of the children raised their voices in cheers for the Duke and Duchess of York and each fluttered a tiny Union Jack, the effect was wonderful. From the grandstand, where the Royal party was seated, the view was one not soon to be forgotten. In the arena were massed the children actually participating in the exercises, while all round were thousands more children. At the back of the ground, opposite the stand, the sloping hillside was thronged, a grove of trees affording welcome shade from the warm sun and adding a finishing note of colour in a very fine kaledioscopic picture. At the conclusion the band plavefl “God Save the King.” The Duke and Duchess entered their car and moved round the ground among the children. To the great delight of'the'youngsters, both the Duke and Duchess stood up during a good part of this time, so that the children had a chance of seeing them close at hand. A procession of cars then left the ground, Their Royal Highnesses returning to Government House for lunch.—(P.A.)

GUESTS OF THE CITY.

FESTIVITIES IN AUCKLAND. RENOWN DEPARTS. AUCKLAND, February 23. The Garden Party at Government House this afternoon was attended by a large number of official visitors and leading citizens of Auckland. Tho Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergusson) received the guests on the lawn and they then filed past tho Duke and Duchess, who acknowledged the obeisance of everyone in the long lino. Afterwards it was noted that thev took occasion to speak awhile with some of tho older people who in their day had played prominent, parts in the earlier years of colonisation. The Duke had a keen eye for any who bore evidence of having suffered injury during service in the war, and like his elder brother possesses a good memory for faces ho has seen in other davs.

This evening great crowds thronged the approaches to the Town Hall, where Their Royal Highnesses wore guests of tho city at an At Home. Tho scene in the beautifully-decorated hall, with the gay drosses of the ladies providing a toil for the sober black of the men, was an entrancing one. The Duke and Duchess of York left in time to rejoin the Renown, which, at 11 o’clock lifted anchor and departed for the Bay of Islands on a fishing excursion, which is being treated as private. The Royal visitors return on Saturday moraine, '''hep they will entrain for Rotorua.— (P.A.)