AN INFORMAL CHAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1939, Page 5

AN INFORMAL CHAT

KING AND QUEEN RECEIVE PRESSMEN MEMORIES OF NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA. HOPES OF ANOTHER VISIT. OTTAWA, May 19. The King and Queen, attending a Press reception today at which they chatted with journalists covering the Royal tour, expressed the hope to the special representative of the Australian Associated Press that they would visit New Zealand and Australia again. The King and Queen referred api preciatively to theii’ visit to New Zealand and Australia as the Duke and Duchess of York. The Queen said: “We have such glorious memories of both countries.” Their Majesties revealed remarkably retentive memories as well as a keen interest in the Antipodes. Answering a question by the Queen, the special representative of the Australian Associated Press, Mr Winston H. Turner, said he came originally from Wellington, New Zealand. The King smiled and said: “Ah. That’s the windy place.” The reception, which was tendered by the Governor-General, Lord Tweedsmuir, at Government House, broke all precedents. Their Majesties chatted freely with the journalists covering the tour and showed a lively curiosity in their work. The King said he did not know how the Press kept up with everything, and laughed heartily'when an American newspaper man, with honest admiration, said: “Well, you can certainly take it. You’re in there punching all the time.” After the pool system, whereby the work of seven photographers is distributed throughout the world, was explained to him, the King confessed it all set his head in a whirl. He observed that it must be confusing keeping track of Australian and New Zealand time in cabling the news to those countries, and added that it would be worse in the West as Canadian local time standards change five times. . The ease and informality of the gathering provided a contrast to the colour and pageantry of the function in the Senate an hour earlier —a function so symbolical that the Canadian Press hails it as the. accession of Canada’s King. His Majesty, in a dark lounge suit, and the Queen, cool and charming in a soft blue tea gown, shook hands cordially with everyone as they were presented. It was the finishing touch for the American newspapermen and women who began the tour in a mildly cynical frame of mind. Their dispatches since the Montreal visit have been almost extravagant in their descriptions of the crowd’s spontaneous enthusiasm and in tributes to their Majesties’ dignity and charm. They forecast a tumultuous reception in Washington and New York.

Fifty-six correspondents, representative of the English and French-speak-ing world, are travelling on the Royal pilot train. No applications have been received from the German and Italian Press, though there was a big British Press party for Herr Hitler’s State visit to Italy last year. One solitary German visited Quebec for their Majesties’ arrival there. DEVOTED HOMAGE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER’S MESSAGE. OTTAWA, May 20. The Prime Minister, Mr Mackenzie King, has received a message from Mr Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia, asking him to convey to their Majesties. Australia’s devoted homage, and stating that Australians were following the Royal tour with the greatest interest.

TELEPHONE TALK

THEIR MAJESTIES SPEAK TO PRINCESSES. (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) OTTAWA, May 21. Just before leaving for the ceremony of unveiling the Canadian National War Memorial their Majesties spoke by telephone with the young princesses. The reception was clear. WAITING CROWD THEIR MAJESTIES NOT INFORMED FIRST UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT OF TOUR. OTTAWA, May 20. The special correspondent of the Australian Associated Press says that a blunder on the part of a Government official tonight caused the first unfortunate incident of the tour. It had been announced that the King and Queen would make a brief appearance on the balcony of the Chateau Laurier before the Government banquet. A crowd of 90,000 people jammed Connaught Square and waited for four hours. The King, however, had not been informed. Finally word reached the King that a crowd had been gathered at the. front entrance to the hotel since early afternoon. He immediately asked to be excused and, with the Queen, went on to the balcony. Rain was falling, but, despite cautions from equerries, their Majesties stood on the balcony for five minutes acknowledging the plaudits of the crowd. They did not return to the banqueting chamber, taking coffee instead in a private room. The crowd, drenching wet, stood for a further two hours vainly hoping for another opportunity to see theii’ Majesties. Sixty-five people collapsed and were treated by ambulance officers. Margaret Rose Paquette, 71b in weight, was probably the youngest person in history to attend a Royal procession, because her mother insisted on going to see the King and Queen. She was born in a boathouse just as the State carriage appeared along the route skirting the lake. A doctor, hastily summoned from a first-aid post, rushed them to hospital when the procession had passed. Margaret’s name did not present any difficulties as she has an elder sister called Elizabeth.