BRITISH PAVILIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 June 1939, Page 5

BRITISH PAVILIONS

THEIR MAJESTIES’ INTEREST IN DOMINIONS QUEEN RECALLS 1926 TOUR. DESIRE TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND AGAIN. NEW YORK, June 10. When their Majesties visited the Australian pavilion at the World’s Fail-, the Queen told Mrs MacGregor, wife of the Australian Commissioner, how pleased she was that the Duke and Duchess of Kent were going to Australia. She added that they were looking forward to their visit very much. The King also mentioned his brother’s impending visit. When Mr Bulcock said Australia would be very glad to have the Duke of Kent, as Governor-General, the King smiled and was obviously pleased. “That's very nice.” he said. The Queen’s remarkable memory was illustrated by her recollecting meeting the MacGregors in Brisbane in 1926. Present in the pavilion were 140 Australians, or Americans associated with Australian interests. Mr MacGregor’s daughter Margaret and the Bulcocks were presented. Six bemedalled diggers stood at attention. They included Mr A. E. Bourne, now of Poughkeepsie, an accountant, who served with the Canadian cavalry and then with the Australian artillery. Their Majesties were in the pavilion for seven minutes. They posed for a picture against the background of a huge map of Australia. When her eye fell on reproductions of Koala bears the Queen commented how she was attracted by them when in Australia. Their Majasties visited the New Zealand pavilion, where 75 New Zealanders were gathered. This also brought back recollections of the 1926 tour. The Queen said she was longing to visit New Zealand again. She stopped at diorama of Milford Sound and said how sorry she was that illness caused the cancellation of her South Island tour. Their Majesties displayed marked interest in the Maori exhibits. The Queen referred appreciatively to her visit to Rotorua and commented on the spaciousness of the pavilion.