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in England from 28th June to 28th. July, and during that period had numerous discussions with Sir Alan Lascelles, the King's Private Secretary, Major Adeane, the Assistant Private Secretary, and other Palace officials, and Rear Admiral William-Powlett and other Admiralty officers. Mr. Heenan was privileged to have two lengthy audiences with the King and Queen, during which the whole of the programme and itinerary was thoroughly discussed and the desires of the King and Queen met. After Mr. Heenan's return there were further cable communications with the Palace authorities, and the final itinerary and programme as approved by the King was published in September. The arrangements for the tour involved a vast amount of work not only by this Department, but also by large numbers of other Government Departments, and contultations with local authorities throughout the Dominion. Before Mr. Heenan left, a sour was made of the towns likely to be visited and hotel accommodation inspected and negotiations entered into with hotel proprietors for improvements of accommodation and hotel amenities generally. In September last, with the approval of the King, Brigadier Norman Gwatkin, Assistant Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office, paid a visit to New Zealand, and in four weeks visited, with the exception of New Plymouth and Hawera, every place in New Zealand to be visited by the Royal party. In every town during Brigadier Gwatkin's visit opportunity was taken to inspect hotels and interview local authorities concerned, and conferences were held at Gisborne, Rotorua, Ngaruawahia, and Waitangi with those who would be in charge of the four proposed Maori celebrations. Brigadier Gwatkin was unsparing of both valuable advice and practical help not only to the Department, but to local authorities and other public bodies concerned. His visit at that early stage resolved many doubts and difficulties. At the time the regrettable news of the abandonment of the tour was received, practically all the arrangements for the tour, which was to have lasted from 28th February to 31st March, 1949, were completed. This Department is deeply indebted to all other Government Departments concerned for their outstanding help and co-operation, including particularly the Air Department and National Airways, Army, New Zealand Broadcasting Service, Education, Lands and Survey, Legislative (including Bellamys), Maori Affairs, Navy, Police, Post and Telegraph, Prime Minister's and External Affairs, Printing and Stationery, Railways,. Transport, Treasury, and Works. Local authorities and public bodies throughout New Zealand entered whole-heartedly into the work of suitably preparing for this first visit to New Zealand by a reigning monarch. The whole itinerary and programme was based on the general principle that the object of the visit was to enable the Royal party to see and be seen by as many of the people of New Zealand in as many places as practicable in the brief period allowed for the tour. The King and Queen both graciously approved this principle, and submitted themselves to an itinerary and programme that admittedly imposed on them and Princess Margaret a very heavy burden. The Department is deeply indebted also to all the Palace officials for their great help to Mr. Heenan on his visit to England, and throughout the whole period of preparation, and for their never-failing courtesy in answering in great detail many requests • for information and advice both by air mail' and cable. The Department is indebted also to the officials at Government House for their never-failing help and co-operation. A feature of the tour was to have been gatherings of -school-children and returned servicemen and servicewomen, and here again not only the Education Department,, but Education Boards and the New Zealand Returned Services Association respectively, were most helpful and co-operative. When a Royal tour does actually eventuate, complete machinery for handling it will be in existence. The vast amount of preliminary work already done in connection with the abandoned tour will be of value to those managing the next tour and save much time and labour.

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