THE KING AND QUEEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 194, 30 May 1938, Page 5

THE KING AND QUEEN.

VISIT TO EMPIRE EXHIBITION. INTEREST IN THE DOMINIONS. LONDON, May 3. As the King uttered his last- words in opening the Empire Exhibition at Glasgow, aeroplanes blackened the sky, artillery thundered, and every Dominion flag was broken out from the pavilions.

At the end of a four hours’ tour the Queen accepted a cup of tea with the words: “That is just what I wanted.” The King met Petty-Officer Jervois, a ship-mate in H.M.S. Collingwood at Jutland. “You probably saw more of the battle than I did because you were second-in-command of the turret,” said Jervois.

“Yes, I remember,” said the King. “You were down that funny little cubby hole in thq fore medical flat.” “Billy,” the kangaroo at the Australian pavilion, was taken to Glasgow at the age of six months nine years ago.

“Oh, I love that,” exclaimed the Queen, seeing him on the steps of the Pavilion. Encouraged by Mr Bruce the Queen stretched out her hand to stroke him. “Billy” promptly rose on his hind legs and adopted a boxing stance. Eventually “Billy” efilmed down and became friendly and hopped about the pavilion in the Queen’s company. The Queen was attracted by the model of Sydney Harbour, and said it recalled vividly her arrival in Sydney. A collection of opals worth £20,000 was laid out for Her Majesty’s examination, but she suddenly caught* sight of Australian birds and swung away fto view them. The King joined her before a vast cage of budgerigars and parrakeets.

* Before the arrival of the King and Queen at the New Zealand Pavilion, the High Commissioner, Air W. J. Jordan, carefully coached the girls in the apple section in case they were ques tioned. When the Queen did ask the name of an apple, the girl blushed, looked round and examined the case, but found no inspiration.

Airs Jordan asked the Queen whethei she would accept a pair of chamois gloves. “Delighted,” was the reply Asked her size, the Queen was nonplussed for a moment and turned back the gloves she was wearing to find the size. f

Confronted with a massive New Zealand trout, the King observed: “They are not all as big as that, ’’ and the Queen added: “It took me three days to catch one.”