TOPICS of the DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 230, 26 September 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

TOPICS of the DAY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON. August 14.

THE KING COMES HOME

On Saturday last the King and Queen brought to a close their memorable visit to Ireland. To King Edward and his gracious consort the trip to Erin has been a period of unmitigated pleasure and hard work. Wherever they went the royal couple were received with every token of genuine loyalty, and, save the easily forgotten and utterly puerile attempt ontfhe part of the Dublin Corporation to mar the harmony of the King's reception in that city, and the unfortunate death of his favourite terrier "Jack" whilst in the capital, nothing occurred to cast a shadow on ,the track of the royal tourists. From Connemara to Queehstown the Irish people vied with each other to do honour to their visitors, and in 'almost every address presented to the King —there were hundreds of them —was to be found a suggestion—it amounted to a very strong hin,t in some cases—that he should regard Ireland as a desirable residential locality for some portion of each year. The King may not be able to accede to this desire, but in some of his speeches he made remarks which have been taken to indicate that he will pay his Irish subjects another visit before long. His recent tour has, at any rate, done the distressful country some good, for, apart from the big influx of visitors the visit itself occasioned, it has been a splendid advertisement for the country as a tourists' resort, and people who never deemed of trying Ireland for their holidays before are doing so this autumn.

That the royal visit to Ireland was an immense success is agreed on all hands. The King has said that-he will cany away none but pleasant memories of his eventful visit to Ireland. Certainly their Majesties have left none but pleasant memories behind them. For the Irish people of all creeds and classes the royal visit was all too short. It Avas a fortnight of such gaiety and excitement as the Irish people have every capacity, but few opportunities, to enjoy; a fortnight of freedom from political convention; a sort of delightful and profitable saturnalia. Nationalist and Unionist landlords and tenants, priests and parsons were free to defy the tyranny of political and religious jealousies, and to meet on the common ground of affection for their country and loyalty to their King.