RETURN TO CHRISTCHURCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 122, 22 May 1920, Page 7

RETURN TO CHRISTCHURCH.

A RUN WITH THE HOUNDS. ' "OFFICIAL DTXINER 02T RENOWN, DECORATIONS CONFERRED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) OHRISTCHURCH, Friday. To-day the Prince of Wales spent some time in a pleasant run with the 'hounds of the Canterbury Hunt Glub at the initial meet of the club for the season. The day w&s beautifully fine' •with brilliant sunshine and a, fresh westerly Ibreeze to add zeet to the! enjoyment of the outing, fliu Royal Highness motored Out to the rendezvous and was met by members of the club; After ita-ch they got quickly to.^orfc about one hundred ladies and. gentlemen following the padk. A large number of people in motor cars watched the run from the roads. Mr. J. H. Selby was huntsman.

-The first run was a short, .sharp one, ending dn a kill an the roadway right in •view of the spectators, a. quarter.of. an •hour after the start. The Prince, mounted on Miss Riohard's cob Clinker, Was in at the death in spite of .the < act th_t:._e.:had come""to^t'"earthfq moniously _t one fence, where bis horse hesitated on the far. side of the obstacle •ho had cleared, end. made a haS-hearted jump at the second clump of furze, then altered his mind, while his Royal rider, moving on in the spirit of the mount's first intention, slid lightly to earth. He woe quickly in the saddle again, however, and joined in the leading division. The Prince appropriated the bead of a hare a_ a trophy. Several other bares were put up d—ring the afternoon, but .hough good runs resulted, no further kills were made. . Altogether it was a, moat enjoyable outing.

To-night the Prince gave an official dinner aboard, the Renown at Lyttelton to a number of guests, including.-.the Governor-General and Countess of Liverpool, the Prime "Minister and Mrs. 'Massey, (Major-General Sir Edward Ohaytor, the Hons. Sir W. Fraser, E. P. Lee, W. D. S. Mac Donald, Colonel J. L. Sleeman, the Mayors of Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Lyttteton, Messrs. R. W. McVllly, j. Hi«lop, Captain Tahu Rhodes and the Hon. Mrs. Rhodes, and Mr. H. B. Sorenson, chairman of the-'Lyttleton Harbour Board.

The toasts included those of the King, the Governor-General and Lady Liverpool, and the Government and people of New Zealand, coupled with the names of the Prime. Miinister and the Hon. W. D., S. Mac Donald.

The Governor-General then proposed the toast of the Prince of Wales. There were no speeches or responses.

The, Prince conferred the following decorations on behalf of the King:—

KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE •VTCTORHAN ORDER Sir William Fraser. Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor. MEMBER OF THE VICTORIAN ORDER lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Sleeman, Director of 'Military Training, who was attached to the Prince's suite during bis visit. •Mr. Gavin Hamilton, Private Secretary to the Governor-General. Mr. J. Hi slop, Under-Secreary of Internal Affairs. Mr. R. W. McViHy, General Manager of Railways. : . Mr. J. O'Donovan, Commissioner of Police. Captain Tahu Rhodes, attached as representative of the Governor-Gen-eral on the Prince's staff. His Royal Highness also invested Sir R. Heaton Rhodes with the insignia of a Knightof the British Empire already conferred upon him.