When The King Came Here

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1927, Page 8

When The King Came Here

■ ■ - ■■- ,v>: \ The Town Went Gay !—Enjoyments of Rotorua. It is a quarter of a century since the present King, as Duke of York, visited here with his Royal wife. The main object of that tour, of course, was to open the first sitting of the Parliament of the newly-created Commonwealth of Australia. Queen Victoria was but a few months dead, after the conclusion of the Boer War, and the title-of "Prince of Wales" yet clung to King Edward, with whom it had been for so long and so popularly associated, so the heir-apparent was not immediately dubbed "Prince of Wales, ,, and it was as the Duke and Duchess of York that he and the present Queen commenced their journey to the Dominions. They came to Auckland on a lowering winter's day, but later had some

of our rare, perfect -winter weather. The Orient liner Ophir, sumptuously fitted, in which they travelled, was escorted by the warships St. George and Juno—fine ships of their time, but pigmies as compared with ships of the type of the Renown, of course. The Australian squadron happened to be here on a visit, and there was a gay scene on the Waitemata, especially at night, when the warships gave searchlight displays. Giving a picturesque touch to the fleet were the three barque-rigged warships the Pylades, the Fenguin, and the tubby old Torch, which must have reminded the elders of the city of the visit of the Flying Squadron with the Duke of Edinburgh many years back. The Ophir and her escort were accompanied upharbour by 24 coastal steamers, with flags flying, and there was a great display of bunting from every point. The Duke and Duchess landed on a Monday, and the public reception took place on a platform in front of the Post Office. The Governor, Lord Ranfurly, and his charming lady, were the host and hostess at Government House; Mr. R, J. Seddon was Premier; and Sir John Logan Campbell was Mayor of Auckland. The decorations of the city were on

a most lavish scale. After the reception, the future King and Queen were driven to Government House between cheering crowds. In the evening there was a reception at the Art Gallery, and a big review at Potter's Paddock, now known as Alexandra Park, was held on one brilliant day. At that review there was a little band of returned soldiers —65 troopers who had served in the Boer War, to whom the Duke presented decorations—just as his son, the Prince of Wales—did 19 years later. Undoubtedly what mostly impressed the.Duke and Duchess on their visit was their experience at Rotorua. In addition to the lakes and geysers, there was the wonderful welcome accorded them by the Maoris, who gave them hakas and dances and literally ehowered presents on them. "Mokopuna" (grandson) of the Great Queen, they called the Duke, and it was he who popularised the Maori salutation "Kia Ora." This was well known before his visit, but the Duke was much taken with its picturesqueness and musical sound, and it was his use of it, particularly in his farewell message to New Zealand that gave it such vogue. After the great hui at Rotorua every team of athletes used to give "Kamate, Kamate" as its war song.