In the Long Ago.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1927, Page 11

In the Long Ago.

Duke of Edinburgh's Visit. —The Galatea at Auckland. The tiiat visit of Royalty to Auckland was not made in a huge steel fighting toAver like the Kenown. Warships still carried sail. Thus it Tvas that the young Prince Alfred, better fcnown as the Duke of Edinburgh, came to Auck-

land in the autumn of 1569 in the beautiful frigate Galatea, spending a full month in and about the Waitemata. Naturally the visit of a son of Queen Victoria to Auckland was the subject of great excitement, and all kinds of festivities were planned. After endless preparations; for the reception had been made, the Oalatea arrived unexpectedly one day, while the Governor was away at Kawau and the town lay half-dressed. Matters were rushed, however, and everything went well, though after the arrival of (he Duke at Government House the rani came down steadily. His landing was a brilliant affair, and he drove from the wharf to Government House in a carriage and six horses, with three postillions in scarlet and gold liveries, followed by a procession of private carriages and horsemen.

It was a great crowd for Auckland of those days, ■when the northern capital had not yet outgrown the village stage. The contrast between that etately procession and the elaboration of transport of the twentieth century is a truly marvellous one. Interest was lent to the visit of the Galatea by visits paid by the Orakei and other Maoris, who paddled out in their war canoes and gave the ship a great welcome in their native tongue. The Duke was fond of shooting and he was one of a party who several times visited Otahuhu and Mangere, where good "'bags" were secured. One of the great events of the tour was the holding of a citizens' ball at Fort Britomart. There was a supper, of course, and at the supper there was a lengthy toast list, which is (happily) barred from such functions in our day. Other events included a big native

korero at Government House, a shooting trip to Kawau, and two days' racing ('twas ever thus!) at Ellerslie. The racing programme of those days waa one of long distances and short prizes. The Prince, by the way, was a fair violin-player, and while here lie took a great interest in the Choral Society, which to this day cherishes his signed photograph. Among the transports provided for the Duke was a canoe, in which he visited the North Shore Lake. 11l those days a visit to Rotorua was quite an adventure. The great Arawa trihe was loyal, but there was still lijrhtiiijr in the interior between the friendly natives and the constabulary on the one hand and the followers of the terrible To Kooti on the other. The Duke and his party, which included the Governor, Sir Ueorgc Bowen, travelled by steamer to Tauranga, and thence overland, the journey taking three days. A great gathering of

natives gave the Prince a rousing welcome at Tauranga, and from there he travelled along the road which had been ■ made spontaneously by the Maoris for him when they heard he was to come their way. The young Alfred was a good horseman, and swimmer, and skilful with the paddle, and this made him popular with the Arawas. The fact that he almoet invariably wore * kilt wae another thing in his favour with them—it wae »o like the short mats they wore themselves before the pakeha introduced trousers. The Duke was very popular, and the news of hie death in later years caused as deep regret in New Zealand as anywhere. His visit was an unhurried affair; in fact, lie remained in Auckland so long that the local authori-

ties had time to repair and put in order some of the streets which he used most frequently. Included in his "suite" was an elephant, whose majestic inarehes through the streets formed quite a Royal progress in those l-emote days. While His Royal Highness was on his visit to Sydney after his New Zealand tour he had a narrow escape from death while he was eight-seeing at Clontarf, a semi-demented man attempting to assassinate him, firing at him with a pistol. The bullet narrowly missed its mark and lodged in the trunk of a tree in front of which the Duke was standing. The would-be aseaeein was captured and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. The Royal visitor exhibited the utmost coolness during the incident. No other untoward incident marked the course of the visit and no special precautions were subsequently taken.