CORDIAL GREETING ON THE HARBOUR

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1927, Page 6

CORDIAL GREETING ON THE HARBOUR

Impressive Scene When Renown Steams Majestically into Port. Punctuality is the politeness of princes, and almost precisely at nine o'clock the Renown dropped anchor off the Central and Queen's wharves, swung round with rather surprising speed to the influence of the flood tide, and burst into lines of bunting from stem to stem. Last night's downpour braced us to the inevitable— a wet entry for our Royal and welcome guests, but the weather was not inexorable, and just when it was most needed the sun flickered through the grey rain clouds end lit up a scene very much like that which gave so much satisfaction to our guests brother, the Prince of Wales, when he was here seven years ago in the same monster battleship. Welcomes are much the same all over the world, but there is specially characteristic about the way the myriad pleasure" craft gather round the newcomer and make as pretty a scene as one could wish to show a visitor for the first time.. There are small craft in other parts of the world, but this charming custom of escorting distinguished guests in from the Rangitoto Channel, and then clustering round their ship like a flock of birds is quite distinctive of the Waitemata. Lowering skies and a sullen wind from the south-west ushered in the dawn, and when people on the waterfront looked out and saw after seven o'clock the signal on Mount Victoria for "two men-o'-war outside Tiri" they resigned themselves to the inevitable—a wet welcome. At half-past eight the big ship showed her nose round North Head, and, owing to the poor visibility, she looked not much bigger than our own little Diomede, which had gone out to the gulf to escort her in. It was a cheerless scene looking down the harbour. One could not get very enthusiastic about it. Two or three excursion steamers, the white-painted schooner Huia, and some small craft hardly served to save the scene from looking very empty, and the end-on view of the mighty Renown Was hardly impressive. Bursts of smoke could be seen spurting out from the hill at North Head, and you knew that the Royal salute was being fired, but you could not hear a murmur—the Sound was all blown down-wind. A few minutes later from the sides of the Diomede, just in the wake of the big ship, came bursts of smoke, and in the murk one could even distinguish the flashes of fire. Ships Make Gay Show of Bunting. Mercilessly down came a stinging squall from the Waitakere Hills, and when "the battleship was off the King's wharf she disappeared entirely, her long grey hull being lost behind a dense veil of rain. But then the weather relented, and by the time the Renown had dropped her anchor and showed her long grey side, like chased silver, to the people who lined the waterfront, there Was more than a gleam of sunlight, wan, but still sunlight, and the scene was wonderfully impressive. It was then that one realised the bulk of the monster battleship. She looked the embodiment -of strength and power. At the main truck flew the magnificent "Royal Standard, one of the grandest flags that are flown, plus the Duke's own cognisance, and just as the anchor went over the side her usual bunting was augmented by the strings of flags that are flown on Royal occasions. It was one of those instantaneous pieces of work which are characteristic of the Navy and eo surprising to the landsman. The Diomede at the same moment also donned her strings of gaily-coloured bits of bunting, and as the warships across at Calliope Dock had been dressed since eight o clock and the merchant ships in the harbour also showed all their flags, there was quite a splash of colour fluttering in the breeze. But it was the concentration of the flock of yachts and motor boats that gave the scene its touch of enthusiasm. The strong southerly wind just suited the yachts, which came up the harbour with a spanking leading wind. The launches could look after themselves and were darting round the Renown as soon j™"* 1™ excursio " steamers added to the f 'DeTroS- £°T d an , d ab ° Ut tHey a " S3iled Or steame <* or bv the oL 1 n e]y c * P ? e i Oi the majority being accented lw 1 t a hig , h -BPeedßP eed 'launch which went fussing about and left a long white wake behind. Naturally it was round the stern of the big ship that the pleasure craft hovered hoping no doubt to catch a glimpse of MfniiT and tO T G °vernor-Genera? and the Ministers of the Crown go aboard to. pay their respects. J k St f en ?c n f^i* 6 esco 'ting Diomede came to an anchor, the bells of St. Matthew's, from which flew old Cross of St. George the flag of England, clashed outa welcoming peal and one felt that it struck just the correct note On less formal occasions every steamer's syren and everv locomotive whistle would send out a "cock-a-doodle-do" of welcome, but one felt that the pealing bells put the right finishing touch to a typ,cally Auckland welcome, which, in spite of dull skies and ram squalls, was genuinely cordial and fitting for two such important members of the Royal Family, which has such a very warm place in the hearts of New Zealanders, for up the same Waitemata most of us have seen come sailing Their Maiestie* the King and Queen, the heir to the Throne, and now another son or the House, and his charming Princess.

Duke and Duchess Drive Through City. Ashore there was an infectious scene of enthusiasm as the Koyal pair drove through the streets between lines of interested people The booming of guns from Albert Park as the landing was made at the head of Queens wharf was the first of the salutes that the city heard, and this put the climax on the note of anticipation that could be felt right from before eight o'clock. Men, women and children trooped to suitable points on the waterfront to get a glimpse of the arrival, and though the rain drove them temporarily to shelter they were soon astir again, all agog to see the Duke and his Duchess. It was unfortunate that a heavy downpour of rain fell just as the journey from the wharf to Government House commenced. Thousands of those who had lined up to give the guests a rousing cheer were without topcoat or umbrella, and scuttled for shelter under shop verandahs or in doorways. Still the enthusiasm was not dampened, and the welcome along the route was worthy of Auckland. However, it was on the second appearance of the Royal guests at I 1.30, when they left Government House for the Town Hall, that the enthusiasm reached the top note. Possibly Aucklanders on the first occasion, in their curiosity to see the visitors, were intent upon that alone. But it was different on the second appearance. All Auckland, it seemed, lined Queen Street from Customs Street to the Town Hall, and the cheering was vociferous and continuous. From windows on upper storeys of business premises coloured streamers were thrown to the Royal carriage, but the many wires overhanging the road prevented the streamers from reaching to where the throv/ers wished. At each acknowledgment from the Duke and Duchess there was an answering cheer, and the attractive and friendly little wave of the hand of the Duchess, with an accompanying smile, at once endeared her to the hearts of all.