Christchurch Welcomes Prince Henry

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21377, 21 January 1935, Page 13

Christchurch Welcomes Prince Henry

jtOYAL ENTRY INTO CITY

Great Crowds Line the Streets ONG'S SON GIVEN TUMULTUOUS RECEPTION 1 Simple but Sincere Ceremony Not only because they hold him in high personal regard, but also because he is a member of the Royal Family, round which the whole life of the Empire centres, the people of Christchurch turned out almost to a man to welcome the Duke of Gloucester on Saturday. It was not idle curiosity that impelled great crowds to line the streets to see the Prince; it was something deeper, a feeling born in every Briton, not only of pride in the Empire, but also of genuine affection for the King who rules over it. Christchurch might riot have been noisily demonstrative when the Duke first arrived, but the occasion was not one for noise. The Duke's entry into the city was the signal for a more solemn treatment, for a recognition of the thing he represents rather than for loud indications of the popularity of the Duke as a man. Ii was quite in keeping with the spirit of the occasion that the Duke's first official act on entering Christchurch was to place a wreath on the Bridge of Remembrance in honour of the war dead of the city. It signified I that the sacrifice of this country has not been forgotten, and that there lives, underlying every distinction of latitude and mode of life, a deep consciousness of the unity between the Mother Country and the Dominions; It was the act of one country tied to another by the strongest bonds of the most lasting sentiment." No man could have been unaffected by the symbolism of the simple ceremony, and there were few in the huge crowd watching who were not profoundly moved. The people had come to welcome the Duke, as a man as well as an emissary of the brotherhood of the countries of the Empire, and it was as a man that they saw him after the laying of the wreath chatting to returned soldiers. He was for the time a soldier among soldiers, interested in the individual men and their war experiences, and obviously happy to be among them. The men were delighted, and such is the Prince's charm of manner that at once they were speaking easily to him. Leaving the Bridge of Remembrance, the Duke drove through the city and found that the route was lined with people, all cheering, and all obviously delightedly appreciative of the honour done to the city by the visit of a member of the Royal house. The Duke was patently impressed with the warmth of the reception, and waved his hand in appreciation. The civic reception in Cranmer square was a simple but dignified ceremony, which by its sincerity conveyed more than the most sumptuous pageantry could have done. It was a picturesque gathering, attended by more people than one could count, and with sufficient colour to make it thoroughly impressive. The Duke himself was a splendid figure in his uniform. . ' " The speech of the-Mayor, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P, who for the first time since he took office four years ago, wore his full robes, was short and to the point. The Prince's reply, brief, but carrying a wealth of meaning, „ made a deep impression. Those members of local bodies who were presented to him were most impressed by the kindly simplicity of the Royel guest, and a sympathy which removed all barriers. His Royal Highness in the evening dined at the Canterbury Club, where in an informal atmosphere he met some of the leading citizens of the province. He proved himself a very easy*guest to entertain, and with his • great personal charm very soon dispelled any suggestion of bonstraint. Christchurch dropped all formality on Saturday evening for the river carnival. Never before in the history of the city have there been crowds of the size of those which lined both banks of the Avon on Park terrace and in Hagley Park. It was a mild night with a clear sky, a perfect setting for the brilliant effects produced by the floodlighting, the coloured lamps, the decorated boats, and, above all, the fireworks that were part of the brilliant spectacle. The crowd was in its happiest frame of mind, and the reception given the Duke as he went up the river in his launch had a quality about it that was inspiring. It must have conveyed to Prince Henry something of the affection that the citizens feel for him, and something of their appreciation of the honour of his presence. The carnival was described by a member of the Duke's staff, who has travelled throughout his present tour, as quite the most spectacular ceremony organised for him. All the guests were most enthusiastic. Everything went without a hitch, and Christchurch may pride itself on having given the Duke something that he will remember. Yesterday his Royal Highness attended morning service at the Cathedral, and after that had the day free of official engagements. He took lunch at Otahuna, where he was the guest of Sir R. Heaton Rhodes. He drove his car to Otahuna, and after lunch drove to Homebusl}, the property of Mr James Deans, among the oldest homesteads in Canterbury. Later he drove to Bangor, the homestead of Major G. Hutton at Hawkins, where he played tennis and spent the evening. There were rumours that he was h doing to swim at Sumner or Taylor's Mistake, and many hundreds of people - f waited at those places throughout the day. S . The Prince has a very busy day to-day, the last of his official tour of ns* fc New Zealand. He will be almost continually occupied with official ffiii functions till H.MA.S. Australia takes him away from Lyttelton at 7.15 ■SHI *u« • • • v ■ W4. this evening. - ..- Y-lft.

CRANMER SQUARE ASSEMBLY CIVIC RECEPTION LOYAL ADDRESSES LARGE CROWD GREETS THE DUKE One of the most impressive ceremonies marking the arrival of the Duke of Gloucester to Christchurch on Saturday was the civic reception in Cranmer square, where about 10,000 persons had assembled by the time of the Duke's arrival. Formality marked the proceedings, but by its cheering and its general demeanour the crowd showed how eager it was to display its loyalty. From the time his Royal Highness stepped from his car, his tall and manly figure, his soldierly bearing when inspecting the Royal guard, and his unassuming and straightforward manner in replying to the loyal addresses and in receiving the many persons presented to him, made a very deep impression on the citizens of Christchurch assembled in the square. Long before the time set down for the Duke's arrival—l2.ls p.m.— people began to assemble in Cranmer square. Tlk clustered thickly all along the barrier erected on the east side of th- square to keep clear a space for the arrival of the Royal cars and for the band, guard of honour and official platform. Along the fence were posted boy scouts, 50 of them being from Christchurch troops and 87 being members of the New Zealand contingent which visited Melbourne for the jamboree. They were under the command of Commissioner J. R. Cooksey, of Hawke's Bay, and Mr W. H. Montgomery, Canterbury Metropolitan Commissioner. Police constables were posted at intervals among the scouts. The Invited Guests The general public was kept beyond the barriers, only invited guests, those entitled to seats on the platform or elsewhere within the enclosure, L "ng allowed inside. The Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) and some of the councillors. were early on the platform, and another arrival of ' '-----+ was that of the Prime Minister (the P.t. Hon. G % W. Forbes), who was accompanied by Mrs Forbes, Miss Jessie and Miss Bertha Forbes, and Mr R. Forbes, and Mr C. A. Jeffery, private secretary. Those on the official platform were; — The Prime Minister (Mr . "orbes) and Mrs Forbes, the Minister for Finance (Mr Coates), the Minister in attendance (the Hon. J. A. Young), Rear-Admiral F. BurgesWatson (Commodore Commanding New Zealand Station), Major-Gene-ral Sir William Sinclair Burgess (General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces), General Sir Alexander Godley and Lady Godley, Colonel S. C. P. Nicholls (Officer Commanding the Southern Command) and Mrs Nicholls, Captain W. S. F. Macleod (H.M.A.S. Australia), Mr H. H. Sterling (chairman of the Railways Board), Mr Malcolm Fraser (Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs), Major A. B. Williams (Officer Com manding the Royal New Zealand Artillery) and Mrs Williams, Lieu-tenant-Colonel S. D. Mason (Commanding Officer Canterbury Regiment), Lieutenant-Colonel P. H. Bell and Captain J. I. Brooke. The Christchurch City Council representatives on the platform were:—The Mayor and Mayoress, the Deputy-Mayor (the Rev. J. K. Archer) and Mrs Archer, the Town Clerk (Mr J. S. N--ille) and Mrs Neville, Councillor Elizabeth R. McCombs, M.P., and Miss P. McCombs, Councillor J. W. Beanland and Mrs Beanland, Councillor the Hon. W. Hay ward, M.L.C., Councillor T. H. Butterfield, Councillor Mabel Howard, Councillor T. Milliken and Mrs Milliken, Councillor J. S. Barnett, Councillor J. Mathison

and Mrs Mathison, Councillor H. T. J. Thacker and Mrs Thacker, Councillor T. Andrews, Councillor F. T. Evans and Miss Evans, Councillor E. H. Andrews and Mrs Andrews, Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P. The chairmen of North Canterbury .local bodies were seated within the enclosure in front of the platform, together with a large number of prominent Christchurch citizens. i • A Growing Crowd The crowd rapidly increased in numbers, being thickest on the west side of the square, facing the front of the official platform. When 12.15 passed and it was announced over the loud speakers that the Duke had not yet left the Bridge of Remem- ! brance, some showed signs of the fatigue of waiting. It was a cheerful crowd, however, and advance announcements, as that the Duke was talking to returned soldiers at the other gathering, that he was still talking to them, and so on, aroused humorous comment. The crowd was keen to obtain as good a view as possible of the proceedings, and any of those within the enclosure who stood so that they were likely to obscure the view were quickly asked to move away. The first touch of real excitement was given by the arrival of the band of the First Battalion Canterbury Regiment, leading the Royal Guard. The red coats of the bandsmen—the uniform of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, with which the Canterbury Regiment is allied —and the swinging march they played, gave a pleasing touch to the occasion. Honorary Captain C. T. Hoskin, V.D., was the conductor. The Royal Guard The guard, with bayonets fixed, was made up of 100 non-commis-sioned officers and men of the First Battalion, with Captain F. E. Donwell as Guard Commander, and Lieutenant A. T. Hurley as second in command. The King's colours were carried by Lieutenant A." E. Sluce. The guard took up its position to the south of the platform, with the band in the rear. A brief unofficial inspection of the guard was made by Colonel S. C. P. Nicholls, officer commanding Southern Command, and Lieutenant Colonel P. H. Bell, his chief staff officer. A cheer broke from the crowd when it was announced through the loud-speaker that the Duke was leaving the Bridge of Remembrance for his drive through the city. The Mayor left the platform and put on his robes and chain. As soon as the crowd saw that he had robed there was another cheer. The Mayor, accompanied by the Town Clerk (Mr J. S. Neville) moved over to the edge of the park facing Chester street,- where the Royal car was to stop. Faint sounds

of distant cheering as the Duke drove through the streets could be heard, and a steady stream of new arrivals augmented the crowd in Cranmer square, until its numbers must have been more than 10,000. The Duke Arrives Eventually the Duke and his party appeared in their cars, and the excitement .of the crowd came immediately to fever heat. The Duke himself, in his smart Hussars uniform, accompanied by MajorGeneral R. G. Howard-Vys6, his Chief-of-StafT, stepped down to meet the Mayor and the TV vn Clerk, who were presented by the Hon. J. A. Young. He then inspected the guard of honour. The Royal salute was given, and the preliminary orders were rapped out and obeyed in splendid fashion. The guard showed evidence of careful and arduous drilling; its 'movements were precise, and its bearing was exemplary. The Duke was accompanied by his Chief-of-Staff, Major-General R. G. H. Howard-Vyse, Captain Howard Kerr, and Captain D. Schreiber (equerries), and Captain A. Curtis (private secretary). The Duke and his party moved to the front of the platform and the Mayor escorted his Royal Highness up the steps to his seat. The Duke exchanged a few words with the Prime Minister, whom he had not seen for nearly six weeks, and -took his seat. The cheering and clapping did not cease until the signal for -silence was given by the Mayor. Mr Sullivan, in a quiet and strained voice, addressed the Duke on behalf- of the City Council and Canterbury local bodies. His words-' were clearly audible all over the square, mainly because of the excellent amplifying apparatus which had been installed. His address was as follows: The Loyal Address The Mayor then read the loyal address from local bodies, as follows: To his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, Your Royal- Highness, We, members of the' public bodies representing the people of North Canterbury, extend a hearty welcome to your Royal Highness upon the occasion of your advent among us. We recall with pleasure the visits of their Gracious Majesties the King and Queen, and of their Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York, to each of whom we beg your Royal Highness to convey our loyal and affectionate greetings.

Our people are bound to the Motherland by ties that are stronger than those of any political association—ties of blood and cultural tradition—and we trust that during the stay of your Royal Highness among us, you will feel in a special sense at home in our province. We beg leave to offer your Royal Highness the fullest opportunities to see our institutions and the ways of our people, and we sincerely hope you will be pleasantly impressed by them. Your Royal Highness, having visited other parts of our Dominion, is on the eve of departure from our shores, and we trust that the visit of your Royal Highness to the City of Christchurch and the province of Canterbury, though last, will not be, least in its yield of happy memories in the future. We remain, Sir, your Royal Highness's repectful and loyal fel> of the British Commonwealth of Nations. The address was signed by the following:— The Mayors of:— Christchurch (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) Akaroa (Mr F. R. E. Davis) Kaiapoi (Mr W. H. A. Vickery) Lyttelton (Mr W. T. Lester) New Brighton (Mr E. A. M. Leaver) Rangiora (Mr W. A. Rowse) Riccarton (Mr H. S. S. Kyle, M.P.) Sumner (Mr W. H. Nicholson) The chairmen of the following County Councils:— Akaroa (Mr C. B. Thacker) Amuri (Mr M. Bethell) Ashley (Mr H. T. Metherill) Cheviot (Mr J. H. L. Hiatt) Ellesmere (Mr J. Heslop) Eyre (Mr.F. L.Parnham) ' Halswell (Mr E. Patterson) Heathcote (Mr C. Flavell) Kowai (Mr R. Peach) Malvern (Mr C. H. Adams) Mount Herbert (Mr E. W. Gray) Oxford (Mr P. Fisher) Paparua (Mr J. Leslie) Rangiora (Mr M. Stalker) Selwyn (Mr W. Gilmour) Tawera (Mr R. M. D. Johnson) Waimairi (Mr W. P. Spencer) Waipara (Mr W. K. McAlpine) Wairewa (Mr J. V. Chapman) Springs (Mr J. S. Simpson) The following other local bodies:— Leeston Town Board (Mr W. Johnston) Southbridge Town Board (Mr J. H. Hampton) Christchurch Fire Board (Mr T. M. Charters) Christchurch Tramway Board (Mr J. K. Archer) Lyttelton Harbour Board (Mr E. J. Howard) North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr H. J. OtlSy) Waimakariri River Trust (Mr J. H. Blackwell) Christchurch Domains Board (Mr H. Kitson) Christchurch Drainage Board (Mr H. G. Livingstone) The Duke's Reply His Royal Highness replied:— Mr Mayor,—l shall have great pleasure in conveying to the King and Queen and to my brothers the loyal and affectionate gratings which you offer to them on behalf of the citizens of Christchurch and the people of North Canterbury. They will, 1 know, be equally glad to receive them, since they retain the happiest recollections of their visits to New Zealand and this province. Nor shall I, in my turn, forget the charm of your Cathedral City in the plain of Canterbury and the warm-hearted welcome.which I have received from its people. I feel sure that I shall indeed feel at home in a city which is so English in its origin, and in its char- " acter and appearance. It will give me great pleasure to admire its beauties and to meet its people, to whom, in their various callings, I offer my best wishes for their happiness in the future, i Methodist Church Address The Rev. Clarence Eaton, president of the Methodist Conference, accompanied by Mr H. Holland, M.P., vice-president, as representative of the laymen, then mounted the platform, and were presented to the Duke. They presented a loyal address on behalf of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, which, however, was not read. The address was as follows: "To his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Thistle, Knight of St. Patrick, Knight Grand Cross, of the Royal Victorian Order, Personal Aide-de-Camp to his Majesty the King. "May it please your Royal Highness. "On bebalf of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, we desire most humbly to present to you the renewed asurance of the loyalty of the Methodist people of this Dominion to the Throne and person of your father our most gracious King George the Fifth. "We extend to you our most cordial welcome to these islands, and would assure you we are deeply sensible of the great honour conferred on us by the visit of your Royal Highness. "Our Methodist Church has watched the growth and aided the development of these southern islands ever since our first missionary, the Rev. Samuel Leigh, landed here in 1822 to labour sympathetically with the missionaries of the Church of England in the uplift and regeneration of the Maori people. • "We pray that your visit may not only be of advantage to this Dominion but that it may be to your Royal Highness a source of unalloyed gratification and pleasure, and that throughout your journeying? you may'be kept in safety under I the Diving ProtecUfen,' 1

Gratitude Expressed His Royal Highness handed Mr Eaton the following written reply:— Mr President, I receive with gratitude the message of renewed loyalty to the King, my father, which you give to me on behalf of the Methodist people of New Zealand. . I am happy to pay my tribfte of appreciation to the untiring efforts .which the members of your church have made from early v days in the service of New Zealand and its people. I thank you for your kindly welcome and good wishes to me, and I sincerely hope that you will long be spared to continue the inspiring record of your church. Prolonged Cheering Up to this moment the proceedings had been serious and formal, and the Mayor did a popular thing when he called for cheers for the Duke. "Now, people of Christchurch," he cried "show his Royal Highness the warmth of your welcome. Show him how Christchurch people can cheer for his Majesty the King and his respesentative, the Duke of Gloucester." The cheering that followed was vigorous enough to achievt its object. After the loyal addresses and the replies, the councillors and others on the platform filed past the Duke and were presented to him by the Mayor. The official party, led by the Duke and the Mayor, then moved to the foot of the steps from the platform, where the signatories of the loyal 7 address—the Mayors and Mayoresses of the boroughs, the chairmen of the county councils, and other local bodies and their wives —were presented to his Royal Ifighness by the Mayor of Christchurch. Departure from Square There followed another Royal salute by the guard of honour, and the playing of the National Anthem. The Duke and his party took their leave smartly and without delay, and, moved back to .the cars. The crovird cheered once more and surged forward to catch a better view of the Duke, who, in company with his staff, Sir William Sinclair-Burgess, and Captain J. W. Tweedie,.in his picturesque Highland uniform, strode swiftly towards the road. The cars moved off, and a most successful civic reception was over.

BRIGHT FLAGS 0* A GREY DAY ■> STREETS DECORATED IS WELCOME PREPARATIONS THROUGHOUT:'[ THE CITY * Both a loyal respect and a proper civic pride are showA in the decoration of a city to receive a Royal guest; and it is a custom which has been observed probably ever since there has existed a city worthy of the name. Early on Saturday morning Christchurch had finished its preparations to receive a king's son. Flags were flown, dark against the grey sky, from the parapet.of every considerable. building; and red, white, and blue bunting lined shopverandahs and window-ledges in many parts of the city. In no sense could the decorations be called spectacular, or even remarkably extensive; but there was no mistaking the right intention of those who had arranged them. Perhaps the most pleasing feature of the. decorations, although a usual one, were the streamers of green foliage which were, hung in that part of Armagh street between the bridge and Cranmer square. Bunting and flags, unrelieved, are liable to Appear tawdry; and it was in Armagh street, where the fresh foliage added a natural grace, that,the decorations appeared most fitting. The arch, almost on the bridge itself, did not seem out of place beside the mellowed age of the Provincial Council Chambers.

In Every Street There was hardly a street in the business part of the city .in which some signs of welcome to xhe Royal visitor did not appear. At intervals along the ribbons of coloured bunting were representations of the Dominion's coat-of-arms, and placards bearing the" word "Welcome" or . "Haeremai." Where there was nothing which could fairly be called decoration the Dominion's flag or the Union Jack was flown from every available staff. The flags, in fact, were by themselves an impressive indication of the nature of the occasion. About the streets they dominated the other decorations. On every side of Cathedral square the buildings carried these symbols of nation and Empire; while from end to end of Colombo street the flags hung or floated in the light wind. If the sun had been shining the bright colours might have shown; more warmly; nevertheless the grey day had its own particular sober dignity. The decorations, taken as a whole, were restrained. The impression given was that of a city which had sufficient pride not to disguise itself in a misguided attempt to show its loyalty and its respect for the Duke of Gloucester. Only along the route of the procession was there any systematic display, and this was noticeably formal only between the Armagh street bridge and Cranmer square. For the rest, enough had been done to show that a sincere] and enthusiastic welcome was being offered. It was an excellent example of the • value of restraint, since, whether the simplicity of decoration was deliberate or not, the effect was the same—that the real welcome to the Duke depended on the response of the people themselves. And after the ceremony at the Bridge of Remembrance, after the civic welcome at Cranmer square, and the river carnival in the evening, it was ob- • vious that a loyal and spontaneous welcome had been given, and that the decorations had been regarded rightly as a necessary courtesy, not as a substitute for sincere feeling