WELCOME TO THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21377, 21 January 1935, Page 14

WELCOME TO THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN CEREMONY AT BRIDGE OF REMEMBRANCE INSPECTION OF RETURNED SOLDIERS BIG CROWD WATCHES DUKE'S FIRST OFFICIAL ACT

The first official duty of his Royal Highness on entering the city on Saturday morning was to place a wreath on the Bridge of Remembrance. The ceremony was remarkable for its touching dignity, in those few minutes while, the Duke paid his Royal tribute to Canterbury's fallen. It was the tribute of a soldier, and not .only the soldiers there but the great crowd more than an hour to greet the deep meaning of the moment. A 'crowd of many thousands, swarming round the bridge and environs and spreading up and down neighbouring streets, waited for more than an hour to «reet the Duke. Men and women crowded every vantage point—on balconies, shop verandahs, trees, fences, and windows—and watched with the keenest interest the arrival of the Royal visitor and his suite, the brief ceremony of remembrance and the inspection of the big parade of nurses. Imperial and returned men and veterans. The Duke showed the keenest interest in the returned men and spent so much time talking and chatting to them that his arrival at the next function—the civic reception—was delayed about 20 minutes. He talked with men of all ranks, and it was quite obvious that not only the returned men but the crowd appreciated his kindness and were impressed by his soldierly bearing. The J same could be said of the members of the Duke's staff; the chief of staff, Major-General R. G. Howard-Vyse, and his equerries spoke to many of the men and women on parade. Arrival Cheered For many minutes before the arrival of the Royal car heads had been turned up Oxford terrace. When the car did appear there was a great burst of cheering. The Duke smiled a response to the warm welcome. There was more lusty cheering as he stepped from the car, looked quietly round, and then walked towards the bridge. His Royal Highness took the wreath of poppies—made by disabled Imperial men at the British Legion factory in Surrey—and placed it at the foot of the northern arch. In the dead silence he faced up to the flags above the wreath, saluted, and stood to attention with the crowd while two buglers sounded "Last Post." There was not a rustle in the vast throng until the last notes of the bugle had died away. Then more cheering as the Duke met Colonel S. C. P. Nicholls, Officer Commanding the Southern Command, and the Hev. F. T. Read, president of the Returned Soldiers' Association, who was in charge of the entire parade. The members of the executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association were presented ' j his Royal Highness, who spent some time speaking to them before the nurses who had been on war service were inspected and chatted with. In the first rank of the returned men his Royal Highness met early in the inspection General Sir Alexander Godley, who paraded with the men who had been formerly under his command. This inspection occupied many minutes and gave those in the crowd with positions well up in the front an excellent opportunity of a "closeup" of the Royal visitor, of his staff, and of their magnificent uniforms. Whenever the Duke reached.a section in the parade where he came i'Mo the view of any particular portion of the crowd the cheering was renewed, and renewed again when he acknowledged the welcome with a salute. Detailed Inspection The Duke went right along the several ranks of returned men. He saw every man on the parade and on the faces of the men there was obvious delight at the honour. One woman in the ranks had several decorations pinned on her dress and Prince Henry hr.d a special word for her. It was a tribute to the unassuming dignity of the Prince that not a single man x>f the many spoken to appeared at all nervous at the idea of being addressed by such a distinguished visitor, but the Duke, an officer in the 10th Hussars,' and wearing the uniform of his regiment, seemed himself above all a soldier and a soldier's Prince. Perhaps it was this understanding between the soldier prince and the soldier privates thajpvas responsible for the ease and Efficiency with which this function was conducted. There was no hitch where it could quite have been expected (since this was the first function of the day), and no moment without its special interest. The members of the Duke's staff made themselves equally as friendly not only*with the returned men but with others privileged to be in the special enclosure. After the inspection of the returned soldiers his Royal Highness walked across to a nnall group of disabled men and spoke to them. After a talk to the disabled men and to officers associated with the parade he stepped into his car. There were more shouts and cheering as he drove off, and the crowd was left to thinking, obviously from the warmth of the cheering, that the city's Royal visitor was going to be a very popular one indeed. Strength on Parade From the point fif numbers this parade was one of the biggest which the returned men have held in the city. There were 570 members of * th* New Zealand Expeditionary forces, 20 nurses, 55 veterans, and 60 Imperial, men. The Rev. F. T. 1,... ~f|**4 bad charge, and Major J. S. H^'P^ fl,olm was the ad iutant. Colonel

CARNIVAL ON THE AVON CROWD ESTIMATED AT 50,000 MEMORABLE OCCASION UNUSUAL ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE DUKE

So large a crowd as assembled on both sides of the Avon between the Armagh street and Carlton bridges for the river carnival in honour of the visit of the Duke of Gloucester on Saturday evening has probably never before been seen in Christchurch. Official estimates placed the number of those present at 50,000 or more. The carnival itself was spectacular and unusual, and the enterprise which prompted ho 1 ding it was thoroughly justified. Most of those in the vast throng obtained an excellent view of the Duke as he travelled in a motor-launch up the stretch of river between the waiting lines of people, and the reception given him surpassed in .its enthusiasm any other event of the day. At the end of the evening the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) said that his Royal Highness had expressed to him his pleasure with the arrangements made for his entertainment. This comment had been supplemented by the Duke's officers, who complimented the . city of Christchurch on the evening's display. They had also told him that so large a crowd had not been seen in any of the other cities of New Zealand. A notable part in the entertainment was provided by & large party of Maoris from Tuahiwi, who welcomed his Royal Highness on behalf of the South Island Maoris. A presentation from them of a very fine large greenstone mere and a Maori mat was accepted by the Duke Multitude as Spectacle The crowd itself was as much a spectacle as the carnival. Many persons were on the river banks from the late afternoon onwards, and though by 7.30 the crowd was so thick that it was almost impossible to make a way along any part of Park terrace,. every street leading to the river was still thronged with people hurrying to swell the crowd. On the Hagley Park rde the crowd was just as numerous. The sloping banks of the river made an admirable grandstand, but the crowd reached far beyond the slopes, with the result that the people behind, standing on the flat, could see* very little. It was estimated that for the whole mile circuit of river bank the crowd was 20 and 30 deep. In spite of its magnitude, the crowd was orderly. There was naturally need to hold it back from the enclosure for the Royal stand and the seats for ticket holders, but even here no ill-feeling was shown by those shut out from an attractive open space. Communication and Bands To make possible communication between the official stand and the marshalling points for the decorated boats and the races a field telephone system was installed. In addition a system of loud-speakers enabled announcements to be made to the crowd and to the boats on the river* At one stage, when there was trouble with the telephones and loud-speakers, it became necessary to send a message to Carlton bridge, and the only way to do so was to requisition a speedboat, for a messenger had no hope of making reasonable time through the crowd. Several bands were engaged to provide music for the evening. These included the Woolston Band, and Derry's Band in the main enclosure, the Canterbury Regimental Band and the New Brighton Municipal Band, and three pipe bands—the Caledonian Pipe Band, the Scottish Society's Pipe Band, and the Scottish Highland Pipe Band. Boys in the Trees Every tree on the Hagley Park side of the river served as a stand for boys. The trees were alive with boys as with a troop of monkeys, and their antics helped to fill the time of waiting with an unrehearsed entertainment. Warnings had been issued that the were not to be occupied, but the temptation was too great, and it would have taken an army of very agile policemen to dislodge the boys. The carnival was timed to start at 7.30, with boat races at the south end of the river, and marshalling and judging of the decorated boats at the north end. In this way soma entertainment was provided for the whole stretch of river. Amusement was caused by several darktown crews in their crazy boats, one of which sank, but was refloated by its occupants. These were the clowns of the carnival. Those persons who had placed M. M. Gard'ner was in charge of the New Zealand returned men, Colonel F. W. W. Dawson in charge of the Imperial men, and Mr A. H. Joseph, president of the Veterans' Association, in charge of the South African veterans. Mr Joseph was associated with Sergeant-Major W. L. Glanville. Brigadier-General Sir William Sinclair-Burgess, Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces, was also at the parade. The members of the Duke's staff included Majdr-General R. G. Howard-Vyse, Captain A. Curtis, Captain Derek Schreiber, Captain Howard Kerr, and Captain J. W. Tweedie. In the Royal procession were included the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister in charge of the tour, Mr Malcolm Fraser, Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs, Mr H*. H. Sterling, chairman of the Railways Board, and other officials. The two buglers who took part in the ceremony were Mr C. R. Smith, a disabled man, and Mr G. Burgess, another returned soldier. A Main Body man, Mr A. H. Myers, carried the wreath which the Duke placed at the bridge. . 5

themselves at the Carlton bridge end of tne river had more entertainment in the early stages. The decorated boats showed an unusual variety of design and charm of effect. Later the public here complained that they saw nothing of the Duke, whose motor-launch turned before reaching the bridge, and that no band was placed near them. At the other end of the river the rowing races were intended to provide interest, but the people there were disappointed at not seeing the decorated boats- until after 10 o'clock. No results were determined for the rowing races, as it was found that several of the crews had mistaken the finishing point. The canoe races of the Maoris (whose activities are described more fully in another column) • also aroused considerable interest. Speedboats Arouse Interest Considerable applause greeted the appearance on the river of two speedboats. The noise, speed, and wide-flaring wash of these craft gave just the liveliness that the crowd wanted. It was originally intended to hold speedboat races, but this could not be done because of the difficulty of keeping the river clear of all other craft to prevent accidents. As it was, the several trips the speedboats made up and down the river delighted the crowd as much as'any of the events. The main purpose for which most of those in the crowd had come out was to see his Royal Highness. The time between 7.30 and his arrival shortly- before 10 p.m. went slowly for some, but there were many inciofficial programme, to dispel monotony. One or two persons slipped into the water, receiving no more harm than a ducking; boys scrambled hastily out of a tree when a branch began to creak ominously; the Mayor went for a trial spin in the motor-launch to be used by the Duke; a Maori in full war array banished his taiaha as he passed a policeman, and the whole Maori group joined in singing a characteristic sdrg.

With the arrival of some official cars shortly after 9.30, the crowd cheered, thinking it was the Duke. He, however, came later, accompanied by Major-General R. G. Howard-Vyse. He was received by the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.), the Minister in Attendance (the Hon. J. A. Young), and the Town Clerk 'Mr J. S. Neville). Just at this time an illuminated aeroplane appeared overhead, the ribbon of lights around its wings and fuselage giving it a jewelled brilliance. Nothing of the machine itself could be seen, and it was a moving line of light in the sky. It flew several times up and down the river, at one stage coming quite low down.

There was no mistaking the' fact that the Duke had arrived, for the burst of cheering from the crowd had tremendous volume, and spread from the point where he left his car along the length of the river. His Royal Highness and General Howard-Vyse then went with the Mayor to a landing stage, erected by the river, and immediately embarked on the light launch, Genera] Howard-Vyse sitting in the forward cockpit with the pilot, and the Duke at the rear with the Mayor. The cruise along the half-mile reach of the river was made amid continued and tumultuous cheering. Cruise up River

The launch was brilliantly festooned with lights, and as he sat at the rear the Duke smiled at the people, and from time to time waved his hand in friendly greeting, this was what the crowd had really assembled for. Some of those on the banks were impressed by the apparent instability of the launch, and called out jocular, warnings to the Duke not to upset it. However, there was really no cause for anxiety on this score.

Returning to another landing stage in front of the Royal platform, his Royal Highness was greeted 'with a spectacular Maori welcome by the Tuahiwi. party, under the leadership of Te Ari Taua Pitama. At this stage the greenstone mere and flax mat were presented. The Duke then took his seat on the platform, where were seated official guests. These included the Mayor and Mayoress, Captain Howard Kerr and Captain D. Schreiber ("equerries), Mrs Howard-Vyse. the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes. Mrs G. Forbes. Colonel and Mrs S. C. P. Nicholls. Captain W. S. F. Macleod. hf H.M.A.S. Australia, Mr and Mrs T. Milliken. and Mr J. S. Neville (T-wn Clerk) and Mrs Neville. The decorated boats then vent up the river in procession. The befuity of some of the decoration-? and the insfeniousness of others aroused enthusiastic praise as they passed by.

Fireworks and Water Display As the boats returned from the Armagh' street bridge, they paused in front of the Royal platform, many of them to' watch the Maori haka and song of welcome then in progress. The result was that there was a complete blockage of the river. The boats were then prevented from returning to their marshalling point by the Carlton "bridge because the fire brigade water dis-. play had begun, and the water from the hydrants was falling across the niver. While the Christchurch Fire Brigade, under Superintendent C. C. Warner, was providing this display, creating splendid cascading effects with the jets of water, which were illuminated by coloured searchlights, the fireworks display began. First of all one ,of the set pieces was ignited. This proved, when fully burning, to be a picture of the Duke drawn with the fire of Roman candles, with the word "Welcome" beneath. Other set pieces were a windmill and a cascade of golden fire.

Star-shells, rockets and Chinese bombs—although the fireworks were made in Christchurch—were then set off in rapid succession. The beauty of effect of some of the starshells, which far exceeded the number of rockets, was remarkable. They rained whole constellations of red, blue, green, red, and yellow stars, while every now and then or*; spattered the sky with fiery serpents. Alarm of Spectators The fireworks, though beautiful, were rather alarming to some of the spectators, many of whom on the Hagley Park side of the river were right beside the ground given over to the display. In addition, although* the earlier part of the evening was calm, a westerly breeze sprang up just when the display began, and sent the smoke and the fireworks themselves across the river to the crowd on the opposite bank. Many of the fireworks were not exhausted by the time they fell to the ground, and several persons had part of their clothing burnt. These included one man who was seated right beside the Royal stand. In Hagley Park where similar pieces of burning chemical composition from the fireworks fell the grass was set on fire, but these outbreaks were quickly stamped out. A further danger was caused by the assembly of decorated boats, many of them covered with highly inflammable coloured paper, right in front, of the fireworks display. Countless blazing fragments from the fireworks fell hissing into the river, and the occupants of the boats were kept bnsy throwing overboard those which fell on to their craft. Fortunately ho major mishaps occurred from this cause. Conclusion of Evening At 11 o'clock the water and fire works displays stopped, and the Mayor, in a brief speech over the loudspeakers, told the assembly of the Duke's appreciation of the evening's entertainment. He also thanked Mr Harold Bradley, the organiser, Mr T. Milliken, the chairman of the committee responsible for the carnival, and all the officials and others who had helped to make thr evening a success. The Royal party then left among further cheering, and the crowd began slowly to disperse. Unusual traffic congestion—for that part of the city—prevailed at points near by, although serious tangles were prevented by the traffic inspector. 3 of the City Council. Part of the crowd remained to take oart in the "dancing on the green" on the lighted football ground in Hagley Park. Even at r.rdnigbt, when a slight drizzle of rain was falling hundreds of people were there dancing to music supplied bv the Ne/r Brighton Municipal Band. By that time, however, nobody was left along the terrace, where workmen were busy clearing awav some of the debris. On the river one of the decorated floats, which had caught fire, was being deluged with water. The riverbar.ks wer? scenes of litter. Colombo street at. midnight, in the city area, had as many people in it as on a normal busy Friday afternoon. At that time the bulk of the people had gone home by the last cars which had been specially delayed until 11.30.

CHILDREN'S GATHERING TO-DAY As decided upon by the committee which arranged the children's gathering for the Duke, if wet weather is experienced this- morning, the gathering will be held in the King Edward Barracks.

MANY DECORATED BOATS ..-'■. LONG PROCESSION DOWN . THE RIVER DUKE SEES A PRETTY DISPLAY

Floating in a long procession down the winding Avon, scores of decorated boats made a picture which even the most jaded eye must -have appreciated. The display afforded by these craft of all sizes and colours was one of the principal attractions at the river carnival on Saturday evening. Some were pretty, others beautiful; some were notable only for the novelty and ingenuity of their design; there were some whicn were merely amusing, and some the more amusing because, in such surroundings, they were positively incongruous. But they gave the vast' crowd something to applaud and something to laugh at and certainly gave members of the Royal suite a glimpse of something which, in the varied programme of entertainment during their New Zealand tour, was probably quite new. There were those in the crowd on Saturday evening who declared that this procession of boats was the best the city has seen. Certainly much careful planning and work had gone into the decoration of very many of the craft and only very careful organisation could have succeeded in assembling them and keeping control of such a fleet on the river. The procession started from the Carlton bridge and wound down stream past the dais on which sat the Duke and the official party.' A Monster Behind a gondola floated out of the darkness that much-debated animal or fish, the Loch Ness Monster, breathing fire. Round the monster's neck was a legend about being too far from home. Almost at the head of the procession was a magnificent white swan, many feet high, with a neck as graceful as any living bird's. Everyone cheered the swan. Not far from the swan floated a battleship, very well done, which belched fire and sparks from its turrets and occasionally backfired a shower of sparks into the water. Another canoe had taken on the guise of a huge red fish which skimmed along the water, occasionally opening its mouth and showing a row of terrifying teeth. An appropriate entry was a finely conceived Royal crown. There were one or two schooners, rigged with white muslin; a pirate ship (with very fierce crew on board); a canoe which had many sympathisers with its legend, "Buy British Beer"; an aquatic representation of a Comet aeroplane; and one of the smallest of the entries, a catamaran. Naturally there were dark-town crews. One of them was counted out by the crowd for being too persistent. There were dozens more of cunningly and prettily contrived units in a procession which will certainly whet the appetites of Christchurch people for more of these functions. On several. of the boats fireworks were carried, or coloured lights, which when playing gave such a pretty effect that there were gasps of admiration from sections of the crowd lucky enough to be near. Successful Awards The decorated boats were judged in several sections, the results being as follow: Best boat purporting to be something descriptive: The Swan (Mr M. J. Miller) 1, D.I.C. battleship 2, Hay's, Ltd., dragon, special mention. Open decorated boat: Rainbow (Smith and Smith, Ltd.) 1, Canterbury Rowing Club, yellow gondola, and Hurst and Drake, Ltd.'s, blue and white gondola, 2 equal. Best decorated canoe: Red Fish (Ernest. Adams, ltd.) .1, Crown (New Zealand Farmers'- Co-op.) 2. The judges considered that the two Maori canoes were excellent.

TRAMWAY ARRANGEMENTS

Regarding tramway traffic on the portions of streets officially closed for the children's gathering at Lancaster Park this morning, arrangements have been made for tram cars to enter on them while they are closed to vehicular traffic, provided that the tram cars are not on the closed portions within 10 minutes of the arrival of the Duke at the park. Similar provisions will apply on the route to Sandilands this afternoon. All members of the Tramway Board's traffic staff were on duty on Saturday to cope with additional work. The extent of the alterations rendered necessary in the traffic arrangements on Saturday may be judged by the fact that details of the different rosters were recorded on 10 foolscap sheets.

WELCOME FROM MAORIS TRADITIONAL GREETING ON RIVERBANK THANKS FROM THE DUKE TO THE LEADER

Few of the many high-lights in a night of splendid entertainment at the river carnival surpassed in interest the part played by the Maoris from Tuahiwi. It was appropriate that a son of King George, hearing and seeing such a remarkable demonstration of enthusiasm from 50,000 loyal citizens, should also know that the feeling of the native race for the Royal family was akin to those of the pakehas. The Maori party, with pretty songs,! fierce hakas, and graceful dances, 1 apparently interested the Royal, visitor keenly, for after the carnival he had the leader, Te Ari Pitama, called to ■ him to express personally his appreciation of the Maoris' part in the entertainment. The presence of the Maoris un- j doubtedly gave an animated scene I more colour and interest. The tumultuous cheering which greeted their singing and hakas indicated that the vast crowd appreciated them and wanted more. It was perhaps a pity that these entertaining Canterbury natives had not been placed on some more elevated platI form, where they would have been visible to thousands more further j along the river, and a pity that the music of their songs could not reach the thousands at the bridges, up and down stream. A Gift Accepted ' The Maoris were further honoured when his Royal Highness accepted the gift of a Maori mat, finely woven, and a block of greenstone, made on behalf of South Island Maoris. The kakahu mat was carried by William D. Barrett and the block of greenstone by Tumai Rehu. The bearers were accompanied by Te Ari Pitama, the Maori leader, and Eurera Te Aika, UpokoRunanga of Tuahiwi. Among the elders of the NgaiTahu tribe who were present were Eruera Te Aika, W. D. Barrett, Wiremu Rehu, Puneke Huria, F. Barrett (Temuka), D. Weepu (Arahura), T. Kipa (Little River), Waata Momo, Momo Taituha, R. Taiaroa j (Taumutu), Makoti Tipene (Moeraki), and T, Tainui. There were nearly 200 Maoris from Tuahiwi and Christchurch seated on the flatform opposite the Royal dais. They were all in nativ; costume and many carried native weapons. Before the arrival of jthe Duke they entertained the [crowd with songs and dances and were warmly applauded. Two boats, constructed to represent Maori canoes, raced on the river, and there was much amusement when the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) took his position as cox in one of the canoes and paddled vigorously down the stream. Traditional Ceremony , But the Maoris were in real earnest when the Prince arrived and they had to give him a traditional welcome. About 20 warriors lined in front of the dais in full fighting dress. With rolling eyes and long tongue the leader leapt down the steps towards the landing stage, shouting fierce cries. Then the bodyguard knelt, and when his Royal Highness landed from the launch, assumed the fighting positions, holding the weapons in the correct attitude and striking an effect which thrilled the onlookers. It was such a scene as might have occurred on that very bank of the river Avon a century ago, when some of the Maoris of Canterbury perhaps welcomed a visiting chief from another province. In fact higher up the river, it is said, have been found weapons of the same type as those used by the natives on Saturday night. When the Duke arrived at the top of the steps leading to the dais a Maori advanced and placed on the floor a mat across which the Royal visitor walked. This was a symbol of peace. The Maoris had evidently rehearsed this ceremony with great pains. Every weapon was held in the correct fighting position; the taiaha, patu-parauawa, tewha-tewha and mere, and some of them, incidentally, were real weapons of great historic value. Then followed the song of welcome, composed by Te Ari Pitama, with an historical theme, and the hakas. The crowd cheered for more and seemed quite anxious to lfsten to Maori entertainment for the rest of the evening. But the pakeha, with his boats, fireworks and fire engines, took charge again. _,

FRINGE HENRY AT CHURCH SERVICE m THE CATHEDRAL LESSONS READ BY GOVERNORGENERAL

The Duke of Gloucester, accompanied by the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, and several members of the Royal suite, attended matins at the Cathedral yesterday. The service was quietly impressive, with as little pomp as possible, and the Royal visitor must have appreciated "the quiet hour of unhurried worship in the dignified and English atmosphere of the Cathedral. The Duke is the fifth member of his family to worship there, for the King and Queen (when the Duke and Duchess of York), the Prmce of Wales, and the present Duke of York have all attended service at the Cathedral while visiting Christchurch. The congregation was probably the largest which the Cathedral can accommodate and included several notable persons who are visiting the city for the visit of Prince Henry. Among these were the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes Mrs Forbes, and their family, the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister in charge of the Royal tour, and pthers of the official party. The Duke sat near the lectern with Lord Bledisloe, and behind them the Prime Minister and his family, with the Duke's staff, including MajorGeneral R. G. Howard Vyse, Captain Derek Schreiber and Captain Arthur Curtis. ' The official' party also included Lieutenant J. C. Elworthy, aide-de-camp to the Gov-ernor-General, and naval officers. On the other side of the central aisle sat the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.), -the Mayoress, the Town Clerk (Mr J. S. Neville) and city councilors with their wives. The invited guests included some hundreds of regular worshippers at the Cathedral, while many members of the general public were able to secure seats. Members of the clergy who met the Duke at the main door of the Cathedral and escorted him to his seat were Dean Julius, the Rev. Lionel Richards (canon to Bishop Richards), Bishop Richards, Canon Hanby (chadain to Bishop WestWatson), Bishoo West-Watson, and Canon Stephen Parr. Lay members of the chapter who were present included the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, M.L.C., Mr George Harper, Mr E. G. Hogg. Mr C. Bean, Mr H. D. Andrews (chancellor of the diocese), and Dr. P. Clennell Fenwick. Lord Bledisloe read the lessons, and the order of service was, hymn, "All People that on Earth do Dwell,' prayer, "Our Father" and versicles, Psalm 46, first lesson, Deuteronomy 30, verses 11-16, Te Deum, second lesson, first Epistle of St. Peter, chapter 2, verses 11-17. Benedictus, Apostles' Creed, versicles and collects, prayer for the King, prayer for the Royal Family, prayer of St. Chrysostom and the Grace, anthem, "All Men, All Things" (Mendel-, ssohn). sermon bv the Rt. Rev. the Lord Bishop of Christchurch, hymn, "Praise Mv Soul, the Kine of Heaven," and Benediction. The" offerings were for the funds of St. Saviour's orphanages. ; V A Great Fellowship :;

"Members of the Koyal Family who had worshipped in the Cathedral helped us to feel our fellowship not only as members of one family of nations within the Empire, but also as members of that greater family—the family of the great God and Father in heaven." paid the Bishop in his sermon. "A few, weeks ago a stone was unveiled to mark the historic spot where the pilgrims from the First Four Ships landed some 84 years ago on the beach at Lyttelton. When those Canterbury pilgrims landed they had broken many ties which bound them to their homeland and to their friends and families in land. But they resolved that One tie need not and should not be broken. I mean the tie which distance cannot break—tfieir kinship in the family life of the children of God in Christ Jesus. They came resolved to dedicate to the work of the church in the .new colony no inconsiderable portion of their all too scanty resources, and noblv they carried out their intentions. Throuph storm and sunshine they stuck to their ideal and by sheer strength of a faith which refused to accept defeat they raised this Cathedral in which we worshira to-day. It is not without reason that we call these men who sought and found a country, Canterbury .Pilgrims, and that we are proud to dwell in this pilgrim city." The Bishop said that the pilgrims were' determined that the foundations of the new country should be the same as those of the old country—simple faith in God. "We pray God that the spirit of the first pilgrim colonists may always inspire their children and those who" year by year come to join- those children in their great adventure." A Closer Brotherhood "For w.e too seek a country. Fair as is this land in which we dwell we shall not be satisfied until our brotherhood and fellowship shall find fuller and nobler expression. Free as we are from the entail of many of the historic handicaps and barriers of the older countries of Europe, we have a great opportunity. The recent depression, which has hit us hard, has retarded our hopes, but, please God,.it should not dim our vision. We wrestle here with those same tragedies of undeserved unemployment which have afflicted the older countries. But we. believe that our experience has not been in vain if it is teaching us to be better neighbours to one another. We observe with real pride" the heroic fortitude with which the Homeland is facing its problems, and striving to lift the yoke which bears so heavily on millions of its citizens by brotherly co-operation. We hope to prove not unworthy of our kinsmen and to find such a Way of living together that every citizen may feel that his concern is the concern of all the family of citizens. It is our fault if we allow the grim shadows of over-crowding, of slums and despairing destitution to darken our sky." The pilgrim fathers came to New Zealand to find a home, but they found a destiny—the destiny, in common with Australia, of sharing with the other nations which encircled the Pacific all that was best in -their national experience and culture. "We live next door to proud and ancient peoples, but if only we ourselves are humble enough to realise that we have much to learn from them, surely they will welcome our help in facing the solution of the nroblems j which arise when East meets West."

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MOUNTED GUARSI£|I ESCORT "' M

AN IMPRESSIVE CER&fj|§|i An escort of mounted mWijJli ing lances decked with nons, and a guard of cavalry,-Jl| the welcome to the Duke at ton an outstanding success. jfifit were picked men and picked hoiP and though there has not *&&' much parading of late, the itjj& was carried off without hitch, and with a faultieW\mg?' j acy that spoke of. much-hard jll; j tice. " - fjff- If Ashburton was decked obKls h flags and greenery, the main st&g and the streets along which •$& Duke passed having a festive pearance. In the dull little town looked its best, 3nt|ll§ resident of Ashburton, hundreds from the district sjjC rounding it had arrived tot -Migreat occasion. '-."% v. " ' '-sk ■%. The Duke Arrives ' JV ■ Precisely to time, the Royaler came over the bridge on side of the town, and was I an escort of eight lancers in c&gfe 1 of an officer. Two men on s[s& 1 mounts rode ahead of the Soyal||f; 1 and the rest of the detachment -yhfa I as an escort behind. It was mjfe 1 pressive entry, and I vociferous in its welcome. * I Along to the domain the pajgisL- I sion passed, the shining 1 glossy horses making a will long remain with saw it. It was a ceremonial the proceedings that attractedpjg Duke's attention and admiration. \g,p; In the Domain a squadron dtjjjjpfrom B Company of the i Yeomanry Cavalry v/as drami& under Major A. J. NicolL witttlSSh ond-Lieutenant J. A. I second in command. Besides officers there were 44 other The escort .party was under command of. Lieutenant 6. Bwiws On arrival, the. Duke the Royal "Salute from the guind; ? and then proceeded to cavalryMt was a part of thecal mony that was very nearitim Prince's heart, and his inspeetjoief the fine horses on parade much more than a mere cßJjrajiiy'glance. The Canterbury- Yeowijf Cavalry may congratulate it has done something that is tmagV" in the Royal tour, and-incidental!* something that the Duke will ref member. The men were., perfectly turned out, and their mount* showed plain evidenc of a greai, deal ol preparation. The accoutre menfs of the horses were order, decorated saddle clothsss|s white picket ropes, and all <tjp- , poes with' them. The drfflßgdt' the?- men was perfect,- and thwp 1 - haviour, of the horses, consldirep# very little parading has been-iWne lately, was amazing. The pickjitf' the horses and men were those; \sjjtf formed the escort. Of these v$M the Duke was particularly tive. '.•?■* The Mayor's Welcome V,!j|gt. After the : inspection, the ,D&'. mounted the dais and heard thf ;»§? dress of the Mayor of AshhurHjjiy MrW. H. .Woods, who also spokefor behalf of Mr D. J. Morrow, chab? i man of the Ashburton County Coun- g cil. '"''.' - *•• I Mr Woods'said:—' ' *'*. "We, acting on behalf of;-the residents of Ashburton borough;ana county, wish to express out great appreciation of the honour,i.,ws Majesty the King-and your #>y« .Highness have conferred by your visit to his Majesty's SURjects, in this far distant Dqmiaion. ' - ■* "We also appreciate the honop you have conferred on *! trict by spending a period of «r sure at .'Longbeach,' one <*;«*- oldest estates in this county, am one of which we are very P»K I "We trust that your visit .toW Dominion will afford your MR Highness much pleasure and "U»t on your return, New Zealand vW find a place in your iond lections. • .\ "Almighty God has trutf blessed the British race by phg at its head a Royal Family «» by noble example, even m iun» i ■ of depression and difficulty, » spire their people to strive 1J reach greater heights, therew keeping the nation in the Mr ground, and bringmg to vie* » great and glorious future. - ( "We would humbly pray tba-. your Royal Highness convey w your Royal father, the. King, the assurance of our continued w alty and devotion and our Jbop* that his Majesty will long live w reign over us." Duke's Reply To Ashburton's expression «| loyalty and goodwill, the Duke replied:—' "I am very grateful for the sentiments of loyalty to the B»* my father, and for the referenceto his services to our race whicn you express on behalf of «« people of Ashburton and county. "I shall be pleased to convey to his Majesty your message ° l devotion. "It has given me great pleasure to stay in this well-known pa» of the Dominion and to gain ex. perience, under most conditions, of its pastoral inaus. '"I thank you for. your welcome to me and I offer w. my best wishes for your happing in the future." . ;,

Members of the local bodies ca» cerned in the welcome, and W* wives were presented to as weU.as prominent people of.» i district, among them Sir and Lady Nosworthy, Colonel W >. Mrs J. Fmdlay. and;Mr J. Conno|* j M ffis Royal HigMess .J«»jjjftJ among the children who were: *» sembled, chatting to some of tMg and shrill cheers. The people of AsWfa ton were sorry to See the JMjj guest go, and as many !f ffSB; followed the car along as itgjg, moved through the cheering agjt

POME FROM itjfflfTßY ON RUN P.^OBf.ASHBURTON j TRAVEL MANY ; l|l* '■' MILES I i;fe : ■'■''''■

■g-rfiere in New Zealand has the IL&Ba more warmly received jL country people than he was **fte people of the rural districts J Canterbury through which he *Z* on Saturday on his journey to Christchurch. At ffy corner and in groups along ?TLo& there were people to cheer IJjßoyal cars went through. * cf the watchers had travelled gules from districts off the !!!to road to be able to cheer the Ifaga. the procession left Ashburtt - ft was cheered to the echo and 2* the road to the Rakaia bridge place a road joined the JLj highway there were little JJJL armed with flags, and showfTfJe greatest enthusiasm. The JLfe bridge was a rallying place fjgsny farmers and their families, Za there was even some f&cerate the rather businesslike "Latere of the bridge with greenflags. The cars held up at ftjioath end waiting for the pro**jon to go through ejected a ftfle crowd that gave some indicafTrf the warmth of the welcome S was waiting for the Prince Zrfher along the road. Atibe north end of the bridge, i JfcifWip of people from the disround and near Lake Coleridge Sed at the corner with a banner ™Sng the words "Welcome from S,Lnistle.'' The group contained 3s sod children, but there was extinction between the wild enQSm of e"her. They had 53S a tong way, but they contheir day had been well Sot They saw the Prince as he S Slowly off the rough surface 4 the bridge and turned the sharp mast. \ Drizzling Rain

printing rain set in when thG ♦Mcession crossed the bridge, but Jbij dki not deter the people of Cantata? from showing their loyalty to the throne and their personal re- ; asitst the Prince. At every farmSease passed along the road ther-3 «M a welcoming group, generally aimed with flags, and showing the Attest enthusiasm. Many of the betas were decorated for the event, and the friendly acknowledging wm from his Royal Highness was sufficient recompense for the trouble ffctr Burnham, a big gathering of Maple from the Ellesmere district Salted to cheer the Royal. visitor. ffeey lined the road, and as the cars praH the fluttering flags made a oloorful picture/ A* the procession neared the city, fiie crowds grew thicker. Buildings at Upper Biccarton were decorated, sad everywhere there were people to cheer as the cars passed. A big crowd waited at the corner of Ham road down which the Duke turned on his way to the residence of Mr "Edpr Stead, where he changed into la uniform. from Dam road onward, the sides ef the street were lined with people to welcome the Duke. Cheering crowds stood on each side of the mi, the children particularly making their greetings heard. Near mm avenue, the crowd was thick, lad the enthusiasm was quite in actual with the welcoming words worked into the decoration of the lapwing arch of greenery which hi been placed across the road. Tha Bdj was a most effective decoration. Girl Cricketers Cheer Driving along Riccarton avenue, Use Duke was constantly cheered. People left the cricket grounds, and tie two teams of girl cricketers •food in their scarlet blazers cheerfef wildly as the car passed. A iwel effect was a cricket bat, bedecked with ribbons, which was Wttwd* by one member of the team. % caught the Duke's eye, and one girl was heard telling her ««jpanions "He smiled at me." .The hospital was decorated with ftp and bunting, and over the *n»t of the Nurses' Home there •sst garlands of greenery and #Blta of colour where flags were JjW out The nurses lined •proad, and cheered the Royal gwt to the echo. Every window of «e hospital buildings that looked *» to the road was filled with heads, Jnd in wheeled chairs some of the f"w»it watched from the footpath. ■«wa the hospital onward, the gWMt was continuous, and as the •"Bee passed slowly along waving m ( thanks for the greeting, a cheer «w*w«l him. It was a demonstra§s **& oD ly of loyalty to the EmSW, but also of affection for the **B w ho has become a favourite *«h the people of New Zealand.

,*SNNER AT CHRIST/CHURCH' CLUB A pleasantly informal function •tended by the Duke of Glouces- * on Saturday evening was the £a M* at the Christen urch Club. «wut 60 members of the club were fcWent, and the evening ended with ** company singing "For He's a «% Good Fellow." His Royal jPCaress was attended by Major%**ial R. Q. Howard-Vyse and u P*ain A. Curtis.

ROYAL TROTTING MEETING Duke Of Gloucester At Addington ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD

Even if the Duke 6f Gloucester had not been fond of horses and good sport he must have enjoyed the hour, he spent at the Addington trotting grounds on Saturday afternoon as the guest of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club. Everything possible was arranged for his entertainment, special events were included in the programme, there was a successful attempt on the mile record by the famous pacer Indianapolis, and the Duke himself was permitted to start one of the races, a function, by the way, which he carried out like an expert. There was a very large crowd at the course, and the Duke's presence was greatly appreciated by everybody. This was shown by the enthusiastic reception he was given and by the holiday lightheadedness of the crowds. The Duke arrived at the course shortly before 3 o'clock, just before the start of the Royal handicap, the most important event of the day. Long before his arrival there were] murmurings of excited anticipation I among the people, and the entrance to the stewards' stand was blocked by a surging crowd. The Duke's car was driven slowly through the southern entrance to the course, along; the track before the stands, to the entrance of the birdcage. The Duke, accompanied by his chief of staff, Major-Gen era! R. G. HowardVyse, walked through beneath the stand to the steps of the entrance, where he was welcomed by stewards of the Trotting Club and their wives. Enthusiastic Reception There were vigorous cheers and loud hand-clapping as he entered the stand, escorted by Mr F. E. Graham, treasurer of the club, who acted for the president, Mr J. H. Williams. A few seconds later his Royal Highness appeared on the balcony of the stand to acknowledge the reception of the crowd outside.

He was dressed quietly in a grey double-breasted lounge suit, with white shirt and collar, red, black and white tie, and snap brown hat, but his clean-cut figure was easily made out by the thousands waiting to catch sight of him. The Duke appeared to be looking forward to the racing, and from the beginning he talked eagerly with Mr Graham and with others who pointed out to him the features of the course and the methods by which trotting is regulated on the famous Addington ground. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) and Mrs Forbes, who were among the guests in the Royal box, chatted frequently with his Royal Highness, and the Minister for Finance (the Rt. Hon J. G. Coates) had more than a few words with him.

The Duke had not many minutes to wait to see his first trotting race, which proved exciting. The Royal Handicap, of two miles, brought a good start and.a very keen race,j the double honour of the win going to Mr J. McDonald with his bay gelding Glenrosie. Throughout the race the Duke kept his eyes on the horses. His large pair of binoculars gave him such a good view of the race that a lighted cigarette in his hand went almost unnoticed. He rose from his seat to see the finish and joined-in the loud applause as the trotters returned to the birdcage. Record-Breaking Run The next event was to provide him with even more excitement—an attempt by Mr G. J. Barton's Indianapolis on the one mile record. The attempt was successful and the Duke was visibly pleased with the result. Shortly after the run he accompanied Mr Graham on a stroll round the green and the outside enclosure, where thousands of people crowded in on him and clapped him to the echo. The Duke was very gracious in his responses. He doffed his hat continuously and smiled happily on those who were smiling on him. Those who were with him, including Major-General Howard-Vyse and Captain Derek Schreiber, gave every indication of enjoying the nearness of a typical New Zealand racing crowd, and they were all particularly pleased with the manner in which the Duke was received. The next item on the afternoon's programme, which subsequently proved the most popular with the people, was the start of the Sussex Handicap, in which 14 horses were sent off by his Royal Highness himself. This was an entirely new experience for the "Duke, but his un[derstanding of horses was so sympathetic and complete that the field was sent away smoothly in the best start of the day. The Duke crossed from the stewards' stand to the starting post, where he met the club's offical starter, Mr A. J. Hastings, and climbed with him to the small starting platform. He was not allowed to proceed any further before he had acknowledged renewed and particularly enthusiastic cheering, which had the effect of slightly upsetting some of the horses. The large field circled quietly to its final position, while the attention of the crowd was divided fairly even between the horses and the Duke himself, who was waiting attentively for the grouping. Not more than a minute passed between the time the Duke mounted the platform and the start, which was actually so clean and swift as to be unexpected. The drivers who came up to their marks and the flag dropped precisely on the moment. The field moved off smoothly and without the slightest hitch, and the Duke of Gloucester had added another to his experiences. From the starting platform he had a fair view of the race, which he watched closely to the finish. He strolled back to the birdcage, and inspected the winner and the other runners. Duke's Enjoyment It was now after 4 o'clock and his Royal Highness was due at Hagley Park for a game of polo. It was fairly obvious that he would have liked to stay at the meeting longer, as throughout his hour at the course he had enjoyed himself. He took his leave as graciously as he had acknowledged his welcome, and drove off with his equerry, Captain Arthur Curtis, through an admiring crowd of people. > The Trotting Club is to be congratulated on arranging such a delightful afternoon's entertainment

THE DUKE AS A SPORTSMAN THOUSANDS WATCH POLO PRINCE'S TEAM WINS MATCH It is as a sportsman, and particularly as a rider that the Duke is known to the people of this country, and it was this that attracted many thousands to the polo ground on Saturday afternoon to see his Royal Highness take part in a game. Those who watched were not disappointed. The Duke showed himself as a horseman of the very greatest ability, and though he was riding strange ponies, a severe handicap in the game of polo, he 'acquitted himself in a way that showed that he is a very sound player as well as an expert horseman. The game was of four chukkas only, two of them fast, interesting polo, and the other two rather slow. The Duke played with Captain A. Curtis, Captain D. Schreiber, and alternately with Major G. Hutton and D. W. J. Gould, members of the Christchurch Polo Club. The teams against which the Duke's team played were selected from the remaining members of the club. The result was a win for the Duke's team by seven goals to six. Crowds at Ground Well before the time at which the game was to start, 4.30 p.m., there was a big crowd at the ground, but as the time drew near, people flocked to South Hagley. Hundreds of cars brought spectators, and many hundreds more walked. The ground was lined on all sides with cars, two deep alqng one side,, and beside these, the whole of the parking space down the length of Deans avenue was taken up, and there were more cars parked in Riccarton avenue near the cricket grounds. When the polo started there was a general exodus from cricket to watch the Duke. . There were many distinguished people among the spectators, including the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister for Finance, the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, and the Mayor, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P. Officials of the club greeted the Duke when he arrived, amid the cheering of the people who had gathered to see him. He arrived ready for the game, dressed in white riding breeches and a scarlet shirt. The Duke's team was:— No. 1, Captain Curtis; No. 2, H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester; No. 3, either Major G. Hutton or D. W. J. Gould; and No. 4, Captain Schreiber. The other teams, a different one for each chukka, were selected from C. H. Bethell, G. H. Grigg, R. B. Johnson, G. B. McCredie, P. D. Hall, H. G. Livingstone, and Major Hutton and Gould. The Duke's team played in red, and the club team in blue. Captain G. Hennessy was referee. Action was seen from the start of the first chukka, when Gould made a great run down the field for the reds, but missed his goal. For the blues, McCredie got possession, and in a fine run, took the ball to the corner by the red : poa l . hit back into the centre, and following fast, scored. From the start, Bethell got possession, and hitting splendidly, went through to score th<s second goal against the Duke's side. An Exhilarating Run Schreiber, who is a first-class player, sent the ball away with a. powerful forehander, and scored with another long shot. When play resumed, Prince Henry treated the crowd to an exhilarating bit of riding, and took the ball right to the blue goal mouth, where he was ridden off. Schreiber, who was handy, completed. The Duke was again in spirited action a minute later, when receiving a long forward pass from Gould, he raced into position, but missed. Johnson cleared as the bell went for the end of the chukka.

Early in the second chukka the Prince took the ball to the blue goal, where a melee ensued, ending when Curtis, tapped the ball through. Play was dull for a time till the Duke came through after a tussle, and in an exciting run took the ball nearly the length of the field. His pony was not as steady as it might have been, and his final shot missed by inches. There followed a period of willing and exciting play, which ended when Grigg took the ball to the red line. Schreiber cleared and Hutton, hitting vigorously took the ball down and scored. In this rush his Royal Highness was prominent for clever stick work, hooking successfully when Grigg looked certain to score. The Duke again stood out a minute later, when, by clever work, he made an opening that allowed Curtis an opportunity, but he missed. The game was now fast and open, the Duke's team constantly on the attack. A melee in front of the blue goal gave the D'ake a chance, and aniid the ringing applause of the crowd he scored. The bell rang soon after, with the Duke in a fast dash down the field. His shot at goal after a fine run just missed. The cjjukka ended with the score five to two in favour of the Duke's side. Duke in Action The Duke's team was quickly in action at the beginning of the third chukka, and the Duke himself took the ball from Curtis to make a dash down the field that had the crowd cheering. There was a cry of disappointment from the watchers when his shot at goal missed. The red team took charge again and Curtis very quickly scored the only goal of the chukka. Attacking again the Duke's side almost scored, but Grigg broke away in possession and made a magnificent run nearly the length of the field. Schreiber, who was playing an excellent game, cleared. Gould, who for this chukka played against the Duke, was the mainstay in an attack by the blue side. With Hutton, the s)uke took the ball into a handy position and gave Schreiber tlje opening. He looked certain to score, but Gould, playing superbly, rode him off just

for the buke, and for carrying through its arrangements with promptness. The president of the club, Mr J. H. Williams, with whom the Duke spoke on the stand, his stewards and committee, can' rest assured that Saturday's meeting was successful from every point of view, and that his Royal Highness must have been appreciative of* their efforts.

in time. Play was now fast, and the crowd was delighted when the Prince and Bethell had a neck and neck dash for the ball. The Duke's shot missed. Just before the bell rang, the Duke was leading his team in a strong attack, but Grigg cleared and the chukka ended with the score 6 to 2 in favour of the Duke's team. The fourth and final chukka was slow at the opening, but later developed into a telling attack by the blue team. The pony on which the Duke played was throughout the chukka rather wild, and gave the [Royal ride? some trouble. Shortly after the opening of pay, Grigg I scored for the blue team, and a few minutes later he made an opening which allowed Hall to score. A passing bout between Hutton and McCredie, in which some fine and accurate hitting was seen, ended in Hutton scoring to put his side only one goal behind that of the Duke. The Duke and Curtis were associated in a fine run, the Duke taking the ball well down and making the opening from which Curtis scored. Shortly after, Hutton again came to light and scored with a difficult shot. Till the end of the game, the polo was most exciting, and as the bell went, Hutton had a long shot at goal to equalise the score, but missed by inches. The game ended with the score 7 to 6 in favour of the Duke. An Eager Crowd As soon as the Duke dismounted, the spectators crowded round to see him and to cheer him. He was taken with the other players through the crowd by a posse of police who cleared a way for him. He looked hot, but thoroughly pleased with the game, and as he walked along he chatted animatedly over incidents in the game with the other players.. Thousands waited round the pavilion for the Duke to appear after the game, and when he went to his car, there were cheers of the utmost enthusiasm. It took nearly an hour for the cars to clear away from the ground. Among the crowd of thousands, there were probably very few who could appreciate the finer points of polo, but there was not one spectator who did not feel proud to be able to see the Duke as a horseman and sportsman. Everyone could appreciate his riding, and at each successful move he made in the game, he was cheered. When he had bad luck, there was sympathy for him as sincere as the cheering for his successes.

TODAY'S PROGRAMME MANY ENGAGEMENTS For to-day, the concluding day of the official part of the visit of the Duke to New Zealand, his Royal Highness' engagements are many. Till he leaves this evening in H.M.A.S. Australia for a few days' fishing in the far north, his time will be fully occupied.

The first engagement of his Royal Highness is the children's gathering at Lancaster Park, where the Duke will arrive about 10.30 a.m. It is anticipated that there will be an attendance of between 7000 and 8000 children, including about 800 from country schools.

His Royal Highness will arrive by the main entrance to the I park, Lancaster street, and will be met by the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.), the chairman of the Canterbury Education Board (Mr C. S. Thompson), and the chairman of the children's demonstration committee (Cr. F. T. Evans), at the temporary entrance to the oval, opposite the main entrance to the park. After the reception of the Duke, the band will play the first six bars of the National Anthem, and the Duke then will be conducted to the dais. The Mayor will address the children, and ask the Duke to speak to them. Loud-speakers will be installed. It is anticipated that the Duke will then pass through some of the ranks of the children, after which he will return to the dais, and the gathering will conclude with the singing by all of the National Anthem.

The public will be admitted to the park by the main entrance from 8.30 a.m.; and admission to all stands, with the excepton of the pavilion, will be free. Special provision has been made for disabled children attending the gathering. They will be in the care of nursing- sisters and cadets of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Caring for Children From a grant made by the Government, the Canterbury Education Board has arranged for refreshments to be provided for each child ' from the country schools. The children will be given their meal at Lancaster Park, and it will consist of cakes, buns, and soft drinks. Country children are asked not to break away as soon as the ceremony is over, or they may go hungry. Trains will bring the children from the country schools, the first arriving at the Christchurch station at 9.15, and the last about 10 o'clock. For the children's demonstration the following streets have been closed officially, from 9 a.m. till noon, to vehicular traffic (including bicycles): Stevens street between Wilson's road and Falsgrave street, Moorhouse avenue between Fitzgerald avenue and Ferry road, Talfourd street, and Lancaster street from Ferry road to Stevens street. Soldiers' Settlement His Royal Highness is to perform the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the administration block of the returned soldiers' settlement scheme at Sandilands at 2.30 p.m. and will leave the hotel at 2.20 p.m. Members of the Returned Soldiers' Association are to parade at Sandilands for the ceremony at 1.30 p.m. and will be dressed in mufti with medals. The area where the ceremony is to take place will be roped off and to it invited guests will be admitted by ticket. After the ceremony at Sandilands his Royal Highness will leave about 2.50 p.m. to visit the Rannerdale Home for disabled soldiers, 439 Papanui road. He is expected to arrive there about 3 p.m. and will be received by Dr. C. T. Hand Newton, Mr A. C. Maxwell (chairman of the Rannerdale Home committee of the Patriotic fund), and the matron, Miss Chandermain. The Duke will spend about 10 minutes with the disabled returned soldiers in the home, At the Public Hospital His Royal Highness then will pay an informal visit to the Christchurch Hospital, and will be received by the chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr H. J. Otley), the Medical Superintendent (Dr. Walter Fox), and the matron. The Duke is expected to arrive about 3.27 and will spend 25 minutes visiting the children's ward and any wards where there are returned soldiers. The hospital will be closed to visitors between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., but will be open to them in the evening from 7 to 7.45 o'clock. Detailed Programme Details of the engagements of his Royal Highness for to-day aye:— 10.30 a.m.—Children's gathering; finishes 11 a.m. 2.20 p.m.—Leave hotel for Sandilands. 2.30 p.m.—Arrive Sandilands and lay foundation stone of the administration block of the Returned Soldiers' Settlement Scheme (20 minutes). v 2.50 p.m.—Depart Sandilands for Rannerdale Home. 3.5 p.m.—Arrive Rannerdale Home (spend 10 minutes there). 3.15 p.ir.—Depart Rannerdale Home for Public Hospital. 3.27 p.m.—Arrive Public Hospital and

CONTROL;.OF HUGE CROWDS NO HITCH IN TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS OFFICIALS WELL PLEASED Complete satisfaction with the behaviour of the huge crowds which thronged the city on Saturday was expressed yesterday by traffic and police officials. Christchurch crowds are reputed to be possibly the best behaved in the Dominion, but on Saturday they excelled themselves. Because of the excellent organisation for the control of traffic of all kinds this was perhaps to be expected. But at the same time since those responsible for the handling of the crowds probably had, in the aggregate, a total of nearly 100,000 citizens to care for, it does seem remarkable that not a single traffic accident was reported, which could be attributed to congestion because of the royal visit functions. It is considered by the authorities that this good record is due to the excellent co-operation between police and civic traffic departments. The city traffic staff on Saturday was assisted in every way by police constables*, who were brought into town from all the surrounding districts. At all functions, and even on occasions outside the Duke's hotel, ihere were crowds which in ordinary circumstances would have been difficult to handle. One of the crowds, that at the river carnival along Park terrace, was, it is stated on good authority, the largest ever seen in the city. Yet the assembling and clearing of these vast throngs was accomplished without a hitch in every case. Commissioner's Tribute The Commissioner of Police, Mr W'. G. Wohlmann, paid a warm tribute to the work of the traffic authorities and police on Saturday. The arrangements made were excellent, he said yesterday,' and compared very well indeed with those in the other cities visited on the tour. The excellent behaviour of the large concourse of people was worthy' of the most favourable comment. The orderliness of the crowds and their readiness to respond to any request from those in charge greatly assisted the authorities during the day. There had been no untoward incident. Mr Wohlmann said, and everything had «one according to plan. This meant that the public had been able to t?et a good view of his Royal Highness. In view of the immense crowds in the city, it was worthy of note to realise that they could be controlled by a comparatively small force of some 160 policemen and traffic officers. The excellent control reflected greatly to the credit of the police, the traffic authorities and the public.

Yesterday the Chief Traffic Inspector (Mr H. Macintosh) said that traffic control had been very satisfactory indeed in every case. The authorities had taken the unusual course of roping off the streets in some places, and the public had respected the precaution and given no trouble whatever. People had given the police or traffic officers no trouble when approached, and motor traffic had been equally agreeable to direction. At the Bridge of Remembrance the crowd had collected much earlier than was expected, and the roads had had to be closed earlier than advertised, but motorists were quite satisfied at the change. Help from Policemen "I cannot speak too highly about the way policemen, including the men from the country districts, assisted us. On several occasions where it was impossible to have one of our own men I saw policemen taking point duty where it was necessary. This assisted us materially in clearing the crowds after each function. The traffic control arrangements worked with the same ease at Cranmer square, where the slight delay at the Bridge of Remembrance gave us plenty of time to have everything in readiness." Mr Macintosh said that there was no trouble in handling the enormous crowd at the polo ground, nor in the evening at the river carnival. Mr Macintosh estimated the crowd at the river carnival at between 50,000 and 60,000. That was a conservative estimate, he said, and an attempt was going to be made to work out the attendance. It was the biggest crowd the city had ever had. The rest of Christchurch seemed empty and yet the control went without a hitch. Even along the roped-off enclosures, where there were thousands packed closely, there was no infringement. The 'dispersal of the crowd was facilitated by motor-traffic having been kept well back from the river banks and the terrace. Traffic arrangements yesterday for the church service in the Cathedral also worked smoothly. It was not found necessary to rope off portion of the square on close the roads into it.

walk through wards—children's ward and Chalmers ward • (soldiers) particularly. Time occupied approximately 25 minutes. 3.52 p.m.—Depart L Public Hospital. 3.55 p.m.—Arrive Canterbury Club (spend 15 minutes). 4.10 p.m—Depart Canterbury Club. 4.13 p.m.—Arrive Canterbury Officers' Club, Worcester street (spend 15 minutes). 4.28 p.m.—Depart Canterbury Officers' Club. 4.30 p.m.—Arrive United Service Hotel. • 5.55 p.m—Leave by car for Lyttelton. boarding H.M.A.S. Australia and sailing for Russell, where a few days will be spent deep-sea fishing. The Duke of Gloucester will arrive at Lyttelton wharf at 6.25 p.m. and will inspect a guard of honour. At 6.30 there will be official farewells to the Mayor and Town Clerk of Lyttelton, the chairman and secretary of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, service representatives, and members of the ducal party. At 6.40 the Duke will go on board. The Governor-General will arrive and will have a guard of honour, and at 6.45 will go aboard H.M.A.S. Australia, where he will take leave of the Duke. His Excellency will come ashore at 7 p.m., and at 7.15 p.m. the Australia will go to sea. A Royal salute will be fired by a shore battery at Lyttelton as H.M.A.S. Australia leaves. These arrangements are subject to any slight alterations that may be necessary arising out of unforeseen emergencies.