FLIGHT TO GAME RESERVE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25129, 10 March 1947, Page 7

FLIGHT TO GAME RESERVE

PROGRESS OF ROYAL TOUR ORANGE FREE STATE VISIT (Rec. 11 n m 1 T ONTnciM o

( Bee 11 p.m.) LONDON, March 8. , Tbe Royal Family relaxed among homely mtormal Afrikander hosts in the Winburg Game Reserve when they participated in a braaivleis, which is a barbecue picnic at which sheep and oxen are roasted whole,” says the British United Press correspondent in a dispatch from Bloemfontein. “The Royal party for the first time ate mealies on the tour. Princess Elizabeth took the cob daintily in one hand m contrast to the Afrikanders’ enthusiastic two-handed /approach. “The visitors saw herds of springbok and a few wilaebeeste. The King and Princess Margaret travelled together in the first aeroplane to the reserve. They watched the Queen and Princess Elizabeth land from the second aeroplane.” “Princess Elizabeth took over the controls of an aircraft for the first time during the flight back to Bloemfontein from the Wirburg Game Reserve,’’ reports Reuter’s correspondent. “She went to the control cabin of tjae Viking aeroplane in which she and the Queen were travelling and handled the aeroplane for a few minutes. Princess Margaret in the advance aeroplane with the King also went to the control cabin, but did not take the controls.”

The Royal Family landed at Bultfontein this morning after flying from Bloemfontein,” reports Reuter’s correspondent. “The Princesses danced foxtrots and waltzes for one hour at the Bloemfontein civic ball last night. Their partners were young South Africans who are junior members of the Royal Household. “Young men were eager to dance with the Princesses. One walked boldly to the Royal party and asked for the* first foxtrot with Princess Elizabeth, but he was told that all her partners had been chosen. Princess Elizabeth, who is extremely fond of dancing and excels at it. appeared to have one of the liveliest times of the tour. Princess Margaret was not far behind.” Welcome at Bloemfontein The King' and Queen and the Princesses were given an official welcome at Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State, yesterday. They drove through gaily decorated streets to the Provincial Council Building, where a speech of welcome was made by the Administrator (Mr J. G. Carinus).

Crowds gathered at dawn at Bloemfontein to welcome the Royal Family. Hundreds rode 30 miles to cheer the Royal train on its way to the capital ana thousands of others trekked many miles across the veldt.

His Majesty, replying to the address of welcome, referred “to your peaceful, happy province.” “Here you live on land carved from the wilderness by your godfearing forefathers, the voortrekkers,” he added.

Reuter’s correspondent says that about 200 seats were empty at the reception to the Royal Family at the City Hall, which seats 1500. Triose present sang “God Save the King,” but not the union Anthem when that was played by the band. The Orange Free State Nationalist Party’s official newspaper “Die Volksblad” in a leading article says: “We would be guilty of gross hypocrisy if we were to brim over with enthusiasm about the Royal Family. The Republican ideal of our people is deeply rooted. However, the fact remains that the Royal Family are our guests of honour. “Those responsible for this singular visit can be assured that the Free State will treat them with the requisite hospitality and courtesy. At the same time we shall remain staunch Republicans.”

“The general impression is that the Royal Family’s engagements in this preponderately Afrikaans - speaking Nationalist centre have been successful,” says Reuter’s correspondent in Bloemfontein. “The majority of the inhabitants warmly welcomed Their Majesties, although there have been a number of abstentions from functions by elements not wishing to associate themselves with the tour planned by the Smuts Government.”