JOURNEY FROM TIMARU

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25243, 23 July 1947, Page 8

JOURNEY FROM TIMARU

FIELD-MARSHAL MONTGOMER Y

WELCOMES ALL THE WAY

REMARKABLE ROADSIDE SCENES

There has probably never been a more memorable drive between Timaru and Christchurch than that of Field-Marshal Viscount Montgomery yesterday morning. It was remarkable for the warm greetings at every township. small settlement, and cross roads. These were more numerous and demonstrative than those ever given to any other notable visitor. Punctuality marks Lord Montgomery, making him an easy personage for officials to conduct on a tour, but his desire to avoid failing to acknowledge even one roadside wellwisher upset the itinerary a little, and the time-table was thrown 25 minutes out of gear when his open car, from which he waved and saluted continuously, crawled from Church Comer at Riccarton through Riccarton, round Hagley Park, and through the densely packed city avenues and streets. It was low-gear travelling but a topgear reception from the outskirts of the city. Outstanding contributors to the cheerful receptions were the school children and tiny tots with their parents. Like thousands from South Canterbury northwards, they had but a fleeting glance of the celebrated soldier, yet there was something warmly intimate in the greetings. The view of those in the townships and Christchurch was. however, better than a few bunches of roadside welcomers had. for which they could blame the people in the larger towns, as any loss of time had to be made up along the highway Some of the fastest travelling of the trip was done at stages on the open, straight, and sparsely settled highway, but wherever a few people congregated and school children were waving flags the field-marshal’s car was slowed down.

Timaru’s Send-off Timaru turned out in force to give its farewell to its overnight guest. The whole length of Stafford street was lined with children and adults and every band Timaru could muster, and it was not till the outskirts of the borough were reached that Lord Montgomery was able to transfer to a saloon car. It was a brilliant morning. the air nippy and the sun bright, and Timaru residents gave the field - marshal a truly magnificent send-off. It was not till Washdyke was passed that the official procession gained any pace, but from Arowhenua through to the Temuka boundary was slow going through the rows of cheering people. Many at the boundary saw one of the several swift transits by Lord Montgomery from the closed car to the American model open car, lent by the United States Legation, the operation taking less than a minute on each occasion throughout the trip. Temuka was not a stopping place, but the residents were given every opportunity of seeing the field-marshal as the procession moved through the town at a snail’s pace At Winchester the school children cheered lustily, and a little further on the boys of Waihi Preparatory School waved school banners and flags. At Orari, Geraldine residents, headed by the Mayor (Mr D. C. McKechnie). joined the local settlers to cheer the visitor through, and at Rangitata the crowd was the biggest to assemble since the day the highway deviation was opened. Between Rangitata Island and Hinds Lord Montgomery saw snow, which had fallen on Saturday, still lying in the shade of the roadside, but at Hinds there was nothing chilly about the welcome.

At homesteads along the route settlers stood at their gates to wave him through; indeed, on the 102-mile route between Timaru and Christchurch. no more than 10 homesteads were passed where the occupants had not gathered to cheer him on. Not even a royal tourist has been given such universal recognition through rural Canterbury. Stay at Ashburton The attendance of cheering children and people through Tinwald deserved the honour of a view of Lord Montgomery standing in the open car. However, the car had travelled ahead to Ashburton. Stock agents and farmers at the Tinwald sale lined the highway to give the first section of Tinwald’s welcome, a preliminary to the regal welcome given by Ashburton.

Although Ashburton had been allotted a bare two-minute stop, it won at least 10-minutes. Lord Montgomery obviously wishing to thank the people for their splendid reception. From the southern end of the town the main street was thronged, but the biggest crowd, dominated by all the school children, had assembled near the post office. Losing not a second to express Ashburton’s welcome, the Mayor (Mr E. C. Bathurst) began sneaking as soon as Lord Montgomery s car nad stopped. The Ashburton county, he said, was one of the largest and best in New Zealand and the borough was a little gem in the centre of it. He pointed cut the locations of members of the R.S.A., a bus of soldier patients from the hospital, and old men from the Tuarangi Home. Expressing his pleasure al visiting Ashburton, Lord Montgomery said he had often wondered just what Ashburton was like. Now he knew. It was great to see members of the R.S.A.. to which he also belonged, the crowd cheering him when he opened his coat to show his gold badge. He waved in turn to the groups of soldiers, soldier patients, and home inmates. Turning to the hundreds of children, the field-marshal spoke of his pleasure

at seeing “a lot of them.” He believed they should have a holiday, a belief which the children lustily agreed with. Their absence from school that morning was not a holiday. They wanted another one. The children cried “Hooray,” and telling them that the Mayor had said they could have another holiday, he remarked “That is good. I think the children look awfully well. They are very enthusiastic.” The East, Borough, and Convent

Schools noisily claimed in turn that cheirs was the best school in Ashburton and when Lord Montgomery, after a happy informal few minutes told them that he would “now have to go along to Christchurch—a good place?” they expressed their disappointment. Cheered as he drove away in the open car, Lord Montgomery soon transferred to the saloon car for the rest of the trip to Christchurch A little of the lost time was caught up but the groups of scores or more and a cluster of country settlers every few miles meant automatically a slowing down. Any group, however small, seen wearing Army sweaters was paid the compliment of a heavy reduction in speed, for the field-marshai had told bis drivers that he did not want to miss saluting one of his old comrades in war along the route. Fairton, Chertsey. Bankside, Dunsandel, and Selwyn all paid their full compliments and at the southernmost end of Burnham a big party of working soldiers cheered their chief. At Burnham, an ensign hung over the highway and all the other soldiers at Burnham saluted him. The receptions grew in numbers and vocal force as the procession moved slowly through Rolleston, Weedons (where Air Force personnel formed a smart guard of honour), Templeton .and Hornby. At Wigram, the Air Force paraded m strength and received a hearty wave from Lord Montgomery, who from Then on till the change of cars was made at Church corner was incessantly acknowledging the welcome. Riccarton road was a grand sight, the crowd, three and four deep, extending all the way into the city. Answering the greetings called for almost acrobatic turns by the Army leader “Good old Monty,” “Hullo, Monty, “Monty” he was called by all; none greeted him by his full titles. He was greeted as a man, not so much as a peer and Chief of the Imperial General Staff. And he obviously liked the affectionate style, for when one block of young men, several wearing Army sweaters, called out in Riccarton “How are'you, Monty?” he swung round to give them another wave.

GIFT TO BE SHIPPED FREIGHT FREE

The waiting desk to be presented to Field-Marshal Viscount Montgomery by the Christchurch furniture manufacturers, will be shipped to Great Britain free of charge This advice was received yesterday by the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, from shipping line representatives, who now await information about the size of the gift, and when it will be available for shipment.