B.B.C. COVERAGE OF TOUR

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27211, 1 December 1953, Page 10

B.B.C. COVERAGE OF TOUR

Woman Commentator Flies To N.Z. JOURNEY FROM BERMUDA (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, November 30. Last Wednesday Miss Audrey Russell saw the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh greeted by cheering thousands in Bermuda. Today she arrived at Auckland, 12,000 miles further on her world trip to cover the Royal tour for the 8.8. C. New Zealand wasted no time in bringing such a hectic pace down to a comfortable jog-trot: before Miss Russell reached her hotel from the airport she had had to wait while a wheel was changed on her car.

The day in Bermuda had been perfect, said Miss Russell. One of the most remarkable features had been the manner in which more people had lined the roads to see the Royal couple leaving at 5 a.m. than had been out to see them arrive. It was a tremendous tribute to their popularity. The only person to whom an award was made while the Queen was in Bermuda was the coloured captain of the little converted ferry Wilhelmina. The .Queen travelled in his ship from Hamilton to Mangrove Bay when visiting the western end of the colony. “I went down to do 'an interview with the captain, who had been awarded the M.V.0.,” Miss Russell said. “He was so proud of his medal I think he will wear it all the time for the rest of his life.” Miss Russell thought that her arrival today was another example of the old “third time lucky” maxim. She had been assigned to visit this country on two previous occasions when the tours by the late King George had to be cancelled. Touring as a 8.8. C. commentator with members of the Royal family is nothing new to Miss Russell. She was with the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret during their visit to Southern Rhodesia earlier in the year, and has covered many other Royal occasions since the wedding of the Queen in 1947.

Miss Russell hopes to have at least a few days’ rest before starting on hdr New Zealand tour. She will prepare background material to be used by the 8.8. C. and will do commentaries during the visit. PHOTOGRAPHERS’ REQUEST REFUSED (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 30. No special or State phbtograph of the Queen will be taken while she is in New Zealand. A request by the Institute of New Zealand Photographers that a photograph be taken was sent to the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. A. Bodkin) and was forwarded to Buckingham Palace, but permission has been refused.