DUKE’S BUSY DAY IN WELLINGTON

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28150, 13 December 1956, Page 14

DUKE’S BUSY DAY IN WELLINGTON

Interest In Marketing Of Farm Exports DEPARTURE TODAY FOR , ROTORUA , (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 12. The Duke of Edinburgh today' became the first member of the Royal Family to see all the operations of a New Zealand freezing works. From penning to killing, dressing, grading, and freezing sheep and lambs he watched all processes, and talked to about a dozen men on the chain and elsewhere in the works. Later he went through a cool store to see processes New Zealand’s butter and cheese exports undergo before final loading, and again he asked numerous- questions of operatives and technicians. He sampled some butter, and was presented with prize butter and cheese which will be sent to the Royal yacht Britannia.

Were it not for heavy rain which stopped work on the wharves and loading operations, he would have seen meat, butter, and cheese loaded into the Ruahine’s holds for delivery to the United Kingdom markets.

The Duke’s full day began with a meeting with the colonels and other representatives of the Otago-Southland Regiment and the Hawke’s Bay Regiment, of which he is Colonel-in-Chief. He then walked through a part of Wellington’s business and shopping area, made a public appearance from a balcony of the new municipal building after he had inspected plans and models of Wellington’s development programmes, saw the city from the Mount Victoria look out, and attended a State luncheon. Later he attended a garden party at Government House, and tonight he dined privately with the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) and Mrs Holland and their family.

Tomorrow morning the Duke will leave Wellington for Rotorua by air, and will see the Kaingaroa forest area on the way. He will later visit the Kawerau pulp and paper project, and spend the night at Wairakei. On Friday he will visit the geothermal development and investigation area at Wairakei before leaving for Auckland.