Royal Car Puncture In The Rain

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29908, 23 August 1962, Page 14

Royal Car Puncture In The Rain

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, August 22. A wet-weather puncture on the car carrying the King and Queen of Thailand caused a security scare near Huntly this afternoon. Police, ignorant of what had happened, poured from a following car as the big Rolls Royce slowed to a halt. A Thai aide raced to the Royal car groping in his pocket. Some spectators sprinted to the spot.

Then an official called: ‘‘A puncture.” A spare Austin Princess m the procession was driven forward and within 21 minutes the procession was on the way again.

Sirikit, protected by umbrellas. left the Rolls Royce and entered the Austin as it was driven up alongside. The Royal Standard was hastily switched to the second car.

The Rolls Royce is a 1957 Silver Cloud model, privately owned by the GovernorGeneral (Lord Cobham). It tailed the procession for the rest of the 80-mile road journey from Hamilton to Aucklacd.

Today’s Royal procession from Rotorua, through Hamilton, to Auckland was along an ‘‘umbrella way.” Rain fell continuously, sometimes a fine drizzle, often teeming. Thousands of people were drenched to the skin waiting to wave and cheer the Royal party past. Most had umbrellas. Hamilton's welcome was surprisingly enthusiastic and colourful in view of the disastrous weather.

The incident occurred in steady drizzle at 4.35, two miles north of Huntly. The procession was travelling about 25 miles an hour. The left rear tyre of the Royal car began to go down. It was more than half flat when the procession stopped. First intimation to rear cars in the 12-car procession that something was wrong was when an Army officer in the sixth vehicle signalled to the Austin Princess taling the procession. King Bhumibol and Queen

Thousands stood cheerfully in the rain waiting for the Royal entourage and they gave the visitors a rousing reception.

The King and Queen were given a rousing send-off, hundreds waiting in the rain outside Cardona Gardens where the civic luncheon was held.