Some Waited In Vain

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29909, 24 August 1962, Page 10

Some Waited In Vain

Several hundred people, who did not know of the delay in the Thai Royal visit to Christchurch, went to the airport or parked their cars along the route late yesterday afternoon. The groans which greeted the news every time it was broadcast over the public address system at the airport from 3 p.m. until after 5 o'clock showed that a large number of those in the terminal were there to welcome the Royal couple. The first arrivals for this purpose were as early as 3, p.m. From then on traffic wardens were posted at the entrance to the parking area to warn of the postponement. But a lot of people carried on “just in case there was a change.”

i. Along Memorial avenue, the tree-lined highway from the airport, cars began to park towards 5 p.m. The drivers were mostly women with young children, who said they had hoped to avoid the crush in the city today. Patrolling officers of the Transport Department stopped frequently to inform these people of the change of arrangements. Children were particularly disappointed. Nearer the city, clusters of cars were less frequent. Occasional groups under umbrellas (mostly elderly women) said they were waiting for the Thai couple. In the city proper, the postponement news * rapidly spread, so there were no congregations of people. Red white and blue bunting and flags, wet with the rain, hung limply and some colours were running.