Yacht To Save Queen Strain On Tour

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29932, 20 September 1962, Page 6

Yacht To Save Queen Strain On Tour

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. Use of the Royal yacht Britannia by the Queen during her New Zealand tour next February would eliminate a great deal of the burden and strain which such a brief visit would otherwise impose, said the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr Hanan) today. "My own impression is that the last tour imposed more strain on Her Majesty than was desirable,” Mr Hanan said. Mr Hanan told his press conference the main aim of the tour was for the Queen to meet New Zealand children. “Every opportunity will be given for as many children as possible to see Her 1 Majesty,” he said.

Discussions had not been completed on whether the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh would fly to New Zealand and have the Britannia sent out here in advance, he said. Nor did he know whether the party would be driving between towns or travelling by yacht. The full itinerary would probably be released within a few days, he said. The Secretary of Internal Affairs (Mr J. V. Meech) is still in London completing details of the tour programme. He is not expected back in Wellington for another fortnight, an official said this morning. Mr Meech has been appointed a temporary member of the Royal Household for the tour and will be called “New Zealand secretary to the Queen.” Navy Escort It was probable that the cruiser Royalist would meet the yacht at sea and escort it while it was in New Zealand station waters, said a Navy Office spokesfan in Auckland. The Royalist could meet the Britannia at sea and pick up an augmented escort just before reaching the coast. H.M.N.Z.S. Otago, Rotoiti and the survey ship, Lachlan, could form the inshore escort. These ships, with motor launches and a Royal Navy submarine, will be at Waitangi for Waitangi Day celebrations.

Appeals To Alter Tour (N.Z. Press Association) GREYMOUTH, Sept. 19. An endeavour to have next February’s tour of New Zealand by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh extended by two days so that the West Coast and Southland may be included in the Royal party’s itinerary has been made by Mr P. Blanchfield, member of Parliament for Westland. In a telegram to the Act-ing-Prime Minister (Mr Hanan), Mr Blanchfield suggested today that the tour might be profitably extended by two days and he requested that in the event of such an extension being made the West Coast and Southland be allocated one day each. When the tour plans were announced yesterday, these two provinces were not included. The Taranaki Local Bodies Association wants the itinerary reviewed to include Taranaki. Ulis cable was sent yesterday to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) in London, and was signed by the chairman of the association (Mr B. Hutchen): “The Taranaki Local Bodies Association expresses its keenest disappointment at the omission of Taranaki in the Royal visit itinerary. We respectfully ask you at this late date to reconsider the itinerary and have Taranaki included.”

Tour P.R.O. From Christchurch (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. The Queen’s press officer during the royal tour of New Zealand next year will be Mr H. Freeman Greene, of Christchurch who was appointed to the staff of Buckingham Palace last year. He has been working at the New Zealand High Commissioner's office in London.

Campaign Against Speeding

The campaign against speeding held by the Transport Department in Christchurch between August 24 and September 9 resulted in 177 traffic offence notices being issued by officers of the department. Of these, 172 were for exceeding 30 miles an hour and five for exceeding 55 miles am hour on the open road. The Chief Traffic Officer of the department (Mr E. Wilson) said yesterday that the question of prosecutions had yet to be considered.