Wellington's Welcome Gusty But Warm

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30054, 12 February 1963, Page 14

Wellington 's Welcome Gusty But Warm

AT (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 11. Wellington today turned on a frustrating, wind-hammered sequence of mishaps for the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Royal tour officials. With rain imminent from a glowering sky these things went wrong:— The Britannia berthed seven hours late because of the wind. The city’s welcome had to be transferred indoors. The Queen and Duke stood for 15 harassing minutes waiting for chairs at a children’s sports rally. Three tour cars were involved in a concertina smash.

In spite of it all, 70,000 Wellingtonians gave the Queen one of her friendliest welcomes. They waved hats, handkerchiefs, flags of half a dozen countries, tree fronds, a Scotch thistle, and a red, white and blue umbrella. The Queen and Duke had seven major engagements. They made a late start when a 40-knot northerly, following heavy rain, forced the yacht to remain in the stream. The Royal couple landed by Royal barge, but only eight minutes behind schedule.

It was the first time on the tour that arrangements have had to be changed and the departure from the plan had Wellingtonians, both spectators and officials, on the run. The Britannia came into the harbour ait 8.30 a.m. The wind and sea prompted the decision to abandon the idea of berthing her ait Clyde quay. Nearby, waves were breaking over the Oriental Bay protecting wall. While the yacht was anchored in the harbour, the crowds that had gathered at the quay learned of the changed plans and began to run to Queen’s Wharf, led by the cavalcade of waiting cars. There, a harbour board lighter bad been fitted out to receive the barge which brought the Queen and Duke ashore. As the barge neared just after 10.15 a.m., the coasters around the wharf clanged their bells and a puffed crowd that had surged on to the decking behind hastily erected barriers began to cheer. Rush Job Minutes before, harbour board officials and Navy officers and their men had been working to ensure that the working barge to be used as the landing stage was all ship shape, if not dressed perfectly for a Royal landing. The gangway rigged from the working barge to the wharf was secured and a coir mat placed at the seaward end. This last touch drew cheers and applause from the crowd.

A harbour board man with some clean rags rubbed the handrails free of dirt and then stowed his rags under the gangway. The Queen was helped off the barge and the Royal party walked to the cars for the drive to the Town Hall to which the civic welcome had been transferred from the Basin Reserve. About 10,000 people lined the route. Later, on the drive to Athletic Park, the procession of cars turned into the Basin Reserve to allow elderly people, gathered there for the planned welcome, to see the visitors.

The Queen had chosen a fitting hat to suit Wellington’s gusty morning. The Duke carried his. She wore a dress and jacket in pink and white printed cloque taffeta, with a fitted, sleeveless bodice and bell-shaped skirt. Her jacket collar had revers finished with two buttons.

Her hat was in two shades of deep pink organza and her bag and shoes were very pale grey. To prepare the Town Hall, lighting equipment had to be rushed from Parliament Buildings and was installed only half an hour before the welcome began. When the Queen arrived, the hall, filled with more than 2000 people, was decorated with a mass of flowers—lilies, gladioli and begonias—and banks of foliage. Queen's Reply Replying to the welcome by Wellington’s Mayor. Mr F. J. Kitts, the Queen said that she and the Duke were ready to do everything within their power to sustain

the strength and unity of the Commonwealth. The strength and unity of the Commonwealth were of vital importance, she said. “Your affection, and that of all my peoples, is the greatest possible support to me, and their interests will always remain close to my heart,” the Queen said. Mr Kitts announced a £2OOO City Council fund for the purchase of books dealing with the Commonwealth to commemorate the Queen’s visit. The books would be placed in the Wellington Public Library, he said. Sports Rally Twelve thousand children later gave the Queen and the Duke a tremendous welcome to the Athletic Park sports rally. Both appeared to enjoy it immensely, but only after a quarter-hour wait for chairs on the dais. The oversight resulted from the earlier removal of the armchairs in case of rain. But it did not rain, and the Queen was wearing sunglasses as she watched the Royal mile event. The Queen and the Duke were met at the dais by the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent), who presented the chairman of the Wellington Education Board, Mr S. C. Hyndman, and other board officials. After the presentation of a bouquet to . the Queen by a young schoolgirl, the monster sports rally began. The home of Wellington Rugby was lined with trampolines and other gymnastic equipment as children went through gymnastic routines. A large black dog brought cheers from the crowd when it tried to get in on one of the trampoline acts. Athletic events began shortly after midday in sunny though gusty conditions. The Queen and the Duke appeared unperturbed as wind swept across the dais. Still Late They left Athletic Park in their closed Rolls-Royce 15 minutes behind schedule. Cheers greeted their arrival at Wellington Hospital where patients in dressing gowns craned from upper windows and crammed toe balconies. The Royal car drove slowly past the maternity annexe between rows of red-cloaked nurses.

The Queen was still eight minutes behind schedule when she reached Government House for an official luncheon.

This afternoon, tens of thousands braved strong winds and toe threat of rain to cheer the Royal visitors along a 15-mile drive to Taita, Hutt Valley. Crowds flocked to toe centre of the road, sometimes leaving only an eight-foot path for the cars.

A huge crowd welcomed toe Queen and Duke to a children’s rally at Fraser Park. Their Land Rover drive through the packed ranks of school pupils ended in an adjoining ground wito toe Golden Shears Royal invitation shearing competition.

This evening, toe Queen gave a cocktail party in toe Britannia for leading Wellington figures. Later, she and toe Duke watched night trotting in drizzling rain at toe Hutt Park raceway.