RURAL DRIVE AND TRIP TO SCHOOL

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30056, 14 February 1963, Page 14

RURAL DRIVE AND TRIP TO SCHOOL

Sunny Nelson Welcome To South Island

(From Our Own Reporter)

NELSON, February 13.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh today began their sixday visit to the South Island when they arrived in Nelson in the Britannia. While the Queen drove to Blenheim, the Duke paid a flying visit to Anakiwa.

This afternoon, at Picton, they 3mbarked for the 24-hour voyage in the yacht to Port Chalmers.

Looking just like a cruise ship, with signal flags fluttering through her rigging, the Britannia added still more colour to Nelson’s holiday scene when she steamed slowly into the roadstead this morning.

When she and her escort, H.M.N.Z.S. Otago, had swung around alongside the boulder bank, the Royal barge was sent away and came skimming into a harbour sprinkled with little boats.

Thousands of Nelsonians thronged the hills overlooking the harbour to watch the yacht arrive. Their intention was to drive to Trafalgar Park, as soon as the Britannia dropped anchor, to get a close view of the Royal visitors at the public reception.

Their hopes were dashed. They found all roads to the park blocked.

Nevertheless, a crowd estimated at 10,000 assembled at the park, including 5000 school children, many of whom broke rank and jogged behind the open car slowly driving the Queen and Duke along the aisles. Quite a small crowd was waiting in the warm morning sunlight at McGlashen quay when the barge, flanked by little motor-boat outriders, swung into sight around the main wharf at a fast clip. As the little convoy ran up to the quay through the welcoming lane of small boats, the Duke waved his brown hat cheerily at the crowded launches.

Ships in the harbour were dressed to the mizzen masts in their best bunting, and along the edge of the quay was a smart line of 60 Sea Scouts with their terrier mascot named Pooch. The Queen and the Duke held a last-minute serious consultation before the barge drew alongside. Six senior Sea Scouts piped them ashore. Photographers crowded around, almost blocking the crowd’s view, when the Royal couple walked up the on to the quay.

Cries of “Get out of it,” “Go on, move,” and “bludgers” failed to disperse them, but then the Queen and the Duke walked out of the group with the Minister of Internal

Affairs (Mr Gotz), the Nelson Harbour Board chairman (Mr G. R. McKellar), and the board’s managing secretary (Mr W. H. Parr). After a short pause to watch the Sea Scouts salute, the Queen and Duke drove off in their roofless car, paced for the first 50 yards or so by two small but determined boys. The route from McGlashen quay to Trafalgar Park was lined with ardent cheerers and flagwavers, giving the Royal ’ visitors their first indication that Nelson and Marlborough had declared an unofficial holiday to welcome them. The welcome reached a climax at the reception when a small girl presented the Queen with flowers. After an address of welcome by the Mayor of Nelson (Mr D. N. Strawbridge) the visitors were entertained by a programme of simultaneous events With their heads turning from side to side, the Queen and the Duke appeared to thoroughly enjoy a dizzying display of wood chopping by the Nelson-Marlborough Axemen’s Association, with Y.M.C.A. gymnasts and a girls’ marching team performing at the same time. The Duke applauded the jigger - chop with obvious enthusiasm.

In her reply to the Mayor of Nelson’s Loyal Address, the Queen said: “The warm and inspiring welcome which we have received here today is ample proof of the sentiments expressed in your address. “It is a very great pleasure to be in this part of New Zealand again and, before too long, our children will also be able to see for themselves this prosperous and happy country. “The noble name which this

city so proudly and worthily bears is one which is familiar to all Britons and will always live in British history because Of the freedom Lord Nelson secured for her people. "Nelson was far more than just a successful naval commander. He was a great leader of men, devoted to their welfare, loved for his humanity and a shining example to us all. “With his name as an inspiration, I am quite confident that the future will bring you all increasing satisfaction and progress.” After the Queen had replied to the address of welcome, the Mayor announced that her visit would be commemorated by the establishment of the Queen Elisabeth Essay Fund. An annual prize from this fund will be contested by secondary school children in the Nelson district.

On the drive through, the streets of Nelson to the. Hotel Nelson for morning tea, the Royal visitors passed through a lane of cheering people who packed both sides of the roads.

Dressed in shorts and sunfrocks, and looking bronzed and healthy they gave the Queen and the Duke a gay, informal welcome.

In the massed crowd at the entrance to the hotel, were three women who had been cheerfuly waiting in the sun since 5 a.m. Two were nurses who had an eighthour duty ahead of them at the Nelson Hospital.

Their record was beaten, however, by a family of four who arrived at Trafalgar Park with sandwiches for sustenance at 4.30 a.m.

To see the Queen leave Nelson for Blenheim, crowds lined the streets to well beyond the outskirts of the city.