DUNEDIN LETS ITSELF GO

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30057, 15 February 1963, Page 10

DUNEDIN LETS ITSELF GO

Tour’s Most Stirring Reception (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, February 14. Roused by bagpipes and drums, Dunedin today threw off its normal inhibitions and gave the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh their most stirring New Zealand welcome. In scenes reminiscent of the 1954 Royal visit three thousand people chanted “We want the Queen” for 20 minutes before her departure from her hotel for a variety show. A horde of excited school children bowled over a constable and hundreds of people swarmed under a barricade.

Policemen and soldiers linked arms to hold back 5000 outside the Dunedin Town Hall and a police officer dragged boys by their collars away from the Royal car.

The welcome was all cheering—lustier than anything the Royal couple encountered in the North Island.

It began when the Queen and Prince Philip stepped ashore at Port Chalmers in misty weather. It continued in sunshine on the nine-mile drive into Dunedin to a civic welcome and to the Royal Hotel.

The welcome reached a climax tonight on a ceremonial drive from the Exchange to the Town Hall for the variety concert.

The Queen, in pink chiffon and diamonds, returned her most dazzling smiles. It was one of the first occasions of the tour on which a crowd has been able to let itself go. In each other town the Queen has lived in the Royal yacht Britannia, generally with the wharf barricaded to the public. Thousands gathered before the Grand Hotel in the Exchange long before the Queen was due to leave at 9 pm. With 20 minutes to go, they began chanting, whistling and cheering. By 9 o'clock the atmosphere was tense. To cheers and cries of delight the Queen appeared briefly on the balcony. Applause continued unabated

until she entered her car, then burst louder as she and the Duke drove off. When the visitors arrived from Port Chalmers five minutes early, 4000 people cheered the Royal car around the Octagon to the Municipal Chambers. Within minutes, the numbers had doubled, as excited men, women and children raced to fresh vantage points on the route. One boy sat on the head of Dunedin’s statue of Robert Burns. Scores packed the main steps to St. Paul’s Cathedral There was a fresh roar from the crowd as the Queen stepped from the limousine and gave a tiny wave. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) presented the

Mayor, Mr T. K. S. Sidey, Mrs Sidey, and the Town Clerk, Mr C. Lucas. They entered the building and immediately took the lift to the first floor. There was an expectant hush as the crowd watched the beribboned balcony. They began shouting as two pipers appeared, and cheered approval as the Queen and Prince Philip appeared with the official party. A three-year-old granddaughter of the Mayor, Marie Ann Sidey, presented a bouquet. Mr Sidey said the city looked forward to the time the entire Royal Family could visit Dunedin. He hoped the Royal children could visit the back-country of New Zealand, to enjoy fishing, swimming and recreation as New Zealand children did. Work For Commonwealth

Mr Sidey also praised the “tremendous” work which the Duke of Edinburgh was doing on the Queen’s behalf for the welflare of the Commonwealth.

Replying, the Queen said She and the Duke looked forward to renewing acquaintance with a city and province with such dose Scottish ties.

Mr Sidey announced a fund to complete a Y.W.C.A. hostel to commemorate the Royal visit. He said the Dunedin and Invercargill City Councils, southern local bodies, private individuals and firms were contributing to it.

The 15-nMnute public welcome was the shortest of the tour. In the cool southern air, the Queen chose to remain in her closed Rolls-Royce for the half-mile drive to her hotel.

Waving, clapping and cheering continued as the black motorcade wound around the northern end of the Octagon. People stood six and seven deep there. Those at the back braced themselves on the shoulders of those in front to leap up for a fleeting glimpse of the relaxed, smiling Royal couple. Wait At Hotel A few clambered into the lower branches of plane trees. Others hung from windows or clung dangerously to the edge of shop verandas. Princes street was gay with hundreds of boxes of flowers. Hundreds of people ran down Princes street to join others at the hotel. Within five minutes there were about 4000 people outside the hotel Above the sound of the pipe band they began chantting: “We want the Queen.” After the departure for the variety show, 500 people remained to see the Queen’s next appearance more than two hours later.