AVIARY IN GARDENS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30059, 18 February 1963, Page 13

AVIARY IN GARDENS

Suggestion By Duke The Duke of Edinburgh suggested during the Royal visit to the Botanic Gardens yesterday that a huge, walkin aviary, with trees growing in it, would be a great attraction. "The Duke is keen on birds, and was most interested in the New Zealand native trees and bird life in our bush,” said the chairman of the city council reserves committee (Cr. P. J. Skellerup). “He suggested that an aviary made as naturally as possible among the trees would look fitting, and would enable visitors to see the birds in a natural setting,” Cr. Skellerup said. He said that the suggestion would be discussed by the reserves committee. Not Rhubarb Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh remarked on a plant outside their afternoon tea marquee in the Botanic Gardens, saying it resemibled overgrown rhubarb. They were tofld ft was Gunner® manddhata, coming from Brazil and Chile, and that a smaller variety was growing at Arthur’s Paes. From Above

An empty lemonade bottle crashed from toe top tier of toe public stand ait Ritocarton. It shattered on the concrete terrace, where crowds were about eight deep. Shortly before toe Queen arrived an ice-cream dropped from toe same place ended as a liquid mess in her pathway. A policeman was loudly cheered as he mopped it up just in time. Job Well Done

Two men shook hands when 25,000 school children had left ‘Lancaster Park. They were Mr G. C. Dawe, chief clerk of the Education Board, who organised the children’s part, and Mr A W. Savage, assistant traffic manager of the Transport Board, who supervised the city transport. “It went like clockwork,” they said. Low Bridge Ahead “Duck” called the Duke of Edinburgh to the Queen as they drove out of Lancaster Park. They were still standing in the Landrover and the overhead walkaway between No. 1 stand and the embankment seemed lower to them than it was. They ducked. “Missed it,” he said with satisfaction. Double Blessing A Christchurch bride and groom had a standing ovation when they passed along Harper avenue about an hour before the Royal visitors were due. The crowds lining both sides of the road cheered them heartily and called out "God Bless you both."

Flights Cancelled Because no suitable alternative airfields were available, all flights into Christchurch airport after 8 o’clock last evening were cancelled Five flights, involving Fokkei Friendship and DC3 aircraft from Wellington and Paraparaumu, were affected.