N.I. WELCOME WINDY

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31043, 26 April 1966, Page 1

N.I. WELCOME WINDY

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 25.. Windy Wellington lived up to its reputation this morning when the Queen Mother arrived in the flag-decked Royal yacht Britannia to face driving rain and gusts up to 50 miles an hour. But although rain cut visibility and the wind drove umbrellas inside out, Wellington residents turned out in force. Cars lined Oriental Parade and filled vantage points on Mount Victoria overlooking the harbour as the Royal yacht was piloted to her berth at the new Clyde Quay overseas terminal. Ships’ sirens hooted and car horns blared as the Britannia moored at 10 a.m. Local yachtsmen—forbidden to provide a small boat escort as. the Royal yacht arrived—decked out some of the yachts in the nearby yacht harbour with bunting and flags. One youth in an outboarddriven dinghy hovered at the entrance to the yacht harbour ■—but did not venture out because of high seas. The Queen Mother stepped ashore 50 minutes later wear-

ing a dress and coat of Parma violet shantung and a hat of tulle and violets to be met by the chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board (Mr E. R. Toop) and the board’s general manager (Mr H. Meachen). Five minutes later she left the terminal by car to the cheers of a crowd of 500 to lay a wreath at the National War Memorial to mark Anzac Day. Flag-waving crowds braved the rain and wind to stand two and three deep along the mile route. The Royal car drove slowly to the memorial where the Queen Mother was met by the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake), the Mayor of Wellington (Sir Francis Kitts), the president of Wellington Returned Services’ Association (Mr A. A. Gerrie) and the Dominion president of the R.S.A. (Mr H. Mitchell). The rain held off for her arrival and she waved to cheering crowds and ranks of former servicemen massed round the memorial as she mounted the steps through a guard of Girl Guides to the memorial dais. The Chief Justice (Sir Richard Wild), and the Rev. A. W. Sutton, chairman of the Wellington branch. National Council of Churches, were introduced to the Queen Mother by the Mayor. More Rain Soon after the Anzac Day commemoration service began, rain fell heavily again and winds drove it with force across the exposed dais. The Queen Mother put on a elastic raincoat and used an umbrella to shield herself during the service. Later, the official party moved into the Hall of Memories beneath the carillion where the Queen Mother laid a wreath-of poppies and pink roses before a symbolic statuary group. A card attached to the wreath with the Queen’s handwriting read: “In proud remembrance. Elizabeth R.”

After the service, the Queen Mother walked over to the ranks of returned servicemen and spoke to several. She spent three minutes talking with a handful of Gallipoli veterans, including Miss Mary O’Connor, of Wellington, a former nurse who served aboard a hospital ship off Gallipoli. The Queen Mother renewed acquaintance with a former serviceman she met in London two years ago. He is Captain W. P. Tahiwi, who served in Gallipoli, France and Belgium and commanded an Anzac unit which attended a service in Westminster Abbey two years ago. Station Visit

In spite of heavy showers, the Queen Mother visited a hill country sheep station at Ohariu valley, 13 miles from Wellington, this afternoon. She was driven from the Britannia to the 2800-acre “Papanui" station, owned by Mr R. J. Eastwick. The property carries 7000 Romney sheep and 400 Aberdeen Angus catt.le. A Roval tour official said later: “The Queen Mother decided to go at the last minute.”