Queen's Tour Begins Today

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32235, 2 March 1970, Page 22

Queen's Tour Begins Today

(A'.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, February 28. The Queen will begin her twomonth visit to the farthest-flung members of the British Commonwealth on Monday in a tour which will be climaxed by celebrations in Australia honouring Captain James Cook.

While the Royal yacht Britannia steams ahead along sea routes charted by Captain Cook 2011 years ago, the Queen will fly to Ottawa, Vancouver, Honolulu, Fiji and Tonga before her arrival in Wellington on March 12. The Canadian Prime Minister (Mr Trudeau) will, meet the Queen during her[ 45-minute stop in Ottawa. She is to be joined at Vancouver by Prince Philip, who is at present on a private polo-playing visit to Mexico. After a brief refuelling stop at Honolulu, the Queen will cross the international dateline on Tuesday for a two-day visit to Fiji, where she will board the Royal yacht. On Saturday the Britannia will drop anchor for the day at Tonga, where the Royal party will be shown Captain Cook’s landing place. On Thursday, March 12, after four days at sea, the Queen will arrive at Wellington, where official engagements will start in earnest. The highlights of the Royal party's 17-day visit to New Zealand will include the unveiling of the Captain Cook memorial at Wellington, a pageant commemorating Cook's arrival, and the opening by the Queen of the New Zealand Parliament. Prince Charles will join the Royal Family on March 12 and will remain with them until April 8. He will visit Expo 70 in Japan before returning to start the summer term at Cambridge University. The Royal Family will arrive in Australia on March 20, and on the next day the two Princes will play polo; before the Queen and Prin-i cess Anne at the Sydney Royal Agricultural Society show ground. Arrangements have been made for Prince Charles to make a sentimental return to Geelong Grammar Schoofs outback classrooms at Timbertop. where he studied during 1966. Princess Anne will make many visits to children’s hospitals, schools, charities, youth councils and social groups.

This will be the Queen's third visit to Australia since her coronation in 1933. She will watch apple picking in Tasmania, attend State banquets, and address the Australian people over radio and television. She will receive the Prime Minister (Mr Gorton), watch soccer, and present Australia with an eight-foot model of Captain Cook's ship Endeavour—the British Government’s gift commemorating the bicentenary of his trip.