Royal Tour STUDENT PRANKS AT MASSEY UNIVERSITY

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32252, 21 March 1970, Page 1

Royal Tour STUDENT PRANKS AT MASSEY UNIVERSITY

(New Zealand Press Association/

WELLINGTON, March 20;

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh came in for some good-hearted student pranks when they visited Massey University, Palmerston Nbrth, today. As the Royal couple left the student centre they were confronted with the university’s own “rulers,” “Lord and Lady Massey,” who ceded sovereignty of the establishment to the Queen.

A student, Don Bishop, “Lord Massey,” reminded the Queen that a similar ceremony took place in New Zealand 130 years ago (Waitangi) at which Queen Victoria was unable to be present. . . >

He said he hoped that ' as the Queen was pre-! sent at today’s session the “natives” of Massey l University would be allowed continued enjoyment of the facilities.! “Lord Massey,” dressed in a student prince-type uni-; form, then handed the Queen a scroll ceding Massey to; her. The Queen, obviously I amused by the episode, I smiled and said: “Thank you very much." The document accepted by the Queen read: “We, the mature population of Massey University, hereby cede to Her Majesty, Elizabeth 11, by the grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland and her Do-! minions beyond the sea with- 1 out reservations, all rights s an/ powers of sovereignty' over the buildings and' grounds of Massey University. “We know that Her Majesty; will in turn confirm and guarantee to us continued; and uninterrupted enjoyment 1 ! of our just rights and pro-i perty.” Cheerful Scramble i In a cheerful scramble students thronged round the Royal party as they toured the university. The Minister of Internal: Affairs (Mr Seath), who accompanied the Queen and Duke to the university, said

;ihe-was delighted at the enthusiasm shown by the ’ I students. I; Only one group failed to react to the Royal visitors. ~ About 10 students dressed as “hippies” remained seated as the Royal couple passed and .(pretended to be unaware of their presence. 1 : More pranks came when the ■'Duke of Edinburgh visited ' the veterinary faculty As ' he walked through a room containing dogs he came ■across a student crammed .(into a cage, barking furi- ' ously. Then in a washroom was ’ another student in a dogbath ' having a foam bath. Main Square While the Duke was in the veterinary block the Queen (was at the climate laboratory, 'plant physiology division of the D.S.I.R. Laughter and jokes seemed to be the keynote of the two-hour visit to Palmerston I North. It looked as though : the whole of Palmerston North and surrounding counties had turned out to I I welcome the Royal couple. The main square was a mass ■ of people as the Queen and; 'Prince Philip left the car in! which they had driven the! last half-mile from the air-| port Maori's Part And as in other tours, the! inevitable irrepressible Maori! had to shake Prince Philip’s l i hand. 1

Today it was Mahi Tuka-l pua, of the Palmerston North Teachers' College. Performing on a dais in the square with a company singing Maori action songs, Mahi leapt from the stage, raced up to the Duke, said: “Hey, I want to shake your hand,” shook it, and raced back even quicker giggling to everyone: “Gee, I’ve wanted to do that for ages.” From the square the motorcade drove to the local sportsground. and the Queen and Prince Philip passed up and down the ranks of 10.000 cheering schoolchildren from many parts of the Manawatu. Civic Luncheon The Royal couple had first! gone to New Plymouth for a three-hour visit which marked the start of their 10-day tour of the North Island. They were at a civic luncheon at

•■the airport with 200 specii ally invited guests. The visit to New Plymouth i included a variety perfor- ’ mance by schoolchildren tn , the “Bowl of Brooklands”— . a natural grass-banked amphitheatre—a ceremonial drive • and the civic luncheon. I ' Two Hercules The Royal Friendship was forced to use the grass runway as it took off for Palmerston North : Earlier, two Hercules took , off in clouds of dust as they ( carried the Royal Rolls-Royce and Daimler and the open utility vehicle to Palmerston North for the Royal couple this afternoon. ■I The Queen and Prince ' Philip returned to Wellington . tonight for an evening free ■of engagements. They will t fly to Napier tomorrow.