Queen at first celebration of N.Z. Day

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33453, 7 February 1974, Page 1

Queen at first celebration of N.Z. Day

(Xcw Zealand Frp.ss Association) WAITANGI, February 6. An estimated 20,000 people were at the Waitangi Treaty House grounds tonight to celebrate the first New Zealand Day, in the presence of the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

For more than two hours they viewed an extravaganza involving some 750 performers, depicting New Zealand’s history and i the people which make the nation. The pageant, , entitled “Aotearoa” was devised and directed by Richard Johnstone. , Earlier the Queen had. |been given another sort of 'welcome—from 150 warriors; and paddlers on the Nga Toki iMatawhaorua canoe. ■ ■ The canoe, which entered ;(he water recently for the; ‘first time since the 1940' ■centenary. escorted the' ■Queen's Royal Barge to the • Waitangi Jetty. Mr Kirk and Mr Rata were also on board (the canoe. l ire crackers And in yer another kind of welcome, fire crackers and; jeering greeted the Queen j when she arrived at the; Treaty House grounds. The Queen and other mem-; hers of the Royal Family hadi!

To walk past several large placards protesting about alienation of Maori land and her visit to New Zealand. As the Queen’s car pulled ' up at the entrance of the I grounds two fire crackers • were thrown on to the path along which she was to walk and shouts of "Go home” broke out. Police moved toi wards the group of about 20 idemonstrators but took no (action. The Queen had reached the.; Bay of Islands in the Royal' Yacht Britannia about 5 p.m.l after a leisurely trip from; Whangarei overnight. The' Royal party spent some time, ashore in a secluded coastal spot swimming and picnicing.; Queen Elizabeth, I he Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles,; Princess Anne and Captain: Mark Phillips carpe ashore at the Waitangi Jetty shortly' (before 6 p.m. and drove to: • the Treaty House grounds. ; As the Queen moved on; >to the Waitangi National; Marae she was challenged; three times by warriors from j

e the Tai Tokerau district, t; representing the five Jjnorthern-most tribes. After each challenge a i dart was thrown to the si ground in front of the CQueen. After the third dart 11 was thrown the Queen ; i indicated her acceptance of ’ the challenges by asking Mr • Rata to pick up the darts for '■her. > He did so and Mr Rata commanded the Queen’s New ; Zealand equerry, Lieutenant I Commander Kevin Wilson, to • chase the last challenger, i . back to the ranks of the wel-i ‘(coming party. ■ The performance at this I first. New Zealand Day cele- .; bration ran like clockwork ! and the crowd was kept fully .(entertained and amused. i: Royal laughter i The official dais at times practically rocked with i‘Royal laughter as the I (history of New Zealand unI folded in a most amusing; (way. Most laughter came at the antics of a "moa” which ‘strained to lay a gigantic (egg. The proceedings ended in embarrassment for the Navy.; (The New Zealand flag being, .hoisted at the treaty flagpole; stuck and the yeoman had, great difficulty in getting it : moving. He finally gave up ; when the flag got about • three-quarters of the way up. The grounds were in dark-1 mess, apart from the spotlit; 1 flagpole, and as the Royal.J (Guard ended a Generali' (Salute the Britannia and the J three naval vessels at anchor!* ‘became floodlit. The Queen and her party,! including Mr Kirk and Mrsl s (Kirk, left for the Britannia'; 1 about 8.30 p.m. and an over-' 1 (night voyage to Auckland. 1