Fervent throngs for Royalty

Press, 25 February 1977, Page 1

Fervent throngs for Royalty

PA Napier Enthusiasm and Royal fervour reached a peak yesterday as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travelled sojuth. In Rotorua, people hung out of trees, lined the roads, and packed the lakefront reserve. In Tauranga, they came in their thousands to the airport to make the most of the brief Royal visit In Hastings, at sunset, they packed the Tomoana show'grounds and in Manukau, in the morning, the eager crowds which farewelled the Royal couple from Auckland delayed

the Queen’s tight schedule nearly 20 minutes.

The police were reluctant to put a number to the size of the crowds that gathered everywhere the Queen and the Duke went — but there was no doubt that there w’ere thousands at each stop.

The highlight of the day came as the Royal couple walked amongst the thousands of people crammed into Rotorua’s lakefront reserve.

After dining on trout at a civic lunch, the Queen and the Duke were visibly thrilled by the warmth of their reception, and appeared relaxed as they

moved along a predetermined route unhampered by an exceptionally wellbehaved crowd. Children climbed the trees for a better view, and clapped and whistled shrilly as the Queen approached, and adults and children alike gave her a tumultuous welcome.

Standing almost unnoticed amongst the crowd was Dame Ruth Kirk, the widow of the late Prime Minister. She spoke briefly to the Queen. As usual, the Duke was a great favourite with the ladies.

To a chorus of “Hi Duke”, and “Ooh, isnt’ he

gorgeous”, he stopped and chatted frequently as he walked casually along, usually many yards behind the Queen. At the end of their walk, the Royal couple laughed at the haka, poi dancing, and stick games performed by Maori and pakeha children from the city’s primary schools, before they left again for the airport.

Tour officials were worried about the weather in Hawke’s Bay, where Napier Airport had at one stage been marginal for landings. But by the time the Queen arrived, the rain had stopped and the clouds were clearing.

After rejoining the Britannia, the Queen changed from the moss green linen dress and jacket with white silk inner pleats, and dressed more warmly with an off-white linen coat and matching hat for the evening function at Hastings’ Tomoana showgrounds. At the grounds, 3000 people packed the main stand while the main arena was a blaze of activity. Marching girls in formation spelled out the word “jubilee”, while woodchoppers, karate exponents, pony-club members, Scottish country dancers, surf life-savers, and more went through their activities.