Royal couple will spend only 20 hours in Chch

Press, 19 February 1983, Page 2

Royal couple will spend only 20 hours in Chch

PA Wellington Walkabouts and slow drives in spectator-crowded areas have been included in the itinerary .for the visit to New Zealand of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who will arrive in New Zealand with Prince William on April 17. The Royal couple will visit Auckland, ’ Wellington, Masterton. Wanganui, Gisborne, Tauranga, Dunedin, Christchurch, and Waitangi in the Bay of Islands before leaving New Zealand two weeks later on April 30. They will be based mainly at Government House but will spend two nights in Wellington and one in Christchurch.

On April ! 27 the Royal couple will attend a night trotting meeting at Addington Raceway, after flying from Dunedin about 5 p.m. At 10 a.m. on April 28 they will walk from Noahs Hotel to Cathedral Square and attend a flying display at Wigram airbase at 11.15 am. They will, leave for Auckland at 1.30 p:m. Announcing the detailed itinerary? yesterday, ; .the Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon,

said that it reflected the Royal couple's wish to spend as much time as possible "together as a family group”. This, with the home base in Auckland, had meant that it was impossible to include more centres or more functions in the programme, he said.

However, the Royal couple wanted to meet and see as many people as possible, and several walks among the people were scheduled. These were planned for Wellington, Wainuiomata, Upper Hutt, Wanganui, Tauranga, Dunedin, and Christchurch. There would also be slow drives through many other areas.

The couple’s first public engagement in Auckland will be at a big children’s gathering. and two school visits have been planned — the opening of new buildings at Otago Boys' High School, Dunedin and the opening of a Waterwise Boating Centre at Milford. School on Auckland's North Shore. '• The Prince and Princess of Wales will also visit the Kokiri Centre and Kohanga Reo at Wainuiomata and spend some time with Prince Edward at Wanganui Collegi-

ate School. A formal Maori welcome will be provided at the Poho-o-rawiri marae at Gisborne and the Prince of Wales will open the Waitangi Trust Board’s new visitors’ centre at Waitangi.

Formal occasions will include a State banquet at Parliament House and the farewell banquet at Auckland. In Welelington there will be a ball at Government House and a Prime Ministerial luncheon at Vogel House. On Anzac Day afternoon, the couple will be hosts at a garden party in Auckland. The Prince and Princess of Wales will attend most functions together but Prince Charles has two engagements on his own — an industrial visit in Auckland and a Royal Society of New Zealand function in Wellington. Prince Charles will also have the opportunity to play polo at Clevedon. South Auckland.

Other engagements include attending the Anzac Day service at the Auckland War Memorial and a gala performance of “Coppelia” by the New ■ Zealand Ballet Company, also in Auckland.