THE ROYAL TOUR

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 51, 28 August 1920, Page 5

THE ROYAL TOUR

ARRIVAL AT SAMOA

FULL NATIVE CEREMONIAL

(B.IITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPIRIMT.)

H.M.S. RENOWN (via Suva Radio), 25th August.

After a fair weather passage from Suva, the Renown arrived off Apia-, Samoa, and anchored this morning two miles from the shore. It was intended that the Prince of Wales should land in a native boat, but owing to the rough sea prevailing" this was found to be impracticable. The Prince assordingly landed in the launch of. the Administrator, Colonel R. W. Tats, C.8.E., who went out to make an official call. The Prince when proceeding to the shore was escorted by many native boats, with lorty flower-adorned rowers apiece. At the jetty the- Prince was received by leading officials and British and New Zealand residents, also by a large and picturesque concourse of natives. Addresses were presented and a procession was then formed of motor cars, which proceeded to Mulinau Point, where the Prince was entertained at a native banquet. This was. followed by a function called the Royal Kava, in which the Prince was seated in a kafy pavilion surrounded by lofty palms, where he received the homage of the assembled chiefs and drank a cup of kava whjch was brewed with impressive ceremonies. Exhibitions of native industries, including the making of fcappa cloth from bark, and baskets and jewellery, were inspected. The Prince motoved to Vailitna, the J'ormer Samoan home of R-. L. Stevenson. Vailima during the German occupation was the official residence of the German Governor, and is now the residence of the Administrator appointed by the New Zealand Government, which was given the mandate over Samoa./

The Prince re-embarked on the, Renown in the evening, and the warship immediately sailed for Honolulu.