N.Z. PAVILION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 1, 1 July 1925, Page 7

N.Z. PAVILION

VISIT OEiTHE QUEEN

INQUIRY AFTER SOPHIA AND MAGGIE

(rtoii oo> own eeuieromiKi.) LONDON, 22nd May. The new WeraWey is scarcity thr«e^ weeks old, yet Queen Mary haa been there four times. Her interest is genuine, and her enthusiasm is unlimited. And neither i» yet eatiated, for Her Majesty remarked: -"I want to do Wembley well, and it requires «everal visits to do §o. I am glad I cam* today. The Exhibition is looking its best." ' When making some purchases at on* of tho pavilions Her Majesty said^: " 1 must sent presents from Wembley. There is an impression that before long, perhaps in the quiet of the ' evening, tbo Queen will make another tour of tho Dominions' pavilions. Would that evovy one in London possessed the same YESTERDAY'S BOUND Yesterday Her Majesty paid what is described as a " surprise " visit. As a waiter of fact, the Exhibition Commissioner* of the various Dominions were advised the night before by Lord Stovenspn of the Queen's intended visit, hut they were pledged not to divulge the news even to the members of their staffs, as the Queen was anxious to make her tour with the least possible publicity. ... Her Majesty arrived early m tho morning, attended by tho Lady Ampthill,, tho Lady Mary Trefusis, and, Mr. Hairy. Verney, and before luncheon she had been through the pavilions of Canncla, Australia, New Zealand, Malaya, und Southern Rhodesia. After luncheon :*t the Garden Club the visitors went on to Hong Kong, Ceylon, and South * At the time of the Queen's arrival the Exhibition grounds scemsd to bo full of Bchoolboya. The news that the Boyal visitor was there travelled fast and the cry "Tho Queen's here," was to be heard everywhere. Then the young enthusiasts scampered about in their keen search to find hor. A WONDERFUL MEMORY Mr. A. F. Roberts was at the New Zealand pavilion awaiting the arrival of tho visitors. Directly the Queen entered the main hall she was struck by its coo! and attractive appearance —the nika-u palms are progressing well and they make a fine avenue—and by tho effect of the scenic waterfall at. tho end of the, court, as well as by tbo dioramas of tho' four cities. Tho reality of Rotorua appealed at ottco to Queen Mary, awl she immediately recalled her own visit there nearly twenty-five years ago. The seething steam, the boiling mud, the fearsome geys«f, and the rcnlistic grouping of the Maoris about the various pools, reminded hor that when she was at Rotorua there were two well-known guides who conducted herself and the King—then, of course, the Duke of York—on their tour of the thermal district. "Let me see," Bhe said. "I think one was named Sophia, and wasn't the other one Maggie? . Answered in the affirmative by Mr. Roberts, the Queen inquired, "Are they still alive?" Passing round to' the panoramas showing Milford Sound, Mount Cook, Wanganui River, and the Southern Alps, the Queen inspected each one separately with the keenest interest. When she came to the one showing Milford Sound she remarked somewhat rcfrotfully : "I . am sorry I missed such splendid scenery, but, of course, it was the winter timo when we were there." Nothing escaped her notiea during the ientjre tour, and sho< kept up a flow of interesting conversation with Mr. Roberts. She asked him if tho Exhibition was assisting New Zealand from a trad* point of view, and she expressed the belief that from the educational point of view the British Empire Exhibition will have far-reaching effects. She had many questions to ask regarding tlie x;ses oi tho principal products of the Dominion. It was very evident that the brightness, the life and movement, and tijo artistic effects which are presented by tho pavilion from' every point of view pleased her greatly, and it is generally thought that this will not be the only visit which the Queen will pay to tho Court. _.- AN OFFICIAL LUNCHEON Mr. Roberts yesterday entertained at luncheon at tho New Zealand Pavilion «omo of the officials of tho British Em-j^-ro Exhibition. His guests were Lord and Lady Stevenson, Sir Travers and Lady Clarke, Colonel Liddell (Deputy Administrator), and Lady Liddell,. Sir Lawrettce and Lady Weaver, and Mr. Beckenham (Secretary of the Exhibition). New Zealanders invited to meet these guests were General Sir E. W. C. Chaytor and Lady Chaytor, Sir Frederick and Lady Chapman) Lady Allen, Mr. and Mrs. E. Horton, Mrs. Roberts, the Misses Reid, and Mr. A. Crabb. POINT HALSWELL : Melancholy interest attaches to Point Halswell, and people who after long absence from New Zealand have almost forgotten its location, are studying the diorama of Wellington at Wembley. Tho point is clearly indicated in the near foreground. Many visitors to the Exhibition ask to be ishowp the position of tho last resting-place of Mr. Massey. THE BUTTER CABINET The fourth side is not yet on view, but behind the glass, out of sight of the public, daily sits Mr. A. R. Fraser, the New Zealand sculptor. He has a pleat ant surprise for the public, whoso interest will recompense him for the ' cold which ho is enduring inside the cabinet. A peep behind the scenes last night showed Mr. Fraser to be engaged on a jnesentation—entirety in New Zealand butter, of course— of "Hey, diddle, diddle, tho cat and the fiddle" and "Tho Tea Party," with AHco and tho Mad 1 fatter. No doubt time will reveal New Sea-land butter to be the piece de resistance on Tenniel's famous table. At present a beautiful cat, playing a ■beautiful fiddle, is posed on a high block; tl.io' moon—a beautiful moon, with a "wink" in one eye—smiles a beautiful. Rinilo while the cmv jumps over the top ; the dish and the spoon are also in tho background. One looks forward with interest and pleasure to the completion of this section, and it is not difficult to picture the attraction which it will, prove—children of all ages like to see their old favourites, even if only presented in butter. Mr. Fraser's work is, of course, perfect in detail and design. The other three sides, as I have previously announced, consist respectively of (1) the New Zealand coat of arms, of large size; (2) the cow, the calf, the map of New Zealand, the Bailing .vessel, and the large cargo boat; (3) a big decorative basket with cherubs and fruit bringing good things from the land of plenty to tho Mother Country, set above a travelling platform upon which cartons of New Zealand butter for ever pass along in procession, liach section,

**'»Lao previously described, is divided from its neighbour by a drapery of black velvet. This background is most effective, intensifying, as it does, tho rich appearance of the butter. Much thoughtful work has been put into tho butter cabinet, and on* m»y safely say that Wembley has no better or more interesting display of dairy prod ace. ''AND SO SAY ALL OF US" Stand where yon will, go where you like, you have to admit that "New Zealwid has a jolly good show thiß year." And the visitor requires no outside aid to come to this conclusion. Upon each section and its arrangement the greatest care has been bestowed, high art has be«n called forth, and every detail has been well tried out. LITTLE ITEMS Each waitress in the New Zealand restaurant wears a silver fern leaf in the black velvet band that supports hc-v cap. Pots of growing grain look cool set a* a border to the artistic arrangement of cereals from the Dominion. The New Zealand weekly newspapers, in suitable covers of stiff brown linen, with gold lettering, are in the dub-room of the, Pavilion. People from the .Dominion always want to have home news. Away from the crowds, and always cool, the club-room is a very restful place, and the view from its windows is really •beautiful at this time of year. That the cinema is proving popular there is no doubt. During the first six days 18,900 people passed through the doors. Since the Exhibition opened the average has been about 3000 per day. Mr. F. Dykes, who is in charge, finds that the people are particularly interested in the industrial films, especiallly those featuring- the dairy, frozen meat, and honey enterprises. The scenic pictures, too, are greatly enjoyed.