INSPIRING SCENE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 55, 7 March 1927, Page 12

INSPIRING SCENE

THE CIVIC RECEPTION

ENTHUSIASM AT TOWN HALL

DEMONSTRATIOK OP LOYALTY

'■ .The: civic reception to Their Eoyal ■ Highnesses this morning ■ provided scenes of spontaneous enthusiasm, and excitement such as had not been seen in tho Town ■Hall since the equally memorable visit of the Prince of Wales seven years: ago. Tho citizens endorsed the .sentiments expressed in the civic address, and by the Mayor in . his subsequent speech, with frequent bursts of applause occasionally mingled with cheers. In:..anticipation of this first public function of the visit to Wellington • many people bestirred themselves early in order to be sure of good seats. At 7. o'clock, four hours before tho time for the arrival of the Duke and Dueheas, a number of people took up their stand outside the Town Hall, and this little ■ group was soon reinforced by others until by 10 o'clock the seating- accommodation on the floor of the hall,;for which no invitations were is-■ued,',-w,ag almost filled. Holders of in-

in tho centre of the platform was draped with the Union Jack, -and bore the handsome Maori carved casket contain the Address to tho Royal visitors. Above tho platform, surrounded by flags, a largo suspended banner bearing the city coat of arms proclaimed a silent "Welcome from the Citizens of Wellington."

ROYAL PARTY ENTERS

Before the arrival of the Duko and Duchess voluntaries were played on the grand organ by tho City Organist (Mr. Bernard Page) and as the expectancy increased towards 11 o'clock tho rousing influenco of the music intensified tho general '• excitement. Twice the tension was relieved by people near the side entrance rising from their seats. This was, of course, taken as an indication that the Royal couple was about to cuter, and the assembly roso to its feet, to subside again amidst laughter whoii it was realised that it wag a false alarm. /

At two minutes before 11 o'clock there' was a spontaneous movement in the middle of the hall which no longer left any doubt- that the Duke and Duchess had arrived, :.nd the assembly rose as a body to join'in the singing of the. opening bars of tho National Anthem, which pealed forth from the organ. This was followed by prolonged cheering and applause as the Duchess, escorted by the Mayor (Mr. C. J. B. Norwood), the Duke (in naval uniform) with the Mayoress, tho Prime Minister (the Eight Hon. J. G. Coatcs) and Mrs. Coates, and the Royal entourage slowly passed up the carpeted aisle in the centre.of the hall to the platform. There was a great ovation as the Duke and Duress reached their places, and the Duchess beamod to all parts of the hall her natural response to this unconstrained enthusiasm—the expressive smile that has worked its charm wherever she has been. The Duke was seated on the Mayor's right hand, and the Duchess on his left. The Mayoress, the Countess of Cavan (first lady in waiting to the Duchess), Mrs. Coates, the Earl of Cavan (the Duke's Chief of gtaff), and the Prime Minister occupied places in the front row. Other members of the Eoyal suite, including the Hon. Mrs. John Little-Gilmour (lady in waiting), Mr. H. F. Batterbee, C.M.G., C.V.O. (of the Dominions Office political secretary), Mr. P. X; Hodgson C.M.G., 0.8. E. (private secretary)' Major T. E. G. Nugent, M.C., and Lieut.-Commander Colin Buist, E.N (equerries), Surgeon-Commander He' White, M.V.0., 0.8. E., M.8., F.R.C.S," (medical,adviser), and Captain E. "p" O. Boyle (military secretary to His Excellency the Governor-General), were seated behind. THE CIVIC ADDRESS. After, a pause of about a mlnfete, the Mayor rose and read the text of the Address, which he extracted from the casket in front of him. The address was as follows:— TO THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES,— We, His Majesty's r.;:st dutiful and loyal subjects, the Mayor, Councillors and Citizens of Wellington, for and on behalf of the people of the City and District of Wellington, have the honour to offer to your Royal Highnesses a very hearty welcome to the Capital of the Dominion of New Zealand and to the Wellington District. Geographically the remotest of His Majesty's Dominions, New Zealand claims to be second to none in its loyalty to the Crown and its attachment to. the Empire. By its por-

petual reminder of our dependence on sea .power, our distance from 'the heart of the Empire may even "be said to have strengthened rather than weakened the ties of blood and sentiment, of common ideals and common interests, which bisd us to the Old Land. Our obligations to the British Navy and the supreme importance of maintaining at all costs our connection with the Empire have been further impressed upon us in the school of the Great War. The Dominion has no vision and no hope of a destiny except as a member of the great Empire to which it is proud to belong.

The effects of the development which, during the last two generations has transformed the Crown into a great and indispensable instrument of Empire, have been fully felt in New Zealand. As a Power secure from all the changes of politics and all the influences of party, the Crown has become to New Zealand, as to other parts of the Kingdom's Dominions, the symbol and the guarantee of Imperial unity: "One Crown, one Flag, one Empire" is the Imperial faith which New Zealand has never wavered.

The visit' paid us by your Eoyal parents as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York is, after the lapse or more than twenty-five years, still fresh in the public mind. The impression made by your brotller, His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, when he visited us in 1920, will not soon be forgotten. And we are convinced that the present visit of Your Soyal Highnesses will further strengthen the powerful hold which the House of Windsor already has on the loyalty and the affection of our people.

In conclusion, we trust that Your Eoyal Highnesses' visit to our Bominion may be in all respects a happy one; that you may carry ay/ay with you memories as pleasant as those which you will leave behind; and that tney will include an abiding sense of the loyalty to the Throne and Person of His Majesty the King

Brief interruptions wove caused as the Mayor read the address by outbursts ot applause at places where reference was made to the loyalty of the citizens to the Crown. This was renewed with doubled enthusiasm at the mention of the Prince of Wales. There was.a further demonstration as the Mayor concluded. "May I, on behalf of the people of Wellington," ho added, turning to the Duke, "present this address to Your Royal Highness as a token of .our regard and an indication of our loyalty." (Applause.)

"A GREAT HONOUR."

The' Mayor then called upon the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. M. Cohen) to come forward and present an address of loyalty and welcome on. behalf of the port, authority, after which Mr. -Norwood again briefly addressed the Koyal visitors and the gathering as follows:— "Your Royal Highnesses, Ladies and Gentleman,—Before His Boyal Highness honours us with his reply, I would dike to assure Their Royal Highnesses that we, as a people, are deeply sensible to the great honour conferred upon us to-day. (Applause.) Their Royal Highnesses have' travelled far at much personal sacrifice iii order that they may meet their own people in distant" lands, to know them and be known to them. (Applause.) When His Most Gracious Majesty the King announced Ins willingness that this great Royal tour should be undertaken, and that New Zealand should- be included- in the itinerary, the glad news was received with joy from end to end of New Zealand, and in this Wellington was not the least enthusiastic. (Applause.) "That His Majesty was willing to sanction this great tour, well knowing the personal sacrifice entailed, was only another of the many evidences of our King's great unselfish devotion to his Empire and people, and in this devotion we must.includo our most gracious and beloved Queen Mary; whose life and character have made' Her Majesty a pattern for imitation by the womanhood of our nation. (Applause.) "In conclusion, His Royal Highness will, I feel sure, pardon mo for saying on behalf of the many Scottish citizens of our ' community—(applause)—that they arc thrilled, even to a feeling of .triumph, that the revered house of Stratlunore is represented in tho charming personality of Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of York. (Loud cheers and applause.) In requesting tho honour of Your Royal Highness's reply, may I say I have endeavoured in these few simple words to interpret tho feelings and gratitude of my people for your visit to this city."

THE DUKE'S SPEECH.

When His Koy.il Highness rose to reply there was a wonderful scene of enthusiasm. • Tho vast audienco lot itself go in a tempest of cheers and applause, which was so sustained that it was some minutes beforo the Duko could begin his. reply. His Royal Highness, speaking deliberately and very slowly, and with pauses which served to give emphasis to his remarks, said: — Mr. Mayor, Ladies, and Gentlemen, — The Duchess and I warmly thank you, the councillors, and. the citizens and people of Wellington for the address which you have just read to us. We much appreciate the sentiments of loyalty to the Crown which you have expressed, and I will not fail to bring them to the notice of His Majesty the King. (Applause.) Wo have ourselves „ been deeply touched by the wonderful welcome we have received in the Dominion's capital, which is the culmination of the kindness which has been everywhere shown us during our tour through the North Island. (Applanse.) Now that that part of our journey is over I would like to take this opportunity of saying how much wo have enjoyed it and how grateful we feel for all that has been done for us. (Applause.) We ourselves have been 1 trying dur-" 1 ing the last few weeks to strengthen the bonds which hold together the .British Empire. (Applause.) ..That Empire is the great common heritage for us all. (Applause!) It embodies the ideals of truth, freedom, and justice—those ideals for which many of your men and women gave their lives in the Great War. (Applause.) There is no more glorious page in the history of New Zealand than the story of devotion and heroism of the Now Zealand Forces—(applause)—and now that peace prevails once more let us see to it that the lessons taught us in those dark days are learned by our children—(applause)— for it is upon the rising generation that tho future of this country depends, and, so long as Anzac Day, with all that it stands for, is kept alive in their hearts, so !■ long as they follow the high example set by the brave pioneers of old, this Dominion cannot fail to hold the place that she has won for herself in the front rank of the nations of the world. (Applause.) As you are aware, this is our first visit to Wellington, and it is not one that we shall readily forget. (Appfause.) My father arid mother and brother—(loud applause)—have told us of the delightful time that they spent here. We are experiencing the same generous hospitality as you extended to them, and you may be sure that we shall tell our friends about it when we return Home. (Applause.) We thank you once again from the bottom of our hearts. We wish you all prosperity and happiness, and we hope that the children may be given a whole holiday in the near future so that they especially may remember an occasion which it will always

give us the greatest pleasure to recall. (Loud applause.) CAMERAS CLICK, DUKE AMUSED.

At the conclusion of the Duke of York's speech the Mayor asked the gathering to remain seated quietly for a few minutes while photographers took photographs of the scene. This was done, and as half a dozen cameras clicked His Eoyal Highness gave a broad smile of amusement.

The National Anthem was then sun* and-Their. Eoyal Highnesses and party filed out of the hall, to the accompaniment of enthusiastic cheers and applause, the Duke and Duchess meanwhile smiling gracious acknowledgments. •