IN WINTRY WEATHER

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1929, Page 11

IN WINTRY WEATHER

THROUGH SLUSH AND SNOW

CALLING AT COTTAGES

Britisn Official Wireless,

(Eecoived 30th January, 11 a.m.)

RUGBY, 29th January.

The Prince of Wales to-day began his unofficial tour of the Northern coalfields. Arriving by train at Newcastle, he breakfasted at an hotel, and then proceeded by motor-car to visit the distressed mining area. The weather was of the worst wintry type. It was bitterly cold, and snow, which later turned to icy rain, fell relentlessly. The Prince used the car only to take Mm from village to yillage. When he reached each village, he got out of the car and tramped' on foot through the slush and snow three inches deep up hill and down dale, calling at the cottages of miners, where he was not expected, for details of his visit had been 1 kept a close secret. %

The miners and members of their families opened their hearts to the Prince, who heard moving accounts of how men had been out of employment for two, three, or four years. He saw for himself the conditions of want in which the families lived. His presence and his sympathy brought cheer to each humble dwelling that he entered. He stopped in streets to question miners and their womenfolk about their circumstances. At a village named Chopwell the Prince visited art employment exchange, outside which many unemployed miners were gathered. .Despite their unhappy position, they cheered him heartily. At the village of High Spen the girls lined up on either side of the street. One of them put out her hand and said excitedly, "Good luck to you, Prince." The Princo laughed, and, in. passing, gave her hand a hearty shake, with the result that all the other girls wanted to shake hands with him, too. As he made his way to his car, the Princo was laughing and shaking hands with everybody who desired the 3ionoiu\