THE ROYAL VISIT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 16, 19 July 1939, Page 6

THE ROYAL VISIT

NEW YORK WORLD FAIR

NEW ZEALANDERS' SURPRISE

Seventy New Zealanders, gathered in a corner alcove of the New Zealand Pavilion, broke into spontaneous applause yesterday when the King and Queen entered the building, said the "New York Times" on June 11. The demonstration took the rulers by surprise; the Queen seemed delighted that there were so many persons present from so distant a part of the Empire.

Sir Ronald Lindsay, British Ambassador, escorted the Royal couple in the pavilion. They were greeted at the Colonial Hall doorway under the Southern Cross by Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Firth, the Commissioner-General and his wife. Mr. Firth bowed, Mrs. Fifth curtsied when Sir Ronald introduced them and both shook hands with the visitors. Then the CommissionerGeneral stepped to. the King's left, his wife moved to the left of the Queen, and the four walked slowly down the large-windowed north side of the pavilion.

High on the wall above them looked down figures of strange New Zealand birds —the kea, the takahe, and the kiwi. But the monarchs did not see them. It was only when they passed an exhibit of the art of the Maori that the Queen made a specific comment, although she had said after the first few steps she was pleased with the spacious airiness of the pavilion.

"I REMEMBER WELLINGTON."

"Oh yes, the Maori, I remember them," the Queen said. She referred to her visit to New Zealand as Duchess of York in 1927. The party came into view of a. series of illuminated panels, one of them showing Wellington, New Zealand's captal, and the Queen added, "and I remember Wellington."

It was at this point that the gathered New Zealanders, on the other side of the hall, were unable to restrain their enthusiasm longer iand clapped loud and long. The Royal couple turned from the illuminated glass cases, moved half way across the floor, stopped near a potted fern, and returned the greeting. The King raised his right hand in a sort of a half wave, half salute. The Queen smiled her prettiest "Are those your New Zealand people?" she1 asked, incredulous. "Oh, isn't that fine!" One hearer heard ''lovely" instead of "fine," but every one agreed on the Queen's enthusiastic tone. Continuing their circuit of the build* ing, the rulers paused under a description of New Zealand taken from Kipling: "Last, loneliest, loveliest, exquisite, apart—these happy isles."