PEN PICTURE

Evening Star, Issue 21904, 15 December 1934, Page 11

PEN PICTURE

AUSPICIOUS INTRODUCTSON HOT FOND OF PUBLIC SPEAKING [Special to the ' Stab.’] WELLINGTON, December 15. '' A tall, soldierly figure in the _ Blue Hussar uniform and forage cap, with, its bright red band, stepped,ashore from; the cruiser Australia/punctually; at the appointed time; tihis morning, and, theDuke of , Gloucester’s yisit to the dominion , had’ , Auspiciously ' commenced.;; Greetings conveyed in fof niaT addresses followed throughout the morning,, but the real welcome, which the Royal -visitor would know how to assess, came from /the cheering/ thousands who' thronged both sides of the half-mile route from the wharf to. Parliament Budding, where the spacious grounds, held more enthusiastic people. ' : • The brilliant weather of the pastweeks Jiad toned down this morning to grey effects, with a brisk northerly breeze raising a; choppy sea in the harbour. It rather spoiled the plans for the welcome by yachtsmen, because the cruiser Australia, with the escorting vessels, kept well away from the shore, and in the high wind every craft had to enjoy a wide berth. * H.M.A.S. Australia parted from the, convoy well out in the open water of the harbour, and steamed slowly into the outside berth at Pipitea wharf at 9 o’clock. A whole hour had been allowed for the berthing and other arrangements, so that the naval men had the wharf almost to themselves while they carried out the process of tying the bow ropes, springs, and stern fastenings. The general public watched at a distance, and the patient guests of the Harbour Board, who had been invited to the first welcoming ceremony, sat in comfortable seats in the immense wharf shed, their only distraction during the long hour being the vista of its ironwork. The port health officer made his call extremely brief. Then ISTew Zealand’s naval and military chiefs went aboard. They were received with the salute from a particularly smart Guard of Honour, and a band played a few bars to the accompaniment of “ present arras,” Commander Burges-Watson stepping off the gangway to the strains of a fragment of H.M.S. Pinafore. SMART WORK. At this moment the few spectators privileged to he on the wharf witnessed a smart bit of naval organisation. The cruiser had come into port flying the Royal and national ensigns.

but the instant the first naval, visitor stepped aboard the whole ship front stern to stern, became resplendent in bunting.- It. ■ was carried bn scores of halyards, but they allworked together in the quick hoist to transform/ H.M.A.S. Australia, In three seconds colour and movement were beginning ‘to develop, from the" quiet almost, dull scene, : The Governor-General;; at 10 o’clock,boarded the cruiser, followed five minutes afterwards by the Prime Minister .and _ Mr. Young, Minister of Internal Affairs, who will accompany'the Duke during his tour. THE DUKE APPEARS. The first appearance of ■ the Royal visitor, was bn the deck at 10.15: when he inspected its naval guard. The saluting guns boomed out, and_ the' Duke stepped ashore to tha strains of - the National Anthem and the crisp sounds of the smartly-given Royal Salute from the’ men of the Diomede. ; His ’ Highness, who was , preceded ashore by the Governor-General, inspected the naval guard, and was introduced to the members of the Ministry, the Chief Justice, the Speakers of both branches of the Legislature, several members of Parliament, and tha chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, who had the privilege'of extending the first public welcome. This was done in the presence of several hundred invited guests, whose polite, restrained plaudits were in strong contrast with the resounding cheers of the crowd without when the crowd got its chance.His Highness, having heard the Harbour Board’s address, took from his equerry a- prepared reply, which was very quietly read, with no attempt at oratorical effect. His - next reply, m the open air at Parliament Building,' facing thousands of enthusiastic spectators, was more vigorous, but it was quite plain that the Royal visitor is not partial to public speaking, but is keener to meet people and observe events as they pass before him.