IN HAPPY MOOD

Evening Star, Issue 21905, 17 December 1934, Page 10

IN HAPPY MOOD

IDEAL COHDiTiONS FOR GARDEN ' PARTY [Special ,to ,tbs, ‘ Sta».’] > WELLINGTON, December 17. The Duke of Gloucester made a very happy start with" to-day’s long pro* gramme ih. the capital city.. The brilliantly fine weather, with the heat of the sun toned, off by a southerly breeze, promises ideal conditions for the gardenparty at Government House this afternoon. ■’ His Highness, at the opening function of his programme, took the keenest interest in the details connected with Wellington’s new railway station, the foundation stone of which he laid during th« morning. He had been told by ; tha Prime Minister, that the station site was on. land reclaimed from, the .sea, and that, to make secure foundations. 1,700 piles had been driven through the soil to the solid' rock 1 beneath. The Royal visitor took special note of this point, and prior to walking across the dais to'the foundation stone he gave a. brief address, in which he, too, recalled that the station site had been reclaimed from the sea. Proceeding, with a broad smile on his bronzed countenance, the Duke of Gloucester remarked: “Under these altered circumstances. Mr Prime Minister, I imagine that the harbouf, master will become the and the pilots will be the engine drivers,while it would have.becn fitting if I had been given a bottle of champagne with which to launch this new concern.?’ When he had’ declared the foundation! stone well and truly laid. Prince Henry remained for several minutes on the central dais, genially chatting with lead, ing people, who were apparently privileged to share'some jokes, for the Prince’s laughter suggested that he was in particularly good spirits. . His Highness had been presented with a casket made from an inlay of New; Zealand woods, and an inkstand'carry, ing » gold model of New Zealand’s latest design in locomotives. The Royal recipient took more than a perfunctory, interest in these handsome mementos.Before leaving, ho wanted' to know all ’ about the different kinds of woods, and the explanations were given by Mr Ster- , ling, chairman of the Railway Board. An admirable feature of this open-ai? function was that, although the presence' of so many naval and military guards necessarily kept the general rmblic at some distance from the dais, they were 'not, as in the case of the Govern, ment’s reception at Parliament Building. unable to participate in the_ proceedings, for at the railway function a loud speaker system permitted the thousands of enthusiastic spectators .to follow every detail. . /