RECEPTION IN WELLINGTON

Evening Star, Issue 23817, 22 February 1941, Page 10

RECEPTION IN WELLINGTON

PRESENTATION OF NOTABILITIES SPONTANEOUS CHEERS FROM CROWD [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON. February 22. Sir Cyril and Lady Newall and family arrived this morning in brilliant weather, the train arriving at the platform on schedule time, 8.55. The Administrator, Sir Michael Myers, who was accompanied by the Clerk of the Executive Council, entered the Viceregal carriage and greeted Sir Cyril. The station platform was decorated witli Hags, an'd a red carpet led to the edge of the platform, beyond which was drawn up a guard of honour from the Army School at Trentham and the Roval New Zealand Air Force. j ust after 9 o’clock the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) entered the carriage, and shortly afterwards Sir Cyril Newall set foot on Wellington. He received a Royal salute, following which he, the Administrator, aiut the chiefs of the staffs inspected the guard of honour, while tho Air Force Band played in slow measure a Maori melody, ‘ E Pari Ra.’ After tho inspection Mr Fraser presented to Sir Cyril and Lady Newall the Ministers of the Crown and their wives, the High Commissioners for the United Kingdom and Canada and their wives, members of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives and their wives, tho chiefs of staffs and the comraisioner of police. Tho ceremony at the station closed with a Royal salute. All these proceedings were watched from outside by an interested public, which gathered also at the vehicle exits and cheered as the cars left and went to tho Citizens’ War Memorial, where Sir Cyril was presented to the representatives of the Wellington and New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Associations and placed a wreath. Sir Cyril Newall was then driven to tho Town Hall and introduced by Mr Eraser to tho Mayor and Mayoress. The ceremony there was informal, the mayor (Mr " Hislop) introducing the councillors and their wives and the chief officers of the council. A quarter of an hour later Sir Cyril and Lady Newall, carrying a bouquet of gladioli, drove to Government House, accompanied by spontaneous cheers from the people who gathered outside the hall.