DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 December 1934, Page 7

DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

WELCOME AT GISBORNE.

[PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

GISBORNE, December 20.

Gisborne to-day received Royalty for the first time, the Duke arriving late in the afternoon, after a dusty 150 miles journey from Wairoa. Lunch at the Morere Hotel was informal, the Duke sitting at the table in his short sleeves. A feature of Gisborne’s welcome was its decorative schemes. Always an enthusiastic bather, the Prince surf-boarded for one hour on Wainui beach, before dinner at his hotel. Subsequently he delighted a large crowd of sightseers by walking to an informal engagement at the Poverty Bay Club. The tour to date has been a triumph of organisation. A new record between Napier and Gisborne was established.

The Duke’s itinerary has been altered to enable him to spend a day training, preparatory to his riding Black Man in the amateur event at Marton races on January 1.

Showing consideration for services given him, the Duke, before leaving Napier, arranged for a souvenir in recognition of the members of the hotel staff.

SURF-BATHING DISCUSSION

GISBORNE, December 21.

Unaware of the identity of the Duke, a young bather at Wainui Beach, last night, chummed up with His Highness in the water, and animatedly discussed the aspects of surfbathing. Catching the spirit of the moment, the Duke exchanged views, and passed on hints on handling the board, which the youngster sought. The subsequent revelation that it was the Duke he had been talking to did not abash the lad, who hurried to the water’s edge, and carried His Highness.’s surf board to the bathing shed, and with the utmost sangfroid, wished the Royal visitor all the best during the tour. The Duke of Gloucester departed for Opotiki at 10 a.m., receiving a rousing farewell from the crowds which since early morning had blackened the hotel-street. The weather is again intensely hot, and members of the party are making the trip to Opotiki in slacks and sports coats. In his traverse from Poverty Bay to the Bay of Plenty, the Duke is seeing superb mountain scenery. He is due at Opotiki at 1.25 p.m., Whakatane 4.5 p.m., and Rotorua 6.30 p.m. Following the Maori reception at Rotorua on Saturday, the Prince will return to the Grand Hotel and proceed to a civic reception and thence to the model Maori village. The afternoon will be free.

On Sunday, after attending divine service, His Highness will lunch at the Wairakei Hotel, and visit Geyser Valley and Kerapiti blowhole. From 4 p.m. onwards, he will fish in the Waikato River.

RIDER’S LICENSE.

WELLINGTON. December 20.

The Duke of Gloucester will attend the Marton race meeting on January 1, and there is every possibility that he will participate in the Ladies’ Bracelet event.. The Secretary of the New Zealand Racing Conference stated that an application for a gentleman rider’s license had been made on behalf of the Duke. In all probability the Duke will ride Black Man, a fine performer, owned by Mr C. L. Bull, which would be a suitable mount at list 81bs. The Duke, at that time will be the guest of Mr T. Duncan, at Otairi, Hunterville. AUCKLAND, December 21. James Bull, the Rangitikei sportsman, said - in Auckland, to-day, that the Duke of Gloucester would ride Black Man in the Ladies’ Bracelet at Marton on New Year’s Day. Black Man, who is owned by C. L.

Bull, son of James Bull, is a six-year-old gelding which has 13.2 to carry in the race.