ARRANGEMENTS FOR VISIT TO GREYMOUTH

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 August 1948, Page 5

ARRANGEMENTS FOR VISIT TO GREYMOUTH

The projected Royal visit is still seven months ahead—on Tuesday. March .8 —and the only definite arrangements so far made in Greymouth in connection with the tour, concern the accommodation of the Royal family, and those who will be travelling with them. Hotel accommodation in the town is likely to bo at a premium, three large hotels having been fully booked by the Government for the use of the official party, while others will have only limited room available for casual visitors after the needs of the large police parly that will be required in the town during the Royal visit, have been met. Night at Hotel It is regarded as fairly certain that the King and Queen and Princess Margaret will spend the .night of March 8, in a private suite at Rovingtons hotel, which will be completely taken over for the occasion. Apart from close attendants, such as ladies-in-waiting and aide-de-camps, it is unlikely that there will be any other guests at the hotel. Other members of the party, which will fly to Westport and motor to Greymouth, via Reefton, during the afternoon of March 8, will be accommodated al the Albion and Dominion hotels which have also been fully engaged, it is reported, by the Government. It is understood that no alterations will be required at the hotels engaged, but this decision may be subject to alteration at a later date. Plans for the entertainment of the Roval visitors, who will not be visiting Hokitika, have been discussed by representatives of local bodies, but decisions were restricted on account of uncertainly regarding the visit and the time to bo spent in the town. It would appear, however, that q late afternoon or evening function will be necessary. The plans for an openair gathering at the Recreation ground or Victoria Park may be hard to fit in with the late arrival time, but the prospects of a fireworks display being staged in the evening (a contribution of £lOO has already been macle available by the L.V.A. for this purpose) will be considerably brighter. XLLEarly Start Planned Discussing the Royal visit prior to his departure for Wellington this morning, the Mayor of Greymouth. Mr F. F. Boustridge, said that no concrete plans had been prepared yet, but a start would be made as soon as a definite timetable was made available. This, he said, would be the most important civic function m the town’s 80 years of life, and a good deal of preparation would be necessary in order that the occasion may be fittingly celebrated. Travelling with the Royal party will probably be the Commissioner of Police, Mr J. Cummings, and special detectives who will be the bodyguards for Their Majesties. A police car will drive ahead of the Royal car throughout the journey, and special police will probably be placed outside Ihe hotel. It is expected that all country police officers will be brought into town tn reinforce local officers for the occasion, and a largeparty of policemen will probably be brought from Christchurch. In all there will be* cibotil 30 oxtrn police, it is expected, and these officers will be accommodated at various hotel;, in the town. More elaborate arrangements will probably follow the projected visit of head officials of the Department of 'internal Affairs to Greymouth to- ' wards the end of next month.