VISIT BY KING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21978, 23 March 1946, Page 5

VISIT BY KING

DR. MALAN’S VIEWS POSTPONEMENT URGED CAPE TOWN, March 21. The leader of the South African Nationalist Party, Dr. Malan, said in Parliament to-day that the Royal visit to South Africa in February, 1947, would be ill-timed as it might influence the general elections in 1948 and involve the monarchy in politics. The King, he said, should be advised to come after the elections. He was sure the King and his family would be shown the honour, respect and courtesy due to the head of the British Commonwealth. The Prime Minister, Field Marshal Smuts, said he had invited the King to visit South Africa, knowing that the Royal Family would have a very pleasant reception from all sections of the population. South Africa would be honoured to be the first Dominion to he visited by the King after the war. Field Marshal Smuts agreed with Dr. Malan that it would be deplorable if the King’s visit was abused for political purposes. He was sure the King would consider any such attempt a personal insult.

In accepting the invitation, the King had expressed only one wish—during the war he had had a most exacting time, and he asked, therefore, that he should not be subjected to too great a physical strain. The Government, said the Prime Minister, trusted that South Africans would respect this wish.