ROYAL TOUR

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 1 March 1927, Page 5

ROYAL TOUR

RECEPTION BY NATIVES. WAR MEMORIAL TJNVEILED. TRIP TO TOKAANU. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ROTORUA, Feb. 28. The Royal visitors met with a great reception by the natives at Arawa Park this morning. The Ducal party, escorted by the Premier and Mrs. Coates, were received on behalf of the natives by Sir Maui Pomare and Dr. To Rangihiroa, being greeted in the traditional Maori way. The local address was read by Mr. Coates for the natives and replied to by the Dulco and translated to the assembled Maoris by Sir Maui Pomare. Gifts to the Duke aud Duchess of mats and tiki were presented, the Duke presenting autographed portraits and walking sticks to the chiefs in return.

Afterwards a magnificent display was given by the various tribes of hakas and poi dances, the latter with musical and vocal accompaniment. The band of the Renown attended. The Duke and Duchess afterwards chatted with the chiefs and performers, being greatlv interested.

At noon a memorial to Arawa soldiers was unveiled in the Government gardens, the ceremony being marked by a great assemblage of children. The service was conducted by the Rev. F. Bennett, Eruini, Waaka, Manihera, Tumatahi. Three wreaths were placed on the memorial by the Duke personally, who saluted each wreath.

Following the removing of the flag by His Royal Highness and a dedicatory prayer by the Rev. Bennett, the following pronouncement was made by the Duke: “I unveil this memorial in honour of the brave Maori dead who gave their lives for their King and Empire. I desire to pay tribute to the loyalty, devotion and self-sacrifice of these gallant men whose memory will be forever preserved by this monument.” The hymn, “For Ever With The Lord” was then sung, followed by the “Last Post” sounded by six buglers and drums, the latter being most effective and the whole being listened to by a reverent gathering, after which the Ducal party drove round the hotel accompanied by cheering crowds. After lunch they departed for Taupo amid scenes of the greatest enthusiasm.

CAMPING AT TOKAANU. IN SYLVIAN SURROUNDINGS. TOKAANU, Feb. 28. The Ducal party’s journey from Rotorua to T-okaanu was accomplished under ideal conditions, there being bright sunshine and clear skies in every direction with just enough breeze stirring to temper the heat of the sun most agreeably. Added to this yesterday’s rain had practically eliminated the dust nuisance, the road for the whole distance being in excellent order.

Promptly at two o’clock the fleet of 15 cars filed away from the Grand Hotel at Rotorua, a large crowd of people watching to catch a last glimpse of the Duke and Duchess, both clad in serviceable grey. A police car led and then came the Royal car, followed by members of the suite.

The route gave the visitors an interesting example of afforestation work on a massed scale as miles of plantation containing millions of trees were passed in the Whaka area. Then the Kaingaroa Plain was traversed, occasional homesteads appearing in the Reporoa soldier settlement and at each of the infrequent cross-roads was a little group of settlers and their families or parties of Maoris intent upon a passing view of Royalty.

At 4.45 Wairalcei was reached and a stay was made for afternoon tea. The Duke and Duchess visited the big bath in the hotel grounds, hut could no look round the various natural wonders for lack of time. The road claimed the travellers again at 5.45 for a thirty-odd miles’ run which took them quickly away from the drab sameness of the grey plain with its background of grey hills east and south with Tarawera’s mighty shoulders uplifted to the north and rugged hills shutting out the view to the west. A brief halt was made at the Huka Falls, where the tourists gazed in wonder upon the turbulent rushing waters crowded into a narrow defile, the green waters churned to a fleecy welter before they plunged into the pool below. Taupo was passed in the gathering dusk, and the lake shore was skirted for most of the rest of the journey, except where the road followed an eerie, canyon-like cut through the ridge. This was Earthquake Valley, so named because it is particularly subject to seismic unrest. Ruapehu (with its plume of steam sho*wing clear against the western sky) and Ngauruhoe had been in sight some time and the. sunset effects on the mountains would have made an artist forswear all urban amenities to stay here and put them off canvas if he could.

After crossing the bridge over the Tongariro River the procession, split up, the Ducal car continuing on and the balance going to the Tokaanu Hotel. The camp in which the Royal couple quarter with their immediate personal staff is beautifully situated in a lovely forest glade on the hank of the Tongariro River. The shelters are all of canvas, with Wooden floors, and the little encampment is embodied in a grove of kowhai trees, a few mightly kahiwatea (white pine) rising sen-tinal-like above them, while the whole is environed by other native bush. The spot is completely sequestered and lies about six miles from the hotel, which is near the settlement.

The sight which met the eyes of the Royal visitors when they reached the camp about 8.30 p.m. was a welcome one after a strenuous day. In the middle of the glade opposite the door of their particular tent blazed a huge fire of logs, sending out a bright, ruddy glare upon the -verdure all around, so that it appeared to bo a pity electric light had been installed to spoil the sylvan simplicity of the scene. No time was lost in settling in this temporary home. . A belated dinner was served and after a brief contemplation of the peaceful scene so far removed from the “maddening crowd,” the visitors retired to rise fresh in the morning" for the fishing in the Tongariro River. MAORI ADDRESS OF WELCOME. AN ELOQUENT DOCUMENT. ROTORUA, Feb. 28. The following is the translation of the address from the Maoris, presented

to the Duke and Duchess of York at this morning’s ceremonial welcome:

Seek them from the far horizon and draw them hither. Haeremai 1 May it please your Royal Highnesses. Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Son, welcome!

Second of that name your Royal father bore to this distant land a generation ago, welcome! Thrice lias Royalty deigned to honour our courtyard, to enter our humble house and to walk among us. It is good. Thus is fulfilled that word we spoke on this ground to your elder brother, that those who govern this far-flung Empire should walk and talk with its people. in all its several parts and so understand and ha understood of them. Come. then, in that spirit of trust wherein England appeals to the hearts of all races, knitting them surely together in peace and goodwill. Welcome the messenger of the era to be, when space and distance may be made of small account, when words and works may encircle the globe as does the sun. .so that no part of the Empire may brood in gloom and thus conspire evil.

Daughter of an honoured, house, Welcome! Welcome!

Thus did that first Royal, Duke appear before the eyes of our fathers, with his lady. Welcome, the second Duchess. Ha! Is it a woman’s peace you bring? Woman’s hands and woman’s tears have soothed the wounds of a warring world. Now woman strives for the peace of God and the enduring peace, the peace which passes all understanding. Welcome then, embodying the ever-recurring hopes of mankind for a state in which health, happiness, arid prosperity shall prevail. There are ruined homes to he built again, there are broken hearts to be mended. There are empty places to be peopled, there are waste Maces to be turned into gardens. Come, then, with the Empire’s call to all your kind to cement its foundations anew! with seriousness, with patience and forbearance.

Welcome, then. Royal son and august lady! We do not need to repeat the vows already made to his Majesty the King, and to his eldest son. Loyalty lias become a tradition of the Maori tribes of New Zealand, who have come to know and to value the things for which the Crown stands. The generation which welcomed your Royal father has passed away, and with it have gone many of the old-time ways and customs of our people. How eles could' it be? Aotearoa and Te Waipounanui have become the common inheritance of your peoolei and our people. Welcome and farewell! i?ass on to that larger land where awaits your ultimate dutv, the dedication of yet another cornerstone in the proud* edifice of Empire. TTnere ra ! Haere ra ! THE DUKE’S REPLY. The Duke’s reply was as follows: — “Te Nakotou! The Duchess and. I .sincerely thank you for your address, and I will communicate to the King, my father, the message of loyalty and devotion to the Crown which it contains. The loyalty of the Maori tribes is well known, and was nobly shown bv their services in the Great European War. The King and Queen have not forgotten the time they spent among you. Hi« Majesty retains the keenest interest in all that concerns your welfare. and he will desire to know of our reception among you and of the changes there have been since his .visit. Changes must come with time. But retain your traditions of. loyalty, courage and chivalry and all will be well with you and vour children. lam especially touched bv your kind words about the Duchess, which she greatly appreciates. AH that relates to the welfare of women and children Js ever near her heart. As you have said, it is- good that those who live in different parts of the Empire should meet and talk with one another, so they may he knit together in closer understanding and sympathy. For this reason, we welcome our visit to you. We desire to see vour life and customs for ourselves, so that wp may tell the people in the Homeland when we return. We thank von all for the welcome which you have extended to ns. We have greatly enjoyed see in." the wonders of your country, of which we have heard so much, and we shall he sorry when our stay comes to an end. We wish you all hanpiness and prosperity in the years to come. Kia ora.”