VICE-REGAL VISIT TO FEILDING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 7, 8 December 1931, Page 2

VICE-REGAL VISIT TO FEILDING

OFFICIAL LUNCHEON. MANY GUESTS PRESENT. About 130 guests were present .at the official luncheon tendered to Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Bledisloe, on the occasion of their first visit to Feilding yesterday, during which they visited farms and also points of interest in the town. His Worship the Mayor (Mr C. E. Taylor) presided and with him at the official table were Lord and Lady Bledisloe, Hon. J. G. and Mrs Cobbe, the Mayoress (Mrs Taylor) and members of the vice-regal suite. The visitors at the luncheon included the chairmen of the neighbouring county councils, Messrs A. Campbell (Oroua), W. E. Barber (Manawatu), S. Strahan (Pohangina), and members of the Kiwitea County Council and Ihe Feilding Borough Council. Representatives of all public bodies in Feilding and their wives were also present, together with ministers of the church n Feilding. Several pioneer settlers of the district were also in attendance and in these Lord and Lady Bledisloe displayed particular interest. All the guests were presented to the gubernatorial visitors prior to the luncheon, the ceremony extending over a lengthy period. Following the loyal toast, the Mayor proposed the toast of Lord and Lady Bledisloe, extending to them a welcome to Feilding. The Mayor hoped this would not be the last occasion on which the people of Feilding would be privileged to welcome them. Mr Taylor further hoped that the viceregal visitors would enjoy their brief visit and would carry away with them happy recollections of their day in Feilding. (Applause). Replying, His Excellency assured the people of Feilding of the sincere appreciation of both Her Excellency and himself at the warmth of the greeting they had received and stated that it was one they would not easily forget. Lord Bledisloe went on to speak of the present depression < n the lines of his remarks in the Square at the official reception in the morning and was confident that New Zealand would pull through in the end. His Excellency referred to the feeling of “at homeness” which both lie and Lady Bledisloe felt on entering i* eilding. the name of Feilding together with Cheltenham bringing v back memories of the Old Land and their own home. The speaker was sure that, even if there were not anv Gloucestershire people present in the assemblage. there had been in the early days to account for the names of the places he had mentioned. Lord Bledisloe expressed his pleasure at meeting so many people of the town and district and concluded bv again thanking them for the warmth of their welcome. Among the farms visited bv Lord Bledisloe was that of Mr Jas. Knight where His Excellency displayed especial interest in the stud Southdowns and the equipment for dipping, etc., on the property. Lord Bledisloe showed his practicability as a farmer by the many observations he made and by his undoubted ability in discerning the good points of the splendid samples of the Southdown breed which were shown him. On the way to Parorangi His Excellency stopped for a short while at Mr J. Corpe s farm where he went through the Jersey herd, later proceeding to Parorangi to inspect the Hereford cattle and Romney Marsh sheep of this well known estate. On his return to Feilding the vice-regal party, together with many others, were entertained at afternoon tea at the residence of Hon. J. G. and Mrs Cobbe, a memorable day concluding with the departure of Their Excellencies for Palmerston North en route to Dannevirke.