MAGNIFICENT RALLY

Northern Advocate, 28 December 1934, Page 6

MAGNIFICENT RALLY

CHILDREN ACCLAIM DUKE AUCKLAND’S TRIBUTE SIX THOUSAND AT DOMAIN. A SCENE OF SPLENDOUR. [Special to “Northern Advocate.”] AUCKLAND, This Day. A remarkable display of juvenile enthusiasm, embodied in brilliant pageantry, greeted the Duke of Gloucester at the Domain yesterday mprning, when the picturesque venue presented Nature in its best attributes.

The Duke saw just such a. parade of ' primary school children as delighted the Duke and Duchess of York six years ago, and the Prince of Wales before them. As the* schools are now closed for the summer holidays' the display was not on as large a scale, but it was every bit as enthusiastic. Upwards of six thousand children, representing city and suburban schools and country districts as far south as Mercer and as far north as Helensville, formed a hollow square of waving flags, around which His Royal Highness drove in his car before leaving the ground. When the Duke left his car to mount the dais he limped slightly, and when seated he rested his injured foot on a blue cushion placed on a low stool. Later, when he made his inspection, he rode in his open car. He did not address the children, nor did he leave his car after he had completed his round of inspection. The organisation of the rally, which was handled by the A Division of the Legiori of Frontiersmen, was excellent, and the behaviour of the children themselves exemplary. Fervent Regard.

If on Monday the welcome was more formal, if on that day it was the turn of grown-up Auckland to make welcome the son of the . King, today the children did so, and they were bound by no ties of decorum incumbent on years. They greeted the mrln who to them was more than.,one of the blood Royal, more than the son of the King, a man who was something of a fairy prince. So it was that when the cry ran along the waiting thousands, “Here he comes,” shrill cheers broke along the children’s ranks like little waves against the shore, and all eyes turned in the same direction. All roads yesterday morning led to Auckland’s big ampitheatre, the Domain;- A constant stream wended its way across Grafton Bridge long before the appointed hour, 10.30, and in that stream there were more children than adults —Which was natural, for yesterday was children’s day. Every child, it seemed, was carrying a flag, and everyone was dancing ahead of ■its-parents—off the pavement and on to the street, to the . parents’ great and apparent anxiety—waving his flag, all eager to get to the place where the Duke might be seen. Cot Cases.

The stream broadened on leaving the bridge, and passing the hospital, it spread out into the street. Even for those in the hospital, the day was exceptional, and many cots had been wheeled out to points of vantage in the grounds to see the Duke pass. Where Park Road met the Domain Drive there was a miniature traffic jam. Everyone wanted to get into the Domain, and it was hard' for motor vehicles to get past. If the Domain was already crowded before 10 o’clock, it is hard to say what time the first eager child managed to get its parents there. There were thousands of parents and children there shortly after nine o’clock, and the green of the hill was being lost in black at half past the hour. And yet crowds were entering all gates, and the tide of humanity was rising from near the grandstand far up the hill, the oaks standing out from a sea of black, shot with all the colours of dresses the women wear on such occasions. All Manner of Flags.

Flags there were a-plenty, all manner of flags, but predominantly the Union Jack. On the hill clustered those children who were too young to be in the parade down yonder on the flat. They were in charge of their parents; but to be a parent on the day was no sinecure. Given half a chance and the youngsters would dart off to find a better place to see from. One small boy was hauled ignominiously from one of the oaks he had decided to climb. Another had got . there before his father had seen him. Before the parade was over the announcer over the loudspeaker was spending much of his time trying to bring together “little Tommy” and his anxious mother, who had somehow become separated. So much for the hill. All eyes were turned to the scene below. According to instructions the children had assembled at 9.30. From the country came four trains, two from Mercer and intermediate stations, and two from Helensville. As the first contingent stepped out of the train at Newmarket they were played up to the Domain by the St. Andrew’s Highland Pipe Band. What a proud march was that for the youngsters, the cynosure of all eyes for

the time being, , < The second train full were escorted by the band of the Ist Battalion, Auckland Regimental Band, and those children were just as proud. The city children came on to the

parade ground in smaller groups and

more of them. Under the direction f of the Legion of Frontiersmen, the

children’s leaders marshalled their

.• charges into their allotted place until finally the great 6000-strong hollow square began to take shape. Though it is invidious to draw comparisons, the 988 children from Catholic schools, all dressed in white, with their special banner of red satin, inscribed in white with the legend. “Welcome from Catholic Schools,” with .their badge of a Maltese Cross

in red, and Catholic symbol of the orb and the cross, in blue, making altogether an effect of red, white and blue, made a fine showing. Forming the Square.

With 10 minutes to go to 10.30 the hollow square was all but complete. A few more children were added after that, but the effect as seen from the hill was complete. It was a picturesque scene. Enthusiam was written plainly for all to read on each small face. There was a variety of dress, for the children are on holiday, so that the ranks were splashed with colour. There was the sombre touch of the boy scouts uniform, but they merely set off the gay attire of the rest. If a final touch had been wanting to make the scene colourful, the flags supplied it. Among the children there was an air of expectancy, and even the crowd on the hill, which smiled to see the shining faces there below, were not unaffected by it. From the square came an eager hum of conversation, and evei’y now and again hundreds of faces would turn towards the gate whence he was to enter. Then suddenly over the air came the voice of the announcer telling the children they must stand, and that they must not talk. Then they knew the time for which they had waited long was at hand. How hard it was for them not to utter a word. But they did not. Then The Duke Came. And then the Duke came. From away along near the gate where the old annexe used to be came the rippling cry, passed from lip to lip, “Here he is!” An open car turned into the gates, and the cheers which arose from the people near there were caught up by the children in the square, even though at that distance they could scarcely distinguish him at all. As he drove slowly along the level ground from the gate towards the foot of the grandstand, the near rank of the hollow square broke into high-pitched childish applause, and waving flags broke into little waves of colour against the background of the green grass and holiday clothes. The cheers swelled. He was drawing nearer. The children were a tip-toe, and only by a great effort did . the far rank remain where it was. Then he came where all could see him. And then did six thousand children raise their voices and six thousand flags wave as hard as small hands could wave them. And then did the Duke smile a broad, wide smile, for this was a welcome indeed. •

The Duke, who arrived in company with her Excellency Lady Bledisloe, ascended the dais. The first bars of the National Anthem were played, hats came off," and the great crowd stiffened into immobility. His Royal Highness was welcomed by the Mayor, Mr G. W. Hutchison, and the Mayoress, the town clerk, Mr J. S. Brigham, and Captain W. Palmer, officer commanding the A Division of the Legion of Frontiersmen, all of whom were formally presented to him by the Hon. J. A. Young. The Girl Athletes. What followed was the most impressive display of the day—that given by the Auckland Girls’ Athletic Assopiation. With their manyhued uniforms they added a final note of pageantry to a scene already full of colour. Nor was their actual display a whit behind the pageantry of their dress. It was a finelyexecuted piece of gymnastic field work. When it had concluded the Duke clapped heartily. Then was given to the children their chance to see the Duke close up. The hollow square was in two ranks, and the Prince drove first round the inside of the square and then along between the two ranks, the children cheering him and waving him on and calling to him each step of the way. On this round of the ranks he was accompanied by Captain Palmer. Finally the Duke returned to the dais, when 6000 voices, reinforced by those of the multitude on the hill, broke out into three hearty cheers. The National Anthem was played and the Duke, who had not left his car, moved ?lowly away. As he went cheers,- which started in the stand, were taken up by the children and rippled along the crowd on the hill, and the last thing the Duke heard as he moved up the drive was the final voice of his welcome. The entire ceremony took precisely 23 minutes. ROYAL INTEREST. MAYORAL APPRECIATION. “I should like to express my appreciation of the interest shown by His Royal Highness in attending the function at the Domain this morning when, owing to an accident, he had to cancel other engagements,” said the Mayor, Mr G. W. Hutchison, after the rally of children had concluded. “I want also to thank Captain Palmer and the Legion of Fi’ontiersmen for their capable organisation and handling of the rally, and the boy scouts and other helpers who so ably assisted. I want also to thank the bands for their assistance, and the Girls’ Athletic Association for their very spectacular display, which reflected the greatest credit upon Mr Rush, their instructor. And last, but by no means least, I congratulate the children upon their appearance and steadiness on parade.” PERFECT ORGANISATION, FRONTIERSMEN AND SCOUTS. The organisation of the rally was efficiently done by the A division of the Legion of Frontiersmen, under Captain W. Palmer, M.C., with Lieut. R. Taylor as adjutant. Assisting the Fronticrsmn in their control of the display were 20 officers and 150 boy scouts representing the Auckland Metropolitan area, in charge of Commissioner M. R, Downey. The scouts acted as markers and message boys, and generally were kept busy. The display provided by the Auckland Girls’ Athletic Association was directed by Mr A. N. Rush.

Not a little of the success of the morning was duo to the co-operation of several Auckland bands. These were the Municipal Band, the St. Andrew’s Highland Pipe Band, the

band of the Ist Battalion Auckland Regiment, the Auckland Girls’ Band, tho Ponsonby Boys’ Band and the City Boys’ Band. IMMEDIATE PROGRAMME TODAY. 3.45 p.m. to 5.15 p.m.—Garden parly. Government House. 8 p.m.—Dinner, Northern Club. TOMORROW. 2 p.m.—Leave by train Cor Hamilton.