THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. . "WEDNESDAY" MARCH 10, 1948. The Royal Visit

Northern Advocate, 10 March 1948, Page 4

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. . "WEDNESDAY" MARCH 10, 1948. The Royal Visit

As was to be expected, the announcement of a Royal visit to New Zealand has aroused widespread enthusiasm.

Their Majesties the King and Queen have themselves expressed joy at the prospect of renewing acquaintance with the' people of Australia and New Zealand whom they met when they toured these lands as the Duke and Duchess of York.

Princess Margaret’s inclusion in the parly has aroused great interest in the Dominion

Despite the fact that she was necessarily obliged to take second place to her elder sister, The Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret captivated the people of South Africa during the recent tour of the Union, while her appearances on official occasions in Britain have aroused enthusiasm that has always marked the progress of her gracious mother, Her Majesty the Queen.

It is certain that Princess Margaret will be a popular figure during the Royal visit and will share with Their Majesties the devotion of the populace. Information so far released suggests that the Royal tour will begin

in New Zealand and will last about 16 days. A little over a fortnight is a very short period, and if the Royal visitors arc to make a comprehensive tour and the maximum number of their subjects arc to have the privilege of seeing them, it is obvious that very careful planning will be required. For that reason we may, without incurring a charge of parochialism, urge Northland’s political and civic representatives to take the earliest steps to bring before the controlling authorities the unique claims of this territory for inclusion in the Royal itinerary.

The exclusion of Northland from other important itineraries (though admittedly minor in comparison with the tour of Their Majesties and the Princess) has been a subject of disappointment and displeasure to Northlanders, who may justifiably hold that the cradle of colonisation in New Zealand has unsurpassed claims for Royal recognition. We hope the official representatives of Northland will take time by the forelock and make early presentation of the claims of a territory it may safely be assumed the Royal Family would wish to visit if they were free to frame their itinerary.