"KISSING GOES BY FAVOUR."

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 140, 20 June 1901, Page 4

" KISSING GOES BY FAVOUR."

" Enquirer" writes t© the Wellington " Post " : — " There are strange rumours in the air as to hew tho invitations to the coigns of vantage during the Ducal procession are being issued. I know men who have tickets, and know many old and worthy citizens who have nut had invitations nor are likely to hare them. It lookß Uke ' colour.' In caseß of this kind I thin kthe most deserving and desirable should get tickets for the functions independent of whtt ' colour ' they they may be politically."

The present tonr of the Duke and Duchess will entail a cost to the British taxpayer tbat will fall very little short of a quarter of a million Bterling, In spite of the Koyal visit being considerably curtailed, it is estimated that the various ceremonieß will cost Australia close on £200,000, an amount that would have been far greater had not the death of the Queen presented anything in the nature of public dinners or entertainments. The alterations to the Ophir are said to have cost £35,000, and the Orient Company ! receive £75,000 for her hire, whiletheir Royal Highnesses' personal expenses are put down at £20,000. j

Some of lhe New Zealand journalists (observes the " Christchurch Press") are falling into the same error as did the Melbourne reporter in describing the Duke of Cornwall's uniform as that of a Colonel in the Guards. As a matter of fact it is that of a Colonel of the. 7th l Eoyal Fusiliers, and the Duke himself ' requested tke Melbourne papers to correct the error. There is also a tendency on the part of some New Zealand reporters to underestimate His Eoyal Highness's stature. According to Captain Wallmgton, Private Secretary to the GovernorGeneral, Lord Hopetonn, His Royal Highnesses height Ts sft 6 Jin.