ROYAL PROGRAMME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17459, 1 May 1920, Page 6

ROYAL PROGRAMME

EFFECT OF STRIKE, ALTERNATIVE ITINERARY. INLAND TOUR UNCERTAIN. BY SEA TO WELLINGTON. An official Government announcement issued in Auckland last evening stated that the Prince of Wales desires to carry out the whole of his North Island tour as arranged, if this can be done without prejudice to the remainder of his programme. If the railway strike is settled to-day Bis Royal Highness will leave Auckland by train' to-morrow afternoon and carry out the whole of the North Island programme, making up the two days which will have been lost on arrival in Wellington by giving up his deer stalking expedition at the end of next week. If the strike is not settled to-day he will leave for Wellington in H.M.S. Renown to-morrow morning, so as to carry out the programme prepared for him in that city on the dates originally intended.

STRIKERS AND THE PRINCE WILLINGNESS TO RUN TRAIN. DESIRE TO FACILITATE TOUR. [VS TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Friday. All parties to the railway dispute are anxious to facilitate the completion of the tour of the Prince of Wales, and this desire ha« been a factor in the negotiations. The becretary to tho Enginedrivers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association stated tonight that the locomotive men had proposed to run the Prince's train through to .Auckland. The crews had not planned tu leav° tho train at Rotorua, and the locomotive executive had hoped to reach a settlement that day that would cover arrangements for running the Prince rignt through the North Island. It had maoo preparations with that object in view. The members of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants are prepared to do" any work required in connection with the Prince'» train, but the railway authorities are dubious about the ad visa hility of attempting to run the Royal train as long as any part of the railwa;, service is disorganised by a strike. RETURN FROM ROTORUA. AN UNEVENTFUL JOURNEY. MORNING GAME OF GOLF. The Prince left Rotorua at 1 p.m. yesterday, having gone to his train quite early the previous evening. The people of the town were not generally aware of His Royal Highness' movements. He was occasionally seen before the departure of the train for Auckland going round as a private individual among the crowd on the platform of the station, and it was not always that ho was identified. Now and then the Prince was heard humming a poi dance tune which had remained in his memory from the Maori gathering. When tho Royal train left Rotorua there was no organised demonstration, but a few of the Arawa natives and other Maoris had assembled, and these gave the Prince a hearty farewell. The train arrived in Auckland at 8 a.m., without any incident having occurred en route. The Prince, wearing mufti, left the station without ceremony and walked into Queen Street and down the wharf to the Renown, where he had breakfast. After breakfast he motored out to the Maungakiekie Golf Club's links at One-tree Hill, and played a round of 18 holes with Ixird Louis Mountbatten and Sir Godfrey* Thomas. The club's professional, H. R. Blair, accompanied the party around the links. Later the Prince visited the club's pavilion, signing the visitors' book and chatting with somo ladies. He expressed himself as very pleased with the links. The ladies present cheered His Royal Highness on leaving, and he returned to the Renown for luncheon.

The Prince spent the remainder of the day yesterday quietly. In the evening he was present at a dance given on H.M.S. Renown.

The arrangements in connection with the conveyance of the Royal visitor to Rotorua and back, including the police escorts, etc., were perfect and were carried out without a hitch. Particular credit is due to Mr. J. Hislop. Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs, who had the supervision of the expedition in his hands, and who had regard for the interests of everybody concerned.