ROYAL VISITOR'S TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17471, 15 May 1920, Page 7

ROYAL VISITOR'S TOUR.

HfcINCE INCffiRISTCHUECH. FREEDOM OF THE CIW. REVIEW IN HAGLEY PARK. PINE DISPLAY OF TROOPS. Tbt telegraph.—press association.] CHBISTCHTJRCH, Friday., "Prince's Weather" which has m'aflced the Royal tour ever since Rotorua was left broke to-day. The morning was wet and drizzly but the afternoon saw the sun making feeble efforts to break through as the Prince walked from the Christchurch Club to Latimer Square where the formal presentation of the address, from the citizens was made by the Mayor. Many thousands of people were present and heartily cheered the Royal visitor. A feature of this function was the prepense of members of the Christchurch Cambrian Society, the women being dressed in the i quaint Welsh national garb. "God Bless the Prince of Wales,'' was sung in English and Celtic. His Royal Highness, acknowledging the address, said he was always glad, to meet Welshmen anywhere in the Empire...Addresses were also presented from--the Lyttelton Harbour Board, the Methodist Church and the British Israel Association. At the conclusion of this ceremony the freedom of the city of ChristchurcPwas conferred upon the Prince by virtue of a document handed to him by the Mayor, Dr. Thacker, M.P. This is the first case of the freedom of tho city being conferred^".; ' on anyone in Christchurch, or indeed "in"" New Zealand, and it' Was decided upon by a meeting of the City Councillors while waiting on the railway platform last evening for the Prince's arrival. His Royal Highness was then enrolled as the first honorary freeman of the City of Christchurch. On leaving Latimer Square the Prince drove to Hagl2y Park. The route was lined by thousands., and thousands more stood on all sides of the parade ground in the park. The inspection of veterans and \fy&£ torials took some time, and the Prince's frequent stoppage to speak to the men wearing special ribbons or to a wounded man resulted in- frequent cheers.- and apt** i plause. The troops made a fine display-,- *-- • and a large number of returned soldiers I and nurses filed past the Prince. The I drone of an aeroplane was heard overhead. | The rain kept off, but x the ; ground was ' • 1 damp underfoot, and a chill southerly wind made things ' very uncomfortable. The. streets are brightly illuminated again to-night, and are packed with sightseers. " . The Prince attended. citizens' ball this evening, given in his honour in thelgrfl Hall. ' Great crowds watched his progress to the hall, and the scene inside was a brilliant one. , To-morrow evening a second ball will be given by the Navy . League and Returned Soldiers' Association .as joint hosts, and the Prince is expected -to attend. In the afternoon he will be the guest of the Canterbury Jockey Club at the special meeting at Riccarton. . < The pilot\6fvthe> Royal, .train • from •■--.- Arthur's Pass last evening found that the -■ ; patrolman at Darfield had collapsed owing to influenza. iHe was lying alongside, the" line. The man was picked up and brought" into lie Christchurch Hospital. ■.

INCIDENTS OF THE VISIT. ENTHUSIASM OUTSIDE CLUB. THE PRINCE AND THE BUGGER.- j [B2 telegbaph.—own.'coSbespondent.J j CHRI3TCHTJBCH, Friday. ; At the entrance ;> to the ■■• ChristchurchJ_.„ =~ I Club last night the crowd was particuv-y.- j larly dense, and it^was.-,with difficulty, | despite the efforts of many stalwart, constables to clear ,: way^ l -that' the "Royal 1 car drew up to the entrance. Many | did not seethe Prince ;at this stagehand,, >, | once he had disappeared into the build-' * ' J ing came persistent cries of, We want | the Prince," ;,i We; want to see the-*"' 5* i. J Prince." ' ■". ' " : ' _> " ■«?e* r . • | For a .few minutes the . uproar _cQjk... .... | tinued. ,"' Then the Prince, smoking ? a _._ „;. p cigarette, appeared at a window. Then the clamour' increased to .'a 1 full-throated " roar. * Cigarette in /band the Prince Ik leaned out of the window, acknowledging the, cheers * with his hat for several minutes. The;Princ? remained iit.-this ■: i position, and in spite of line' enthusiasm below, his quiet modest demeanouri 'x '$■ did not change. Just en extra .short- /( , wave of his hat, and he withdrew, leaving the impression that bis acknowledge- --: ment was the ii.ore sincere because- , - was lacking 'in any' suggestion of 'tho' theatrical. •' ! f!.v' , - ■ ■■** i.? < Such is the ... favourable impression created by the Prince in Christcburtb that people to-day lingered'to see hlni i 5..., often as possible. Their feelings were'"' - well expressed by one' lady, who, r % standing in the crowd outside the Christ- '••'- > church Club this morning. A policeman -*...,* asked her if 'she had'seen the Prince, on v his arrival the previous evening. Oh; _ yes," she replied, "but I can't see - enough of him." . ..., One of those little, kindly touches which are endearing the Prince to thou- - sands in this country occurred at the "~ great military review this afternoon".;;A ■ little bugler, a lad of about 13 years;-was:-" stationed at the saluting post, and at the conclusion of ■ the ..' presentation iof $ the address to the Prince from the Returned'c. - ?'•: Soldiers' Association, he followed ouf; hi*?/ orders and commenced a blast ppo&ihlsO bugle. , At the same moment the bugle was pulled away from his mouth*, for the . ; . . Prince was just about to .reply to* the ( address of the returned'soldiers. '3"be little bugler looked disconcerted, f -..• - spectators■ unfeelingly laughed, ; but - the I lad was soon quite happy again for, the , ': Prince,himself came up to him; patted -, him on,the shoulder, . and conversect"itith; < * ; . him for quite a couple of. minutes.',,_^,"^ M ', . ;._*: ■—!— -•'\^ i^ AUCKLAND'S CITY ' PRESENTATION' OF CASKET; i -■ ' ' 3 . .<*»•« [BY TELEGBJIPH.-rOWN CORRESPONDENT.]" ' ' I : >. ' . . * CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. . •••- ' The address of welcome from the City ct Auckland and contiguous local bodies to the Prince of Wales was to have been. I contained in a. valuable casket, but it was not possible to have the-casket completed V' during the visit, of the Prince to Ajiek.;.",.. laud. It was therefor* handed over th's <smorning by Mr. C. F, Fieldcend asrept??-;' senting Mr. J. H. Gunson. Mavor of An**: . land, to Commander J. D. Campbell, "of■■- j H.MS. Renown, ' who accepted it on ; behalf of the Prince. '■.£ J?^ \