TRIUMPHAL TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21765, 3 April 1934, Page 12

TRIUMPHAL TOUR

PRINCE GEOKOiE ACCLAIMED •SOUTH AFRICA'S WELCOME ENTHUSIASM AND LOYALTY MANY INTERESTING INCIDENTS Popularity almost rivalling that of the rrinco'of Wales lias already been -svon bv Prince George during his tour of South Africa. Travelling over the country in a special white train, fitted as a home on wheels, he has been acclaimed everywhere. His enthusiasm and friendliness have awakened to the full the lovaltv of the South African people. During" the Prince's tour crowds everywhere have thronged to greet him. On one occasion night was fading into ' morning, and still eager people were to he seen along the line and heard as they sent up a cheer which penetrated strangely into the vibrating interior of the white train. One man, determined to look into the train as it passed a siding^without a platform, had brought with him a pair of stilts, and on these he stalked about with a swinging lamp at his belt like some astonishing species of luminous beetle from a lost animal kingdom. . Little sleepy-eyed boys and gins tyjiiked into the glare of the pilot train "and waited with their parents for tho arrival of Prince Georce. Many mothers carried infants in their arms and with a. patience that was touching stood on and on'and talked of the coming of the. white train in the old familiar Afrikaans of the'farm. Each family grouped itself around a hurricane lamp brought from home to light the way along lonely roads 'and footpaths, and its yellow gleams slanted up from tho ground to reveal tho sun-tanned, weather-beaten faces of the old, the rosy, rounded faces of the voting. Honey-coloured hair and blue -eves completed a picture that was repeated for Prince George again and again during his first night rule into the wonderland of the southern Cape. ' A Musical Evening Between observing these clusters oi people and settling himself into his new quarters the Prince spent a long and pleasant evening. Quite a musical evenit was, too, tor he set his radiogram Eorng in his sitting room on the train. A very varied selection of records spun out their music from the radiogram and besides this he ran his fingers oyer the keyboard of the piano to test its tone. On the way to Oudtshoorn tho Koyal Train remained at Camfer for some tnno and a little knot of people on the station, who sent a basket of choice peaches to tlie Prince, were rewarded when lie alighted from the train and shook hands with them. t i When he had concluded shaking hands with the people on the platform he observed a little group of four bywoners, rather poorly clad, and standing some distance away. Ho immediately walked over to them and. with a smile, shook harfds with them. The old bywoners were somewhat taken aback at being signalled out for - this honour. They gave the Prince their hands rather tardily, but the Prince's informal manner soon reassured them and when lie left the wrinkled faces were wreathed in smiles. Oudtshoorn gave the Prince a fine welcome. About 3000 people cheered him as his car drove round the recreation ground. Ostrich Farm Visited Covered in dust, Prince George spent a happy hour before lunch that day on the ostrich farm Bakejioskraal, belonginc to Mr. John H. le Roux, With ostrich hens circling their nests of eggs in the sand, ho was amused at the anSietv for his safety loudly oppressed bv Mrs. le Roux. He questioned Mr. le Roux closely about all the details of ostrich breeding and leather plucking. While a large troop of buds wen£ pounding past him lie stood below "a mulberry tree, picking tho fruit and oating it, 'so that a laugh went up when it was seen that both hands had been stained scarlet. . Finallv Mr. le Poux presented Prince George with some fine white feathers and an egg, which lie suggested the train chef should cook into an unusual dish for him. _. On his arrival at x ort iMizabetli, xiis "Royal Highness received an overwhelming welcome. Thousands cheered him as he entered tho main square of the city.** The Prince also walked over to a portion of the ground reserved for natives. There were 600 present, representing Port Elizabeth s native population of 20,000. These natives had a special greeting for the Prince. They had decided to give him a special name, and the name they selected was "Ah Zweliya Nyikima," which means 'Ah. Thou Trembling World." The idea behind this name is rather subtle. A native authority explains it thus: "In"the native mind members of the Roval Family are paramount. They are, in" fact, almost superhuman, and the suggestion behind the riamo given to the Prince to-day is that as a person of Royal blood ho has the power to inak<t tho world tremble at his bidding." Interlude With Snakes

Old Johannes, the bespectacled native keeper of the Port Elizabeth Snake Park, put on a great show for the Prince when he paraded seven baskets of snakes, which swarmed and crawled on the sunken lawn to create a bizarre activity. Mr. FitzSimons, the curator, who showed Prince George around, took a snake from Johannes, and it swayed its head toward the Prince, who drew back with a laugh. The snake then crawled up Mr. FitzSimons' sleeve. For*- some time the Prince watched Johannes with his jiloved hands seize snake after snake and force their fangs through the covering over a glass in order to obtain their poison, from which the anti-snako-bite serum is concocted. The following day the Prince arrived at C»r;;ha instown and his drive through its streets was a. most enjoyable affair, enlivened by the presence of a crowd chiefly composed of children and college 'students. Through mile-long avenues of young girls and boys radiating from the beautiful Botanic Gardens, Prince George was driven slowly, 80 that he was given a close-up moving paijornnia of fcjouth African youth. Healthy faces, pink, and with white flashing teeth, flickered past in splendid succession and the children used 1 heir lungs to excellent purpose. The Prince's " Boater " It, was startling and amusing to sen 1000 straw hats waved dazzlingly in the sunshine as Prince George lifted his own familiar "boater." Not since lie landed in South Africa has he seen so many triumphantly massed lints of the type which more than any other he has worn during the tour.

The, most novel experience of the day for the Prince was the singing of "Xkon Sikelela." the Xosa national anthem, by a large choir of Bantu men, women and children. They formed a semi-circle in front of nim. and without the accompaniment of their band, harnlonised the song in that skilful manner which is familiar to all South Africans, but which Prince Georpo found astonishingly lovolv and most, surprising, coming as it did immediately after a series of handshakes, addresses. curtsies and bows.

At the various receptions which have been tendered to him, Priivo George has won popularity as mi engaging public speaker. His speeches have revealed n keen interest in tho everyday lives of the people and he hns paid generous tributes to the hardy pioneers—English 'and Dutch--who laid the foundations of progress.