THE DUKE'S VISIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21962, 20 November 1934, Page 10

THE DUKE'S VISIT

AUCKLAND PREPARATIONS

RECEPTION ON ,ARRIVAL ROUTE THROUGH THE CITY CHILDREN AT THE DOMAIN Much preliminary work is now being done to ensure that the public functions to be held in Auckland during the visit of the Duke of Gloucester will bo worthy of the city. The Duko will reach Auckland by train on the morning of December 24 and be driven to the Town Hall, where a civic reception will be tendered. Queen Street will be gaily decorated with bunting, while special decorations will be arranged by the Auckland Harbour Board along the Quay Street portion of the waterfront. . Consideration is at present being given to the route which the Duke will take when driving from the railway station to the Town Hall.. The suggestion has been made that *tho train should be brought into tho No. 1 departure platform, in which case tho Duke and his party would pass through the magnificent station building, whereas if the usual procedure followed with arriving express trains was adopted the party would disembark at the arrival platform amid uninspiring surroundings. It is not yet known whether this suggestion has been adopted. A further suggestion is that on leaving the main station building, which he will reach at 9.55 a.m., the Duke should be driven along Beach Road, down Britomart Place toward the waterfront and along Quay Street West to Queen Street. If this were done tho route would bring into view the special message of welcome to be flown by the Harbour Board at the entrance to Queen's Wharf. This is to consist of nine rows of code flags. Turning into Queen Street the Duke would make hjs entry through the real front, door of Auckland.

The only other function to be controlled by the City Council will be the children's rally at the Domain on the morning of December 27. It is estimated that at least 5000 children will take part, almost half of whom will be from country centres from Helensville in the north and Mercer in the south. Free transport is being provided by the Railway Department for the country children, who will be drawn from Standard 3 upward. Four special trains will arrive at Newmarket between* 9 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. and the children will march to the Domain, headed by bands. The gathering at the Domain will be under the control of the Legion of Frontiersmen, and as part of the display the children will be drawn up in a hollow square to be addressed briefly by the Duke. It was at first thought that it would not be possible to provide lunch for the country children, but this difficulty has been overcome. These children will be given lunch on the ground, but as the function will last for only an hour from 10.30 a.m. it is not proposed to cater in this way for the city and suburban children. The country children will be under the care of the Primary Schools' Committees' Association during their stay in the city and they will embark for the return journey between 3.30 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. MAORI GATHERING ARRANGEMENTS AT ROTORTTA [from our own correspondent] KQTORUA, Monday "Arrangements for the visit of the Duke of Gloucester are now be"i n<# completed," stated Mr. Tai Mitchell, of the Arawa Trust Board, when interviewed late this evening, upon his return from Ruatoki, where he has been accompanying the Native Minister, MiV Forbes.

It is now definitely decided that the East Coast natives will be accommodated at Ohinemutu, where four large marquees have been erected to house them. The South Island and Taranaki Maoris, together with the natives from Taupo, will be lodged at Whakarewarewa. The Northern and East Cape natives will be billeted at the Maori art school at Kotu.

All the visiting natives will arrive on the Monday of the week of the Duke's visit and this' will enable them to settle down. The Maori reception will take place at the racecourse, where three marquees have been put up to provide dressing rooms for those taking part in the ceremony. Two fences are to be removed in front of the grandstand and a special stand projecting out about 25ft. will be provided for the Royal visitor. A similar stand was built on the occasion of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York.

Mr. H.H. Balneavis, secretary to the Native Minister, is due to arrive shortly to complete other arrangements with the Department of Internal Affairs.