PRINCE AND PETONE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10522, 25 February 1920, Page 9

PRINCE AND PETONE

1 DEPUTATION TO SIR F. SELL PAGEANT OF FIRST LANDING PROPOSED. ♦ VISIT TO HISTORIC BEACH. At the Petono Town Hall last evening Sir Francis Bell, Minister for Internal Affairs, met a representative deputation from the Hutt Valley, introduced by Mr T. M. Wilford, ALP. for the district. Among those present were the Mayor of Pebono (MV J . W. AlcEwan) and councillors, the Mayor of Lower Hutt (Mr E. P.; Rishworth), Mr Cooper (chairman of tho Huai County Council), Mr Kennedy (representing the Hutt River Board), the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson (president), Mr W. A. Edwards (secrotaij;’), and Mr J. Orcliiston (a member of the Early Settlers’ Association). SOME STRONG PLEAS.

Mr Wilford, in introducing the deputation, said that they warned to impress upon the Minister the views of the Hurt Valley in regard to the approaching visit to tlib Dominion of H.B.H. tho Prince ’of Wales. They felt very strongly that it would bo wrong if the Prince left New Zealand 1 without at, least visiting one of the most' histone parts of tho Dominion, the Potone foreshore, which, as ho need not remind Sir Eranois Bell, was 80 years ago, the scene of one of tho most interesting and historic landings, if not Hie most interesting and historic, that had ever taken place in Now Zealand—the first landing of the early pioneers. Mr Wilford read. Mr Edward Gibbon Wakefield’s account of the landing and bis description of the great Rangatira Henry To Puui, who stood steadfast in. his loyalty ito the British Grown all through tho troublous times of the past. The district, said Mr Wilford, had been represented by some of the most notable chiefs of the Maori race, and was probably one of the most important parts of New Zealand so far as the native race was concerned, and they thought it only fitting that the representative of Queen Victoria and King Edward should land on the historic beach. Ho believed that Te Puni had oiily two or three survivors, but were in that district. He hoped that the Minister would be able to fit in with the arrangemements for the Prince’s stay in Wellington an hour, or two hours, or whatever time could be given for a visit to the Hutt Valley and to its historic foreshore, where the old pioneer settlers first landed and where tho (Maoris ■who extended the hand of welcome to them had remained loyal to the Empire up to the present hour. (Applause.) He particularly stressed the, desirability of such a visit, so that the ■children of the Hutt Valley might have an opportunity .of seeing tho Prince. Mr AlcEwan said that the district desired a visit from the Prince, because they felt that he would wish to follow in tho footsteps of his worthy father and mother, who, as Duke and Duchess of York, had visited Petone many years ago and inspected the Gear Company’s works and the Woollen Mill. They knew that the stay of tho Prince was to be very short in Wellington, and they asked Sir Francis Bell to arrange for an hour or two to bo spent at Petone. They would do all they could to make his visit worth while. (Applause.) Mr Rishworth strongly supported the proposal, saying that in this mat-, ter the Lower Hutt and Petone were at one. They felt that such a visit would bo tho only chance that the children of the valley would have ,of seeing the Prince. Mr Cooper and Mr Kennedy endorsed what had been said by the other speakers. Mr Honi Te Puni described how his - grandfather, Henry To Puni, welcomed tho first British settlers at Petone, presented the whole port and other lands to the New Zealand Company, and united with the whites to fight the natives from other districts who would have driven tfipm out. Re urged that tho Prince of Wales ought at least to land on the Petone beach, even if he could not spare them much time. ‘(Applause.) Air J. London and the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson (president of the Early Settlors’ Association) also supported the proposal, tho latter saying that in a spectacular display representing the historic lauding in 1840 of the early pioneers, they were offering a unique pageant for tho entertainment of the Prince of Wales—one of the most interesting, ho ventured to say, that could bo put before him in his worldwide tour. (Applause.) “For the children, let the Prince come hero,” said Mr Wilford, in thanking tho Minister for receiving the deputation. ■ ,

MINISTER'S REPLY. SIR. FRANCIS -SYMPATHETIC. ’ Sir Francis Bell, in reply, said that it was a great satisfaction to him to have met such a representative deputation. It was, however, ho must point out, .absolutely out of the question for the children to be assembled in all the local districts for the Prince to meet them. They must assemble for that purpose at tho centres. The Government had decided that tho children of the Dominion anywhere near tho lino of Von to of the Prince—anywhere, at all events, where they could return them tho same day—should be gathered at the different centres to meet the Prince; and arrangements would have to be made to feed and care for them. The appeal, therefore, which had been made so strongly on behalf of tho children, had already been met; and, if the Prince was unable to come to the Hutt Valley, the children of the Hutt Valley would be taken comfortably to Wellington to see him, and returned the same day. That could be easily arranged. .'That point, therefore, had no weight with him, because the children, in any case, were going to seo tho Prince, and the Prince was going to seo the children; and tho same with tho returned soldiers. Tho Prinoo had only twentyseven days in Now Zealand in all, and ho would have to travel very hard so aa to get through at all, and to give the Government tho opportunity of assembling tho returned soldiers and tlie children at tho -different centres to see him. Tho question of tho most convenient centres for assembling them was. what tho Government was at present considering. PETONE’S CLAIM. The claim made by Pctonc was duplicated by 200 claims from other centres. The people in the Far North,

for example, urged that the Prince should laud’ where the Tjjreaty of Waitangi was signed, and proceed thence to the rest of the Dominion. No one, he added, could bo more interested than himself in the historic) claims of Petone. His father was secretary to the New Zealand Company,- and Colonel Wakefield and Mr Edward Gibbon Wakefield were his' father’s cousins. He was very anxious, for that reason, that, if possible, an exception should ho made in the case of Petone. But there were Hastings, Woodville, Stratford, and many other places, with, historic pas to support their claims, all asking for a. visit from the - Prince. The Government could not run the Prince at uncomfortable express speed from one end of the country to the other without any opportunity for relaxation ; and that was why one day was to bo given in this district to some of the sports of the" country" The time i devoted to sport had already been cut down by three days. The fishing at Hake Taupo, for instance, had been abandoned. And his two days stay in Wellington was already fairly taken up. On the first day was the civic reception, the review, and the assemblage of the' returned 'soldiers in Wellington, and some other functions; and both evenings were taken up. He hoped that the Mayors and chairmen of the local bodies of the district would all join together with the Mayor of Wellington 'to make the presentation of their addresses at the same time, either at the Town Hall or at Government House; "Ho would put before the Government the. pronosition that there should bo a visit to Petone. (Applause.) He could not make a: promise of such a visit, because he did not know what other applications might be made for the second day. But he would do his best to submit, the claims of Potone.

VISIT TO TRENTHAM HOSPITAL. He wanted them to remember, how-, ever, that the Prince would insist upon going to the Military Hospital at Trentham. He would go there wheroever else ho went; so that, in any case, ho would pass through the Hutt Valley. The Government had not put that to him. Ho..himself, had eard-that he wanted to see his comrades of the war, not only at the various gatherings, but also in the hospitals.wherever he went. (Applause.) Hc> (Sir Francis) hoped to he able to'let., them know his answer in a reasonable time, if His Excellency the Governor thought that it was a matter that could be arranged for the Prince here. But it might be a matter that wduld have" to be decided by the Prince - himself; arid' in' that case they would have to wait till he got to Fiji. Personally he would be very glad if the Prince could come to Petone. As regards such functions as the laying of foundation stories, ‘the Government had had- to decide that - they would noth be included-in’the Prince’s programme. Ho had had to put his foot down in regard to that. If there wore to bo any exceptions, they would be made by the Prince himself. He would put" the proposal for a Petone visit forward favourably, arid if it could bo arranged it wouldi, be arranged Ho would let themjknow in .as short a. time "as possible what the final decision was. (Applause.)