THE ROYAL VISIT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10546, 24 March 1920, Page 7

THE ROYAL VISIT

CITY'S PREPARATIONS civil and jiilitary arrangements. -ueeting of citizens. A thoroughly representative gathering of Wellington citizens was convened at the Council Chambers at tho Town Hall yesterday afternoon by tho Deputy-Mayor (Mr George Frost) in order to discuss the arrangements for tho city's -welcome to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on the occasion of his visit to Wellington on May 3rd. TB.IB CITY'S 'PREPARATIONS.

Mr Frost thanked the citizens for their interest in the preparations- for the as shown by tho satisfactory attendance, and explained the objects of tho meeting. His Royal Highness was expected to arrive at Wellington on Monday evening, May 3rd, at about 6.50 p.m. Representations had been made to the general manager of railways (Mr R. MoVilly) to seo tf the Prince's train could not be brought right on to the Lamibton station, whe-e the surroundings "ere more agreeable. No reply had yot been received, but it was hoped the request would bo acceded to. Mr Frost proceeded to detail the programme of arrangements already laid down in connection with the Prince's and entertainment in Wellington. There would be no arranged welcome, as the railway journey would have proved a trying one for the city's illustrious visitor, but. the Prince would immediately upon his arrival be motored through the principal streets of the city to Government House. It was proposed to decorate the spacious street area between Lambton station and the Parliament Buildings. Tho arrangements for the , day following the Prince's arrival would include a civio reception 'at tho Town Hall in the morning, Ministerial luncheon at Bellamy's at 1 p.m., parade of returned so!di«>-a at Newtown Park, a reunion of representatives of all tile returned soldiers' associations of New Zealand in the legislative Council Chamber the same afternoon, and the Governor-General's ball at Government House in the evening.' _On the Wednesday morning the Prince would *•- view the school children in the grounds of tho Houses of Parliament, and after luncheon he irould proceed to Petone by launch in order to take part in the landing ceremony arranged by the local residents afc tho historic spot where the early settlers first cama ashore. He would then be motored up the Hutt Valley to' visit Trentham Military Hospital. In the evening he would attend the citizens' ball afc the Town Hall.

- The principal object of the meeting, said Mr Frost, was to set up committees in connection with street decorations, the citizens' ball, and tho entertainment of the-men of H.M.S. Re* nown. The City Council had voted a sum of £2OOO towards the cost of the decorations, and a sum of £SOO had also been passed by the Harbour Board for the same purpose. These sums would be supplemented by a £ for £ subsidy. The Hairhour JBoardl had kindly granted the use of one of its sheds for tie entertainment of the battleship Renown, which would be berthed at the wharf. The streets of the city would be thoroughly decorated, principally by means of illumination, and flags on the first night.

THE MILITARY ARRANGEMENTS. Colonel 0. W. Melvill, officer commanding the Wellington military district, said that the military should take part in the reception at the railway station; no military salutes would be .fired, as the regulations would not permit firing to take place after dusk. It might be advisable to have a. guard of honour at the official reception outside the Town Hall on the morning after the Prince arrived, but .this again was likely to present difficulty on account of the crowds that were sure to be oresent and on account of the limited'space in front of the building. If a guard of honour was to be arranged it would mean a curtailment of the space provided for the public. In re» gard to the military parade, which would take place at Newtown Park in the afternoon, it was hoped the gathering would be representative of tho veterans, returned soldiers, sailors, and nurses, and any recognised returned women's organisations; also the territorials, embracing, representatives of each arm of the service—mounted rifles, engineers, infantry and senior cadets. The troops would not be armed, for the rifles and equipment available before the war had been sent away with the expeditionary force and had not yet returned. The senior officer on parade would command the whole of the review, and would call the troops to attention on the appearance of His Royal Highness. The band would then play the National Anthem. The first item on the programme would be the presentation of medals ceremony. It was nroposed to confine the medals to D.S.O.'s, M.C/s, D.O.M.'b, and M.M.'s, but he hoped to arrange if possible for a certain number of foreign decorations' to be presented by the various Consuls concerned, and for the

Prinee to congratulate the recipients. The Prince would then take the salute on the march past of the parade. The longest item would naturally he the presentation of decorations. There were something like 100 soldiers in Wellington who had not yet officially received their medals. Each returned man who was entitled to a medal had been circularised, asking him particularly to attend the parade to receive his" decoration at the hands of tho Prince. He sincerely hoped tho men would comply with the request and make the turn-out a successful one Ho would also ask the assistance of the Returned Soldiers' Association in letting him know the number of returned men that were likely to be on parade. The military authorities hoped a 5 manv soldiers as possible wffuld turn out, since the Prince had expressed a soecial wish to see them. He was also getting into touch with the other bodies that would be taking parrt in order to ascertain the numbers that would be present. The Veterans would hold the place of honour on the right of the parade. The Prince wtrakf inspect all ranks of the Veterans, returned soldiers and sailors, and nurses, but would only march down the front' ranks of the territorial and senior cadet units. On the Sunday when the Prince left in the Renown, a salute would be fired as the warship drew out from the wharf; there would also bo a guard of honour of the recognised number of m en—three officers and a hundred other ranks, with colours—for the Princes departure. . The arrangements formulated by the Colonel were adopted unanimously, and it-was decided to ask the military authorities to make the best, arrangements possible for the firing of a salute outside the Town Hall. THE! CITIZENS'. PART.

Mr J. G. Harkness, chairman of the Harbour Board, - said that it behoved 'the citizens to make the Princes reception an enthusiastic one and his stay in the city as enjoyable as possible. Unfortunately the funds at their disposal were no* very large, but the money 'that was available would enable a good deal to be done in regard to -the decorations. The executive committee had not canvassed the city for subscriptions, but it was suggested that the citizens in the different parts of the Dominion do their best m decorating the fronts of the buildings on the prinoipal street routes, according to their own . tastes. In conclusion Mr Harkness assured Colonel Melvill that the Harbour Board and its officers would do everything in their nowed to assist him to carry out all arrangements he proposed to make on the waterfront in a proper and effective' manner. ' In answer to a question by Mr R. J. F. Aldrich, secretary of the _ Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, the Deputy-Mayor said that the returned soldiers would be required to assemble and no* to march to the Newtown Park on the day of the inspec* the Prince. THE POLICE. Superintendent Norwood stated that the Police Department would arrange that a patrol of mounted police .should meet the special train by which -the Prince would arrive and form an escort to Government House. He himself would keep in touoh with the committees sot up by tho meeting and make whatever further police arrangements were necessary. . The meeting; then proceeded to appoint the various committees. Mr Frost announced that as far an the civic reception was concerned, the necessary arrangements would "he made by the civic authorities themselves, so that it wa« unnecessary to set up a committee for the <WKremony. THE CHILDREN'S PARADE. Mr W. Foster, headmaster of the Clyde quay School, reported that a representative committee had been set up 'to carry out preliminary work in connection with the review of the school children, and that it h&4 been estimated there would he about. 10,000 children on parade. The Junction would be probably held at the Parliament Buildings grounds, hut this woul4 no he definitely settled until the Government gave an assurance that the- grounds would bo set aside exclusively for the children's inspection. He would recommend that a sum of £SOO be set aside for the children's gathering. As far as provision for the children in tho matter of refreshment was concerned the Education Department was making some arrangement. The Deputy-Mayor said that ho could hardly accept the recommendation, but he would promise that the finance committee would give full consideration to the suggestion. Mr Foster replied that the children's committee proposed to prepare something in the form of a souvenir of the Prince's visit, to he distributed to each child; for tholfc purpose alono ho-hop-ed his suggestion would he favourably considered. COMMITTEES SET UP. The following working committees were set) up:— ' . Street decorations committee: lieu-tenant-Colonel - Corrigan (convener), Messrs Page, Fearon, Ellis, Maitland, H. D. Bennett, S. Kirkcaldie, It. R. Partridge, L. Georgo, A. A. Marryatt, Sims, Hollis, Houghton, -L. 8. MoKenzie, J. O. Shorland, Captains Chudloy and Munro, managers of the five city banks, and the chairman of the two chambers of commerce. Ball committee: Mr B. W. Shallcrass (convenor), Mesdamcs Luke, Earle, Duthie, J. P. Firth, Darling, H. Nathan, J. L. Sloeman, F. Dyer, Miss Sibyl Nathan, Messrs Tan Duncan, O. A. Ewan, A. E. Whyto, O. Sutton, A. W. Wiren. .7. B. Harcourt, H. Oakley Brown, Dr Collins, and Colonel Roberts.

Men's entertainment committee (for crew of H.M.S. Renown): Members of the Navy League and Ladies' Auxiliary, and the following ladies: Mesdames Luke. Fuller, Clarke Johnston, Nimmo, Rast. Hoskins, and Mr Carr: conveners, Mesdames Luke and HosTrins.