PRINCE ACCLAIMED

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11168, 25 March 1922, Page 8

PRINCE ACCLAIMED

ENTHUSIASTIG CINGALESE HEMAJaIvABLE POPULAIi DEMONSTKATIONS. PICTURESQUE SCENES. By. Telocrraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Australian and N.Z, Cablo Association. DELHI, March 23. The Prince of Wales had a wonderful journey from Colombo to Kandy this morning. Tlie entire population of a district for fiitecii miles each side of llte railway gathered at the way stations to see his special train pass. Lt was like popular demonstrations m Australia and Canada. There were solid ituls-xs of people in deep rows at every station platform and on the banks, rocks, and trees between them. They went to extraordinary pains to decorate the seventy-mile route from the coast. Even single mud huts displayed the Union Jack, and every tiny village under the palui-s showed its loyalty by means of bamboo arches or garlands strung between trees. For three and a half hours the Prince passed through what appeared to ho an almost continuous crowd, beginning at Colombo and continuing alp-ng the rioe fields of the plain, then clinging in thin lines to the steep sides of the hills where the special began to climb into the cooler air; and swelling again in numbers as tlie train approached the pleasant little city of Kandy. Tho absolute spontaneity of the reception was unmistakable. Tho people cheered like Europeans or saluted tlie Prince with precise volleys of handclapping. ■Some stations contributed groups of industrious drummers hanging tomtome. The Prince was received at the station by the Kandy chiefs, in picturesque lull dress, with balloon-liko skirts of heavy silk, , and jewelled hats.