DUKE OF YORK’S TOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20060, 29 March 1927, Page 7

DUKE OF YORK’S TOUR

AUSTRALIAN ARRANGEMENTS. SYDNEY READY FOR WELCOME CANBERRA INVITATIONS. (From Ocb Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 18. Eight days from when tins is written, the Renown will sail through Sydney Heads with the Duke and Duchess of York aboard, tresh from their triumphant tour of New Zealand. The event, which has been a “top-liner” in the newspapers here for montns, will be consummated, and Sydney will enter into one of those periods of festivities for which it is famed the world over. The arrangement of the programme which gave New Zealand the first welcome to the Royal couple rather roused envy and disappointment among Australians, but an assurance can be given that this will in no way detract from the warmth of the welcome that will be awaiting the visitors here. On every hand there are visible signs of preparations. Macquarrie street is an avenue of glistening white obelisks merely waiting for the bunting, flags, and greenery that will adorn them when the Duke arrives. The landing stage and pavilions at Farm Cove, where the Duke will first set foot on Australian soil, are completed. Every building of importance in the city is placarded with signs which will burst into brave display. Statues everywhere, including that of the Duke’s great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, in Queen's square, have been furbished up and prepared for decoration. For all points of vantage and functions in this city, the invitations have already been issued and received. An enterprising newspaper has even brought to a successful conclusion a competition it conducted to find a song of Sydney suitable for the occasion, and the music, now having reached the publication stage, is selling like hot cakes, and being practised by vocalists, good, bad, and indifferent, bands, and orchestras. Music will be a prominent feature of the Ducal procession through Sydney’s streets, as strong posts have been organised, which will make the air ring with melody, or at least noise. A fine function during the Dukes’ visit to Sydney will be the presentation of the Albert Medal—the V.C. of civilian life—to Stanley Gibbs, who displayed great heroism in going to the rescue of a young mate, who had been seized by a shark in the waters of Port Hacking. The presentation will take place at the people’s reception on the morning of March 29. This was decided by the Premier (Mr Lang) as the most suitable occasion, as it will permit a large number of the general public to be present. On this day also will take _ place the school children’s pageant. This will bo held on the Show Ground, and 10,000 children will take part. They are nowbeing drilled in the various dances, evolutions, and songs they will be required to perform before the Royal visitors and their suites. A thousand specially-trained senior girls will present a striking scene in their folk dancing costumes of red and green, and on the completion of their dancing will immediately form the sepals for the tableau, “The Rose of York,” in which over 8000 children will participate. The various groups will be so arranged that the rose will grow—sepals, golden centre, and then the petals forming until the full flower, surrounded by a dozen brightly-coloured miniature roses and subscribed with “Welcome” is developed. During these evolutions the children will sing two patriotic songs, and while the Duke and Duchess walk through the files of children into the heart of this great human flower, the children will sing a specially-written and composed ‘‘Song of Welcome.” According to press messages from New Zealand, children have been in the forefront of every function in the Dominion, and surely this Sydney pageant should be one of the finest yet evolved. After leaving Sydney, the Royal party will visit in turn Queensland, Tasmania, and Victoria. . From the latter State it will proceed to Canberra for the opening of the Federal Parliament in its home in Australia’s new capital—the chief objective of the Ducal tour. The accommodation for official guests at Canberra, a partially-built city, is naturally restricted, and there have been many heart-burnings because of names missing from these official lists. Still, the function promises to be one of the most unique in world's history, and though full plans have not yet been disclosed, there is every ' reason to believe that the ceremonies wil?> be on a scale worthy of their importance. *;’ The review of military, naval, and air referees, in which 2000 troops will take part, will be a spectacular affair, and while the Duke is making his speech from the steps of Parliament House to a crowd, is expected, of 100,000 people, dozens of aeroplanes will “stunt” overhead. An interesting feature is that Dame Nellis Melba, Australia’s most famous singer, will lead this great concourse in the singing of the National Anthem. Another Is contained in a hint from a Federal Minister that although an ordinance forbidding the sale of liquor within the Federal Capital territory will not be revised for the Royal visit, the banquets will probably be" “wet,” because the ordinance says nothing about the consumption of liquor purchased outside the territory.