DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22563, 6 May 1935, Page 13

DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

WELCOME HOME KING AND QUEEN AT VICTORIA (By Am Mail.) (From Our Own Correspondent.) ' LONDON, March 30. Home for the Duke of Gloucester means a busy few days. Then perhaps he will be permitted to take a holiday. H.M.A.S. Australia was delayed by the fog, but when eventually the ship turned into Spithead the weather was clear and bright enough to enable the spectators along the shores to get ah excellent view of the pageant that marked the last stage of the journey home. With the Duke of Gloucester's standard at her masthead, destroyers preceding and following her, and flying-boats forming an aerial . escort, the Australia steamed into harbour. As she passed the Spit Elbow buoy, a royal salute was fired. At Victoria, in the glorious afternoon sunshine, the Duke was welcomed by his own family. The reception was ceremonial to the extent that levee dress and uniforms were worn by the principal actors, and the Brigade of Guards mounted a guard of honour. For the rest, it was very homely. A portion of the platform where the Continental boat trains depart wasj fenced off and carpeted and curtained in crimson. Glorious banks of daffodils, tulips, and other flowers were arranged at the back of the platform. A quarter of an hour before the train was due a little party of those who were officially welcoming the Duke assembled in the enclosure. Among these were Mr Lyons (Prime Minister of Australia), the High Commissioner of Australia, Sir James Parr, Mr J. H. Thomas, and Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister (Secretary for the Colonies). All these wore levee dress. Lord Trenchard and representatives of the Navy, the Army and the Air Force were in uniform, and Lord Jellicoe, in morning dress, was among the unofficial party who had been invited to the enclosure. Shortly, afterwards the National Anthem, played'by the band of the Irish Guards outside the station, was heard, and the King and Queen, accompanied by the Duchess of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Harewood, arrived on the platform through a decorated reception room. The King wore the full dress uniform of a field-marshal and the ribbon of the Order of the Garter; the Queen had a smoke-grey costume. The Princess Royal was wearing rose pink, and the Duchess of York f was wearing powder blue. The King was looking well after his holiday at Eastbourne. The royal party passed before the official reception party, shaking- hands, and for five minutes there was general conversation. Most of the time his Majesty was in conversation with Mr Lyons, who has not been in London before and who had not before met the King.

• A FAMILY REUNION When the train arrived the Duke stepped out at once. He saluted the King aiid shook hands. He then kissed the hand of his mother and then her cheek. His sister and the Duchess of York he greeted ■ with an informal brotherly kiss. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York, who had travelled from Portsmouth with the Duke of Gloucester, also paid their formal respects to the King and Queen. Then the Duke of Gloucester shook hands with the representatives of the dominions and the remainder of the official party. It was a very friendly homecoming. The afternoon sun shone on the uniforms of the men, on the bright carpet and curtains, and on the array of spring flowers, making a very striking picture. After the welcomes were over the King and Queen and the Duke of Gloucester passed to the station courtyard, which had been decorated with hundreds of small flags-. The guard of honour gave a royal salute, and the band played the National Anthem. The Duke, with the King and the Royal Princes walking behind him, inspected the guard. He then returned to the other members of the Royal Family, and stood talking with them while an open State landau, drawn by four chestnut horses, with blue-liveried postilions, drew up. The Duke entered the carriage with Majorgeneral F. G. H. Howard-Vyse, his chief of staff, and as- the band again played the National Anthem, drove out, preceded by outriders, to the streets, where the crowds were waiting to cheer him. The escort of Life Guards wheeled into position before and behind the carriage. A second 'andau followed. ( The King and Queen returned to Buckingham Palace direct in a closed motor car. The procession was comparatively short, but it made a brave show as the open carriages drove slowly along to Whitehall and then down the Mall to Buckingham Palace in the spring-like afternoon.

OUTLINE OF HIS TOUR "A GOOD JOB WELL DONE" A LESSON FOR THE WORLD (By Am Mail.) (Krom Ouk Own Correspondent.) LONDON, April 6. Six societies interested in Empire affairs combined to give a banquet, in honour of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester. This took place in the spacious ballroom of Grosvenor House. The arrangements were perfect, the scene was a brilliant one, for, in addition to the unusually long top table, there were 73 other tables, seating usually 10 at each. Orders and decorations were worn, flowers in red, white, and blue were on all the tables, while flags of the dominions were artistically grouped down one side of the room, access to which is by a double staircase. The hosts were: The Royal Empire Society, the British Empire League, the Victoria League, the Overseas League, the British Women's Hospitality Committee, and the Empire School Tours Committee. The chairmen of the societies—Sir Archibald Weigall. Earl Stradbrokc, Lady Forster, Sir John Tilley, and Dr Montague Kendall—with Lady .Muriel GoreBrowne, received the guests, and the Kt. Hon. J. H. Thomas, M.P., Secretary ol State for Dominion Affairs, presided Lady Liverpool sat at the Duke's right hand. ' with Lord Jollicoe as her next neighbour. The Prime Minister of Australia was next to the chairman, with Lady Jellicoe, Lord Liverpool, the Countess of Stradbroke, and the Countess

of Hardwicke, Sir P. Cunliffe Lister, and the High Commissioner for New Zealand among those on his left. Those present included Captain Sir A. Curtis, Mr and Mrs 11. T. B. Drew, Lieutenant-colonel E. it. W. Lascclles, Mr J. 11. Lascelles, Brigadier-general W. 11. N. Madocks, Miss Juliet Madocks, Captain Donald Simson, Mr and Mrs C. J. Wray. The Duke's speech, made in reply to the toast of his health, which was proposed by Mr Thomas, outlined some interesting impressions of his. recent tour. It was broadcast. The Secretary of State for the Dominions remarked that all present had come to do honour to the member of the Royal Family who had performed the most recent of all their Empire services. Thirty-four years ago his father and mother had visited Australia; they left in the minds of the people an impression never to be forgotten. The people of Australia had had a real reminder of that royal visit with the arrival of their son. London now welcomed that son, who had done a good job well; he had left behind in every part of the Empire visited a record of tact and loyalty to duty, of love and affection, which caused the people tp exclaim, " Thank God, there is a worthy son of a worthy sire." Next month there would be celebrated the twenty-fifth year of the King's reign. It had been 25 years of trial, of difficulty, and of strife; 25 years that had seen nronarchs deposed and constitutions torn up; 25 years that enabled them to say that there was no monarch, and there was no constitution in the world to-day so firmly entrenched and loved as that which had the affection of the people of the British Empire. They welcomed their guest not only because he had done his job thoroughly, but also because he had enabled Australian people say: "Thank God, there is a "boy who reminded us of that great King who visited' us 34 years ago."—(Loud cheers.) CHILD WELFARE The Duke said that one's confidence in the future of Australia and New Zealand was strengthened by the care given to 'child welfare and education, and the encouragement of initiative and self-reliance in the young. " One felt," he added, " that the destiny of the country should be safe in the hands of a generation brought up from childhood to think and act for itself." ! AIR TRANSPORT'S SCOPE " There is probably no country more suited to air transport than Australia," the Duke on, V not one more greatly benefiting by its use as regards both travel and defence. This was early appreciated. Highly efficient civilian air forces and aero clubs are firmly established, while an increasing number of people possess their own machines. Tliis air sense will have been further stimulated, no doubt, by' the great England to Melbourne Air Race." The first thing that impressed him was the vastness of the areas, especially in Australia, as yet only partly developed. No one who had been there could doubt that there was room for more British immigrants or that such a momement would be immensely valuable to both countries. BRITISH MUTUAL HELP He had been greatly struck by the excellence of the railway systems and the main roads, and the beauty of so many of the buildings and gardens he had seen. The spirit with which the people in Australia and New Zealand were facing the hardships caused by the depression of the recent years could not fail to excite admiration. The national inclination was to look ahead. The people were showing the sanie qualities of endurance and determination which were so conspicuous in their troops, during the Great War. "The part taken by ex-servicemen in the life of these countries is a conspicuous feature," he said. "Loyalty to the King and mutual .support and understanding were the keynotes of the Empire. While its members must naturally be mindful each of their own needs, they are all united in a desire to help one another to the utmost of their power. We believe that in this mutual help lies the only way to surmount our difficulties. Is not that a lesson for. the world today?" ORATORS" STAYING POWER The Duke made a jocular reference to the number of speeches he had heard and made: " I found I speedily became involved in the national habit of speech making," he said. " Few days went by without my having to speak, often several times, either in retaliation or in self-defence, but I fear 1 never achieved either the facility or the staying power of the local champions. SIR E. WRENCH'S SUGGESTION Sir Evelyn Wrench, proposing "Prosperity to Australia, Ne,w. Zealand and other parts of the King's dominions," suggested that there should be set up an Immigration Board, consisting of representatives of this country and of the dominions, to deal with the vital problem of group settlement. The great continent of Australia really wanted more inhabitants. So much was that the case that when he was last there he found that every woman who produced an Australian child was to receive £5, and the problem that was puzzling the public at the moment was what was to .be paid in the case of twins.—(Laughter.) Sir Evelyn mentioned having recently interviewed Mussolini, who was very enthusiastic about the great Rome he was coing to build up in the future and how lie was going, with the help of the people, to double the population in a couple of years.— (Laughter.) Mussolini would thrill anyone who could hear his words. He understood that Mr Thomas and Mi Bruce were considering the question of British exports to and imports from Australia. In this connection the position of Argentina was often mentioned, but it should be remembered that during the 13 years ended 1933 Australia bought 10 times as much from Great Britain as did Argentina. FRIEND, SPORTSMAN, AND GENTLEMAN Mr Lyons said the Duke had brought back with him memories of Australians' loyalty to th G throne. They had welcomed his Royal Highness as a friend, a sportsman, and a great gentleman. Sir .1. Parr, who also responded, regretted that Mr Forbes had not arrived in time to add his tribute on behalf of New Zealand to the part the Duke of Gloucester had played during his tour of the Dominion. The Duke of Gloucester in the words of a correspondent to the High Commissioner, was, in his Majesty's loyal Dominion of New Zealand, an enormous success, partly because he was such a£( od mixer. This word of American origin told the secret of the royal traveller's success overseas. "The people of the Old Country," continued Sir James, " well know thai we are very proud of our children. We spend more on their education than I think is spent. anywhere else in the world. We believe that as you bring up the child so will be the man. We brought our children forward to see at close range the son of the King, and the Duke of Gloucester captivated the hearts of our children. At one town (so. he heard) the speech which had been prepared for his Royal Highness had been mislaid. The impromptu- speech the Duke made—one of iiis best —went right to the hearts of the children, who would never forg.et it. Surely that is all to the good of the children —the youths and girls of to-day who, in a few years, will be the voters of to-morrow." A STORY " [n (he days before I was a capitalist," said Mr Thomas, telling a story later, "\ used to engage the best counsel to(ialil for the railwaymcn. Once a famous c unsc] brought tears to the jury's eyes about a platelayer's, family. On fortunately for me, Lord Carson represented the lailway company. He. began his address to the lury. with the words, ' [ am u*»'t boring for water.'" —(Laughter.) j