GIFT FOR THE PRINCESSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23831, 10 June 1939, Page 11

GIFT FOR THE PRINCESSES

MODEL OF DOMINION MONARCH VISIT TO LONDON DOCKS (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, May 11. Models of the Shaw, Savill liner, Dominion Monarch, and the Cunard White Star liner, Mauretania, were presented to Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret by Lord Ritchie, chairman of the Port of London Authority, when they accompanied Queen Mary on an educational tour of the London docks this week. They travelled in the Authority's St. Katherine, and visited the King George V, the Royal Albert, and the Royal Victoria docks. They also went by road to the great warehouses where nearly 250,000 tons of goods are stored, and saw rich cargoes of ivory, spices, wool, gums, silkj a drug called dragon's blood, and quicksilver. Eight-year-old Princess Margaret wandered on to the bridge, and when she saw no one was using the captain's microphone she stepped up to it and shouted to Queen Mary: "Are you enjoying it, grandma? Isn't it lovely? We are soon going to have some tea now."

Queen Mary, sitting in front of the bridge with Princess Elizabeth, turned round as soon as she heard her grandchild's voice—many times amplified. Everybody in the boat heard the Princess. And everybody. Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth, the ladies-in-wait-ing and the crew, laughed at her " act."

Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret had their first elephant ride yesterday, when they visited the zoo. They made a special request that the elephants should be available. The Princesses, who were accompanied by three young friends, Lady Halifax, and lady-in-waiting the Hon. Mrs Geoffrey Bowlby, arrived at the zoo at 9 a.m. and spent 23 hours there. They were driven to the elephant walk in a miniature carriage drawn by two Shetland ponies, whom they rewarded with lumps of sugar. The Princesses and their friends then mounted the elephants, Rani and Sally, and for 15 minutes were carried up and down the walk. When they were feeding the elephants with buns, Princess Elizabeth lectured her sister for giving them too many at once. To Princess Margaret's delight, Rani settled the question by stealing an entire bag of buns from Princess Elizabeth

The Princesses had a ride in the llama cart, but were not so attracted by George the camel, who would have been neglected had not one member of the party taken pity ■on him. At the lion house they picked up and nursed a number of two-weeks-old Hon cubs

Penguin Shakes Hands

In the Children's Zoo they saw Ming, the baby giant panda, and her friend Rex, the Alsatian dog, playing together. Both were petted by the Princesses, and then Ming went through her repertoire of tricks, including standing on her head and lying on her back to drink milk. 'lsn't she a darling?" exclaimed Princess Margaret. The penguins and sea iions were visited, and the party went into the enclosure to watch the animals and birds taking food. Princess Elizabeth was worried by the appearance of George, the king penguin. She asked the keeper what was the matter with him, and when told he was moulting she asked a number of questions about how he felt and how long the condition would last. She was disappointed at first because Gus, the sea lion, was lazy. "Make him come out," she said to the keeper, and she was not satisfied until Gus came out of the water and did his best high dive for her benefit. Nibby, the tame sea lion, shook hands with the royal visitors

In the aquarium Princess Margaret remarked to her sister that they might have " awful nightmares " after watching an octopus. Meng, the baby gorilla, and his playmate, Jacqueline were asleep when the Princess arrived. Princess Elizabeth asked that they should be awakened. The keeper duly roused both of them, but they only rubbed their eyes sleepily and refused to show off.