ROYAL TOURISTS IN THE DISTRESSED AREAS.

Otaki Mail, 27 March 1939, Page 4

ROYAL TOURISTS IN THE DISTRESSED AREAS.

COURAGE OF THE PEOPLE LONDON, March 2. In the course of a three days' tour of Tyncside the King and Queen were shown something of the best as well as of the worst of that area, where unemployment has been rife for a long period*. Thev were shown slum areas, new housing estates, instructional centres for the remaking of worklos.rni'ii, and welfare work of many kinds. A youth centre visited cost £SO,QpO. The King's real interest in the welfare of his subjects and the Queen's ■rracious charm captured the hearts of people who are supposed to keep stern guard over their emotions. From town.-, villages, and scattered hamlets comes the same tale of enthusiasm. The children particularly will long remember the tour, and probably more than 100,000 joined in tiie welcome to Their Majesties. Large Social Service Centre At the City Corporation Estate Their Majesties called on Mr and Mrs William Wright. The Queen commented on the clean, homely appearance of the house, complimented Mrs Wright on some pictures painted when she was a girl of 18, and asked to see the bedrooms and the scullery. Meanwhile the King talked to Mr Wright, who is a temporary prison warder, on such practical matter- as school and .-hopping facilities. The Social Service Centre visited is one of the largest of the SO that the Community Service Council for Durham County has assisted in promoting. Here under a voluntary amenity scheme 200 men, working in groups of -'", have removed 100,000 tons of earth an 1 slag and made a cricket field, a bowling green, and a children's playground. The actual centre has been built from concrete blocks made on the .-pot by the unskilled labour of unemployed members. During the tour the King launched, at Walker-on-Tyne the battleshi; named after his father. Purchases at Industries Fair Immediately or. returning to London, the King and Queen spent three hour, at Olympiia, seeing something more- oi the British Industries Fair. In the stand of the High Commissioner for Mysore the King and Queen bought two cedarwood boxes inlaid with ivory and two sprays of similar pattern. A pure jasmine scent caused the Queen to remark, "I think it is a divine perfume." At another stand the Queen bought glass salad bowls an-.' vases, asking for green, as the King liked that colour. Interest in New Zealand Stand The King spent a few minutes at the New Zealand stand. "I remember going over a butter factory in New Zealand," said His Majesty, as he toticed the display of butter. He waalso interested in the flax exhibit, and commented upon its different appearance from the Irish product. Surprisingly large numbers of tradinquiries have been made about New Zealand gloving leathers this yea.. Many questions have also been askel about woo! and tinned milk.