VISITING PRESSMEN GRATEFUL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 19

VISITING PRESSMEN GRATEFUL.

(From Oub Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, May 24. Throe- of the British pressmen on the Renown (Mr Everard Cotes, Mr Keith Murdoch, and Mr John Sandes) have written to the Prime Minister expressing their most grateful-, thanks for the kindness and consideration shown them by the Government during the tour of the Prince of Wales in New Zealand They refer in terms of high praise to the excellent organisation that marked the tour from the one end of New Zealand to the other. The letter concludes: "To some of us British pressmen this wonderful land of New Zealand is an entirely new world. To all of us tho opportunity to study its marvellous resources and potentialities, and to become acquainted with some of _ its splendid people in connection with which we are so largely indebted to yourself, sir, and the other able men we have named, has been a high honour and a great privilege. We carry away with us memories we shall always prize, also information and impressions we shall do our utmost to utilise to the advantage of this great dominion." A ROYAL GIFT. PORTRAIT FOR MR MASSEY. Before they parted on Saturday evening, the Prime Minister received from H.R.H. the Prince of Wales an autographed photograph of himself in the uniform of a naval captain. The portrait, which bears the date 1920 after the Princes signature, is enclosed in a handsome silver frame, upon which the Prince of Wales's Arms are inscribed.. It was handed to Mr Massey as a personal souvenir. The Prime Minister has also in his possession the original of the Prince's farewell message to the dominion. It is typewritten, with the signature " Edward P." SCHOOL CHILDREN'S VISIT TO DUNEDIN. Mr E. H. White, secretary of the Earnscleugh School Committee, writes to us:— '' Kindly allow me space to express the thanks of the Earnscleugh parents and School Committee to the authorities responsible for the arrangements made in connection with the country children's visit to Dunedin to see the Prince of Wales—to those who kindly billeted some of our children,, and to tho firms who generously presented a large and excellent supply of lollies for the children on their return home journey. The visit for the children was an unqualified success, and one that will live in their memories for many years, and we wish to assure all those who exerted themselves to make it so that both children and parents are most grateful for the kindness shown by all concerned." PILOTING THE PILOT. GOOD STORY OF THT PRINCE. A QUESTION IN THE HOUSE. (Fbom Oun Own Coebespondent.) LONDON, March 25. Tribute to the skill of the Prince of Wales as a follower of hounds was paid by Sir Charles Frederick, the Master of the Pytchley, in proposing the ' health of his Royal Highness at a dinner which followed the Hunt hedge-cutting competitions at East Haddon last week. Sir Charles said the Prince, at his recent outings with the Pytchley, endeared himself to all connected with the Hunt. Everybody admired the way the Prince rede to hounds. It took a good many men a lifetime to ride over the Pytchley country, but the Prince, who had only done a little hunting in Norfolk previously, quickly mastered its difficulties. "When the Prince first came down to the Pytchley," Sir Charles continued, T asked Captain Drummond, one of the most experienced followers of the hounds, to pilot his Royal Highness. Afterwards I heard the Prince had had a fall over a stile into the road, and I told Ca.ptain Drummond he had done a nice thing. Captain Drummond replied : T started off to pilot the Prince but before we had gone very far ho wa3 piloting me.' " (Laughter). In the House, on the proposal of a vote of £20,000 in respect of the Australasian visit of the Prince of Wales, Mr Myers, Labour M.P., Spen Valley, said he supposed hon. members were all glad that his Royal Highness was making the trip to Australia and New Zealand. They also hoped that the trip would be an enjoyable one. ajud that his Royal Highness would benefit in every possible way.—("Hear, hear.") He, however, wanted to make hi 3 emphatic protest against the country and that House voting this sum of money for that undertaking. If tho trip was required let it be taken, but not at the expense of the community, many of whom "cannot afford to find their way to the end of their own streets." The vote was agreed to.

On the evening of the big military review at Forbury Park, with which the Prince of Wales was so pleased, the Officer Commanding the Gtago District (Colonel T. W. M'Donald) was the guest of his Royal Highness at dinner at the Fernhill Club. After dinner the Prince personally presented Colonel M'Donald with an autograph portrait of, himself in the uniform of a colonel in the Welch Guards. The portrait is signed "Edward P., 1920," and was enclosed in a special c n%'elope bearing the arms of the Prince of Wales. His Royal Highness asked Colonel M'Donald to accept it as a souvenir of his very enjoyable visit to the Otago military district. A little incident which happened during tho night journey of the Royal train from Inveroargili to Lyttelton has so far not been recorded. It appears that the Royal train, in order to pick up the Prince's mail, which had been loft at Edendale, stopped at that station for about three minutes. The stoppage came as a pleasant surprise to the few devotees who had assembled to see the train pass through, and who. after looking through several windows, at last discovered the Prince in his carriage. His Royal Highness, on hearing the seekers, immediately rose from his chair and came out on the platform, shaking hands with them all. and speaking a few words, n,n_act which quite rewarded the people for their waiting. In the presentation of' medals at Invercargill by the Prince of Wales. Mrs J. Hunter, of Riverton. who lost four sons at the war out of five serving, and was present by invitation to receive the Military Medal of her son William, was .overlooked (says the Western Star). , The Prince, becoming aware of this, immediately arranged