ROYAL VISIT TO ITALY

Otago Witness, Issue 3610, 22 May 1923, Page 19

ROYAL VISIT TO ITALY

— PLEA FOR NATIONAL COOPERATION. ROME, May 13. King George and Queen Mary, prior to their departure, attended a reception and dinner given by the Mayor of Rome .n their honour. King George, in the course of his speech, said : If the international horizon is sometimes clouded —and after a war this could hardly fail to be the case—it can only he by the closest co-operation of the leading nations that these clouds can be dispelled. Recollecting the crisis from which the Italian people have recently emerged, under the .wise leadership of a powerful statesman, I look forward with confidence to the future association of our two peoples in the cause of peace and progress. VISIT TO BATTLEFIELDS. ROME, May 13. King George and Queen Mary went \ long motor drive to the Plateau of Asiago, where there was furious fighting in the offensives of 1916 and 1918. All the hamlets were decorated with little triumphal arches of greenery and flowers. Their Majesties lunched in the open air at a spot where a detachment of British troops held a front for nine months overlooking the precipitous slopes of Val Dossa. Their Majesties also had glimpses of the terrible nature of the lighting in the mountain defiles and fastnesses. AN END OF WAR. ROME, May 14. Kind George, in the course of an impressive speech, delivered at the foot of the Cross of Sacrifice at Montecehio, said : “I dare to hope that as the world steadies anew in its orbit, and realises what gulfs of horror it has passed over, it will resolve by God’s help, and so lar as lies in the power of the men entrusted with authority, that war shall not henceforth be accepted as a burden, recurrent and inevitable, upon mankind. For their honour’s sake and in token of our love and pride, we have so built the graves of our fallen that they may endure.’’ FASCIST! AT VICTORIA STATION. LONDON, May 15. Large crowds at Victoria Station welcomed their Majesties home. The Prince of Wales, on seeing a number of black-shirted i'ascisti awaiting the train, heartily shook hands with the leader, and exchanged a few words with him. Affectionate greetings followed between the Prince of Wales and his parents. Maria Lalwrdini, a little war orphan, tendered the Queen a bouquet of roses on behalf of the Italian Legion, and Mdlle. Cittana presented a bouquet on behalf of the Fascisti. Meanwhile the Prince of Wales took the King to the Fascists’ leader, to whom his Majesty said he had had a wonderful time in Italy. Crowds cheered their Majesties while en route to Buckingham Palace. FARE W ELL M ESS A G ES. ROME, May 15. King George telegraphed to King Victor from Milan as follows:—‘Our visit to this historic land will remain an im ■ perishable memory. I feel convinced that the friendship between our two countries will constitute an enduring factor in international relations, and will materially assist the process of European reconstruction.” King Victor replied : “I am firmly convinced that the cordial friendship of the two countries will co; titute a solid factor for international order, and will assist efficaciously every step in the direction of restoring Europe to its normal life in tlie interests of civilisation.” A PARTING GIFT. ROME, May 17. Advices from Rome state that King George and Queen Mary, as a memento of their visit, contributed 45,000 lire to be f inally distributed between the poor, the Red Gross, the war orphans, and maimed soldiers.