DUCHESS LANDS A TROUT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3808, 8 March 1927, Page 17

DUCHESS LANDS A TROUT.

DUKE’S TALLY FIVE. TOKAANU, March 2. The night passed quietly, steady rain keeping all in the Royal camp close indoors. The Duke and Duchess returned from a day’s fishing at about 7 o’clock, the Duke’s tally for the day being five fair-sized fish. The Duchess was unsuccessful. The party was early to bed and early astir this morning. The Duke went down stream a little after 6 o'clock, and the Duchess followed an hour and a-half later. The Duke’s luck was out, but her Royal Highness hooked a trout after half an hour’s fishing, and about 10 minutes’ play, sufficed to bring the fish to the gaff. The Duchess was photographed with her catch. She was highly elated with her success, and the news of it caused much satisfaction in camp. Their Highnesses returned at 10 o’clock for breakfast. The weather, which in the early morning had been of a thick, drizzling nature, had cleared, with not a breath of wind stirring, 'and though heavy

clouds overhung the locality the sun presently camo out, and it was expected that their Highnesses would make another expedition to the fishing pool. The Duchess’s catch sealed between six and seven pounds. Seen after breakfast, the Duke expressed his warmest pleasure at this break in the journey, and regretted that it could not be prolonged for another day. He and the Duchess were enjoying every minute of their time, and were captivated by the wonderful combination of natural beauty at the camping place, and its proximity to good fishing waters. Though Kowhai Flat was closely guarded from possible prying eyes, it was not cut off entirely from the outside world. A telephone was certainly omitted from the camp appointments, but there was a wireless mast with guys and aerial stands in an open space, and their Highnesses were thus able to keep in touch with events in the great world, so far removed from this idyllic spot. Though rain last night made the darkness more intense, it had the effect of showing the illuminations to better advantage. Electric bulbs glowed amidst the foliage of the trees, and the scene resembled a huge glowworm cave. School children from Tokaanu will line the roadway along wliich the Duke and Duchess will proceed after caving camp this evening for the National Park.

AN INTERESTING JOURNEY. FROM KOWHAI CAMP TO NATIONAL PARK. NATIONAL PARK, March 2. The Royal car got under way from Kowhai camp at 5.50, and as it debouched on to the road the school children lining the roadside with a gathering of adults from Tokaanu and from various little hamlets within reach by motor gave' the departing visitors a rousing send off. The weather was fine, but dull and cool, and as the roads are in very good condition for most part, as a result of the recent rains, travel was pleasant and dustlessThe mountain lay brooding over the scene as the train of cars made its way on to Rangipo Plain, where the Royal visitors had a spacious view of the open country, with the Kaimanawa Ranges on the far side, though the nearer country with is drab covering of scrub was not inspiring. The only sign of man’s activities hereabout was a patch of land being worked in connection with the Rangipo prison camp. Only the lower slopes <jf Tongariro Mountain were visible, owing to a heavy pall of cloud,' which seemed to threaten ram. Later, from the 1500 ft level of the Ducal camp, the road mounted steadily, till Lake Rotoairo came under the Royal eyes. This fine sheet of water in bright sunny weather lies like a blue gem with wild plain country on one side and frowning mountains on the other. This evening, as the shadows were gathering, is sombre surface was unbroken even by a ripple. Nothing moved except a few black swan or geese. Across the shoulder of Tongariro the travellers entered a plateau over 2000 ft above sea-level. The little village of Wairehu had its inhabitants (nearly all Maoris) at the roadside to wave a greeting and a farewell to the Royal visitors, whose memories must have recalled some little hamlet in Great Britain as they saw this one set amidst a patch' of bush with three or four tall poplars mounting guard over all. It was a pleasant break from the drab scrub and tussock which occupy such a large portion of the country here. As dusk fell so did the rain, and Ngaruahoe and Ruapehu were invisible. National Park was veiled in misty rain practically all the way, but in the west a narrow band of flaming orange ranged along the whole horizon over that quarter of the circle dividing the level line of bush covered land from the heavy cloud banks gathered above. In the middle of the picture rose Egmont’s cone-shaped peak, making a wondrous scene, with the last rays of the departed sun printing it in bold relief. Their Royal Highnesses may legat’d themselves as fortuntae indeed that they should have seen this gem from Nature’s kinema. It is one that rarely falls to even the frequent traveller along this road. Darkness now claimed sway, and only here and there could any definite landmark be seen. Variation came a few miles out from Waimarino station, where a belt of scattered heavy timber was traversed. Heavy rain now fell for a time, and had only eased a little as the station was reached. Here quite a crowd had collected to see the Royalties arrive just before 8 o’clock, and they remained interested spectators of the-, entraining of the whole party as the cars came successively into the yard. At 10 o’clock the train ipoved off on the long run to New Plymouth to the accompaniment of cheers from the crowded station platform. PRESBYTERIAN WELCOME. COPY OF UNITED ADDRESS. When the Duke and Dueiiess of York landed at Auckland addresses of welcome were presented by the "various churches. The following address was presented by the United-Presbyterian Churches,— To their Royai. Highnesses, the Duke anti Duchess of York. May it please your Royal Highnesses— The Genera] Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, representing 44,068 communicants, desires to embrace the opportunity of the visit of your Royal Highnesses to this Dominion to express anew the unchanging fidelity of this church to the Constitution of the British Empire, and its unfaltering fealty to the House of Windsor, under the benign sway of which we enjoy the happiest security in our homes, and un-

paralleled liberty in the exercise of all our duties, both-..civil and religious. We ever pray that our Gracious Sovereign his Majesty the King and also his Royal Consort, her Majesty the Queen, may be constantly sustained by the Divine presence in their efforts towards the elevation of all classes in our Empire’s world-wide commonwealth, and the amity and brotherhood of all nations of the earth. Our church recalls with unfeigned gratitude and pleasure the previous occasions on which she has been privileged to join in the welcome to members of the Royal Family who have visited these island outposts of the Empire. We can say with full confidence that the churcti we represent will follow with devoted eagerness your journey through the Dominion, and. that in every part our people will greet you with overflowing enthusiasm. For your Royal Highnesses we crave that your visit to this new land may prove to you an unalloyed pleasure while it lasts, and become also a happy memory, inspiring to still greater efforts for the good of the people, such as are possible only to those privileged to occupy your lofty station. In the name of the General Assembly, George H. M‘Neur, Moderator. James H. Mackenzie. Clerk.