PALMERSTON NORTH TO NAPIER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3808, 8 March 1927, Page 19

PALMERSTON NORTH TO NAPIER.

ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTIONS NAPIER, March 4. In brilliant weather, the Royal progress of the Duke and Duchess of York was advanced a further stage yesterday when, in brilliant weather, the whole countryside between Palmerston North and Napier assembled in its tens of thousands to greet their Royal Highnesses at the four points scheduled. on the official programme. Palmerston North was early astir, and everyone was concerned. All the visitors. who stayed in hotels were wrapped up at 6 a.m., and before 7 a.m. people who were determined not to be crowded out began to assemble in small knots round the band rotunda in of the Square. its the weather was perfect a great assemblage' was prophesied, and by 9.15 a.m., when the Duke and Duchess were to leave the Grand Hotel for the rotunda, the Square must have held some 22,000 people, and the whole square was ringed with school children. The Duke and Duchess dismissed the Roval car from the door, electing to walk the distance and have a look at the children, a daily spectacle that causes amazement among tho English visitors, who have been known to declare that they have never seen such crowds of bonny, healthy, vigorous children great stock for New Zealand’s tomorrow.

After an inspection lasting fully 20 minutes the Duke and the Duchess arrived at the rotunda and mounter! the steps as the band blasted forth the National Anthem. Then on catching sight of the bronzed face of the Duke and that magical smile of her Royal Highness the great multitude burst into spontaneous cheering. Just after their Royal Highnesses had taken their seats there was a mild shriek from an overburdened tree opposite the rotunda, and amid yells of laughter a great branch of a tree slowly precipitated Ks load to the earth. The incident “loosened up” everyone, and the air was congenial when Mrs Nathan presented the Duchess with a lovely bouquet. The Mayor (Mr I l ’. J. Nathan), after a few preliminary remarks, read a loyal and respectful address from the Palmerston North Borough Council, the nearest counties, and also one from the Scottish Society, which was concluded by a wee lassie in kilts handing the Duke a sprig o’ heather tied with a tartan ribbon. In response the Duke handed his reply in a large official envelope to the Mayor, but, as is now his rule in the provincial towns, did not attempt to speak to the public. Then followed the usual presentations to the Duke and Duchess of the borough councillors and local notabilities and their wives, a ceremony which always occupies from 10 to 20 minutes in every town. Then came the inspection of the military guard of honour and presentations to the headquarters staff under Colonel Guy Powles, returned men and veterans, Girl Guides, Cadets, Boy Scouts, and school children. The Square is especially well adapted for such a display, and presented a scene of the liveliest animation and most vivid colour, assisted as it was with the jubilee decorations that lent a gala air to the affair. As the Royal couple reached their car and turned down towards the station the crowds of people from the Square surged forward with such impetuosity that it looked as though some of the official cars would be entirely cut off by the human flood. The special police who were to go on by the train had to jump on to the running boards of Commissioner MTlveney’s car in order to do duty at the station, where the street was packed solid with the cheering people as the train drew slowly out from the station. DANNEVIRKE CELEBRATES. Although the extraordinarily enthusi-' astic nature of the demonstration at Palmerston North had delayed the train 20 minutes, Dannevirke was not to be deprived of one moment of its allotted 10 minutes. There the entrance of the station had been nicely decorated with ferns and flowers, and on a dais which commanded the street the Mayor (Mr A. J. Runciman) and his wife greeted our Royal guests. The Mayor read in a fine, clear, sturdy tone a good address of welcome, and then introduced the borougn councillors and leading citizens. There was no time for ought else, but Dannevirke’s display of loyalty and the very obvious impression made' by the Duchess were alike unmistakable in their enthusiasm.

HASTINGS FINE SHOW. Hastings put up two records. The address of welcome was the largest for the whole of the North Island, and its march past of the children was in accord with the address. There was a full-hearted welcome at the railway station, where their Highnesses were received by the Mayor (Mr J. Madison) and Mrs Madison, after which the Royal party drove through the cheering throngs to Cornwall Park, about a mile away from the station. The park has a very fine avenue of oaks as an entrance, . and after the oaks the entrance drive is flauted by fan palms, an exotic that appears to flourish in the balmy air of this province. At the park a great concourse of people from all parts of Hawke’s’ Bay had assembled to pay their loving .homage to the King’s son and his beautiful wire. It was as fair a sight as one could see in a summer’s day. The pretty park was enframed with willows and. poplar,s, and not only was there a special dias for the Royal party, but there were many rows of seats for the leading citizens, veterans, returned soldiers, etc., who otherwise would have had to stand in the hot sunshine for over an hour. As a background there was the general public and the school children in such numbers that they filled the whole of the grounds. After Mr Madison had read his address of welcome, amplified by the Magna Vox, and had presented the borough and county councillors to the Duke and Duchess, the former was introduced to a unit of veterans of the Maori 'war —Native and pakeha—many of whom wore their medals and others only the ribbons of them. The most striking incident of the afternoon was the meeting of the Duke with Mr M’Gill (of ihe British army) and Mr Hall (formerly of the .navy), two fine old nonagenarian veterans of the Crimean catnI aign, both in their 91st vear. The whole of the inmates of the Old Men’s Home were present as the cuests of Ihe local Rotary Club, which was giving the old fellows a day out. Returning by way of Nelson and Heretaunga streets, the Royal couple and their entourage were given the merriest, of farewells.

NAPIER’S HECTIC HOUR. At the Napier station the Royal party was received by the Mayor (Mr W. A. Andrew) and Mrs Andrew' and from there motored at once to Nelson Park, via Station street. Kennedy road, and Jull street, each street, being lined with throngs of people. .Arrived at the park, a fine open space within breathing distance of the sea, the Duke inspected a stalwart guard of honour, after which his Worship read an address of welcome couched in felitious terms. Then followed the usual inspection of Boy Scouts, returned soldiers, and the massed school children, who presented a fine spectacle of youth at the spring. The Duke and Ducness together wandered lovingly among these children for some 20 minutes —an unusual procedure, for as a general rule the Duchess takes the Girl Guides and school girls and the Duke the Scouts and school boys, so the honour was quite a special one. After this inspection and many presentations, the Duke and the Duchess motored through the thronged streets to the Masonic Hotel, where they dined in private. The scene on the Marine parade outside the hotel during the evening was one that will have lifelong memories. Not only was the whole length of the recently enlarged Masonic Hotel specially illuminated, but the Norfolk Island pines on either side of the band rotunda glittered in a thousand coloured electric lights, aglow from tho apex twig to the lowest branch, a decoralive feature both beautiful and original. The parade was thronged with thousands of people from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., and to entertain them a very excellent band concert was given. Il was a notable sight for Napier , During the whole of yesterday s and to-day’s functions the Duke has worn a lounge suit of grey tone threaded with red,"a red brown necktie, a grey collar, and a turndown felt hat. The Duchess, whose power to charm is ever sure, wore to-day an extremely elegant dress of fine lace of the latest pink tone, with a coatee of the same exquisite material and a pink hat of the lightest straw. A BRILLIANT SCENE. One of the most brilliant scenes in connection with the Royal tour eventuated this evening when in the breathless calm of a perfect summer night a crowd of 10,000 people assembled under the electric lights on the Marine Parade side of the Alasonic Hotel and there waited patiently for an hour and a-half to see the Duke and Duchess. The band concert was over at 9.20 p.m., and two edges of the great crowd were beginning to break away .when the Duchess, bare-headed and in evening dress, with, a pink silk evening cloak edged with swansdown, appeared in the front of the balcony. The witchery of her smile and the friendly wave of her hand was the signal for a mighty volley of cheers. Then suddenly the Duke stood at her side and again the air was rent with cheers that were wholly spontaneous. After staying on the balcony for five minutes the Royal pair withdrew to their apartments.