HIGHLY DELIGHTED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18584, 19 December 1934, Page 14

HIGHLY DELIGHTED

IMPRESSIONS OF N.Z. RECEPTION CHARMS DUKE DEPARTURE FOR H.R. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. This afternoon (being free of official engagements, the Duke of Gloucester drove his ear to Lyall Bay and went swimming with the younger members of his suite. On his return to Government House, he played several sets of tennis. There was an official dinner at Government House in the evening, and 'His Royal Highness joined the Royal train at 10.30 o'clock. Large crowds sauntered about the illuminated streets .and the Royal car was cheered at intervals en route to the station.

Notwithstanding the late hour, a large crowd assembled at Thorndon station to cheer the Duke. On his arrival, His Royal Highness passed through ,an archway of flags and entered his carriage in the company of Mr 11. 11. 'Sterling.

Some amusement was caused when it was realised that one of the Duke’s Australian terriers had been left behind in the car. It was retrieved by Mr E. Casey, the assistant general manager. Subsequently the Duke returned to the platform for a final cigarette and to give the puppies a walk. They revel in the names ‘ ‘ Digger ’ ’ and * ‘ Sally. ’ ’ While on the platform the Duke examined with Mr Sterling an album of photographs of Napier at the time of the earthquake, The pilot train left at 11.45 o’clock and 'the 'Royal train just after midnight.

It was announced by the Prime Minister, the Rt. lion. G. W. Forbes, to-night that during the attendance of the lion. J. A. Young on the Duke’s tour, the Hon. S. G. Smith will assume temporarily 'the portfolio of aet.ingMinister for Employment. “I am quite sure High Royal Highness has been highly delighted with his first impressions of New Zealand, and his reception in Wellington,” said Major-General R. G. 11. Howard- Vyse, the Duke of Gloucester’s chief of staff, in an interview to-day. “Ilis Royal Highness,” added Major-General Howard-Vyse. “was particularly charmed by the friendly and homely Way in which he had been everywhere greeted. It had been published in one quarter that the Duke had said that the programme here seemed to run much more smoothly than on his Australian visit. Actually nothing had excited the Duke’s admiration more than the remarkable precision and smoothness with which the arrangements hatj been carried 'through in every part of the Commonwealth, and this in spite of a very complicated programme and many difficulties.