ADDRESS AT OPOTIKI

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18587, 22 December 1934, Page 5

ADDRESS AT OPOTIKI

LOYALTY AND AFFECTION

DUKE’S GRACIOUS ACTION

SPECIAL STOP MADE

(Special to the Herald.) OPOTIKI, this day,

The arrival of the Duke of Gloucester at Opotiki yesterday was accompanied by scenes of enthusiasm, the Royal visitor being greeted at his hotel by the Mayor, Mr. G. S. Moody, in the presence of a large number oi Opotiki residents, and later meeting a much larger gathering at the school grounds, where the address of welcome prepared on behalf of the district was presented. Mr. Moody was accommodated with a seat in the Duke's car en route from the hotel to the ‘school grounds. The text of the address presented to His Royal Highness was as under:— “May it please Your Royal Highness. —On behalf of the people of the town and county of Opotiki, both European and Maori, we desire to express to Your Royal Highness an assurange of our loyally to His Most Gracious Majesty the King, and our gratification'that this district should be included in your tour of the Dominion. We wish to assure you of our loyal affection and our sincere welcome on this occasion, our only regret being that your visit is so brief. That Your Royal Highness may always retain pleasant memories of New Zealand, that this contact may still further inspire Imperial ideas of unity and solidarity, that peace and freedom may obtain, and that ever your life may he happy and prosperous, are the heartfelt prayers and hopes of the ‘people for whom we speak on this great occasion.—G. S. Moody, Mayor; J. 11. Reid, chairman of county; W. H. Briggs, town clerk; J. T. Merry, county clerk; Te Hapu Apanui, representative of Maori tribes.” The reply of the Duke to the above address was as published in yesterday s issue of the Herald, the Royal visitor s remarks being greeted with enthusiastic applause. 1 Returned soldiers, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, and other organisations in the town and district were strongly represented at the gathering, which was one of the largest ever seen in the town. Among those who took a keen interest in every detail of the proceedings was Mr. V. Savage, a 92-years-old resident of the Opotiki district. His Royal Highness took an opportunity to meet the returned soldiers, and to move among the school children, to whom he addressed a few words' in passing. He made his departure for Whakatane at 2.45 p.m., the crowd singing the National Anthem with great heartiness, and sending a volley of cheers after the Duke as he sped on his way with his long entourage. OLD LADIES- HONORED

The visit of the Duke of Gloucester to Opotiki will long be associated with a memory of graciousness of a truly Royal order. Two elderly ladies, Miss J. H. Abbott and Mrs. C. Connelly, who have been residents of Opotiki for 60 years, conduct a small general store. Some time ago Miss Abbott had written to the Minister of Internal Affairs, asking that His Royal Highness might be approached with a suggestion that he should slow up his car near the home of the writer, so that two ladies who were unable to travel far might have an opportunity of seeing the King’s son. Miss Abbott explained to thq Minister that as a girl in Britain, she had seen previous generations of Royal brides and bridegrooms, including the Duke and Duchess of Teck, and King Edward and Queen Alexandra; and that she was anxious now to see a representative of the later generation of the Royal Family. Later Miss Abbott was delighted to receive a reply from the Minister, intimating that he would endeavor to arrange for her request to be granted. Yesterday her delight was increased tenfold when the Royal car actually stopped at the store, which she and her sister, Mrs. Connelly, conduct in partnership, and the Duke himself alighted to meet the two ladies.

Considerably flustered by their unusual good fortune, the two elderly ladies quickly recovered from their first nervousness, and having ascertained beyond doubt that their informal visitor was the Duke of Gloucester, Miss Abbott remarked on her pleasure in meeting him, as she haa met many of bis forbears. His Royal Highness exchanged a few words with the ladies, and on his departure, was offered the prayers of his new friends. “God bless you, and may you return safely to your home,’’ were the words in which the ladies bade farewell to the Prince; who turned and warmly acknowledged the parting salute, before journeying on to undertake the long series of duties which awaited his attention further on his road.