ARE THEY NECESSARY?

Southland Times, Issue 22487, 23 January 1935, Page 6

ARE THEY NECESSARY?

The tour of the Duke of Gloucester is ended, leaving in its wake many pleasant memories, fresh links in the chain of Empire, a knighthood and sundry honours for personal services rendered to his Royal Highness. It has proved a very happy and successful tour, although it must have made severe demands on the Royal visitor. He fulfilled his many and varied duties with goodwill, interest and tact, and proved as successful an ambassador of Empire as did his brothers the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York. It would, however, be interesting to know what is his opinion of the almost endless succession of civic receptions and presentations of loyal addresses to which he was subjected. Immemorial custom and irremovable precedent may decree that in the cities, towns and hamlets visited by Royalty the civic dignitaries must read stereotyped addresses to which the visitor replies in formal phrases; but it would seem high time that some revision was made in the procedure. The presentation of a national address of loyalty and welcome should be quite sufficient. It would relieve a Prince from much tedious formality and would permit his enjoying a tour of the Dominion in a more natural and mote human way. The populace would gain rather than lose thereby, for while everyone is anxious to see a King’s son and extend to him a warm welcome, few can derive either profit or pleasure from straining their ears to catch some trite words read from parchment.