“THE DUKE’S VISIT”

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4222, 11 December 1939, Page 5

“THE DUKE’S VISIT”

LATE KING GEORGE INSPECTS HIS DOMINIONS. SOME RECOLLECTIONS. (Contributed.) It is a far cry back to the visit to New Zealand oi the then Duke ana Duchess of fork, but some recollections may be of Interest to the younger generation—and perhaps also to those who had much the same, recollections of experiences as myself tnat only need prompting. it was In June, l»01, that the Duke and Ducness (later tney became mils George V. and yueen Mary) arnveu in the specially converted liner Opnn on a v.sit to Nev.’ Zealand, after attending. the opening of the Federal Parliament in Australia to mark the creation of a Commonwealth in that land. 1 was a resident of Wellington at me time, ana as a member of me guard of honour, both during the procession througu the city and also on tne way to and at the laying of the founaation stone of the new railway othces in Featherston street. 1 wen remember the huge crowds (for those days) and the tremendous loyalty ot the population. People had assembled troin all over the province, practically one hundred per. cent representation, and also irom much further afield, too. New Zealand's whole population was seething with a desire to express its loyalty and fealty to the future King and Queen. There were some wonderful and novelty decorations, and I remember the arches of welcome in the streets, most of them representing New Zealand’s Industry. There was the “butter box’’ arch, "wool'’ arch, and “coal" arch—to name a few —and, at the base of one of the arches was a huge block of coal (“some lump,’’ as he said), with the inscription above it: "Westport coal; the coal that saved the Calliope.” The Royal visitors were the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, to give them their correct title, if I remember right. I was a member of the “S.R.V.” (Taranaki), and we, with other infantry, were in barracks at the Terrace school. The mounteds were at Newtown Park, and a "protest” march was made either through or toward the city, bearing samples of our rations—azrd regarding this incident Colonel Poly-Penton made some sarcastic comment in the mounteds individually, and New Zealanders collectively—but that is another story —except that the "R.v.’s” at the Terrace school (aiso “up in arms” over the rations question) decided to emulate the mounteds in starting a procession also, but it was nipped in the bud by the officers. The procession was taking along a pudding, using it as a football.

From Wellington we went to Christchurch, to attend the great review, where the food and cooking were voted Al by comparison with tlie rations issued in Wellington. In this dispute our captain (later Colonel Malone, of Gallipoli fame) marched the hungry ones down to a "swell feed” at a cafe in Willis Street, which was charged against the rations contractor, and on our return from Christchurch he commandeered a “swell” dinner at the Trocadero (not the present one) for his men. This dinner, with decorations, was set for some visiting officers, but our captain got in first, and, of course, the Trocadero had to set the tables again, at a profit. His action, and the dinner, were duly appreciated after a week or so of camp life. While in Christchurch, and 70 hours after we had left the Terrace school, we heard of its destruction by fire, and on our return to Wellington only its bare chimneys stood. It was reported that the “R.V.’s” got the blame but how could they, 70 hours after leaving it? I think the conclusion arrived at was that tramps had got in among the straw used for bedding and started the damage. Our trip tChristchurch was in the old Corinna, and it took 22 i hours to make Lyttelton, the hatches being battened down and the seas roaring on deck all night. About 90 per cent of the men had never been to sea before, so it was a washed out looking crowd that made a bee-line for the tuek shops at Lyttelton and cleaned them out of pies, buns and "cakes in record time. The shortest day, June, 1901, was the day of the great review, and the coldest morning I have ever known. There was a shortage of tents, so that most of them were crowded. Our ten man tent held 13, and in spite of that, with the tent laced up, there was a heavy coating of frost over every oilskin, rug and blanket in the tent.

There were over 5000 men in Addington Park for the review, which was held in Hagley Park, and many of them never saw the review, as they were being sent off to the ambulance tent all the morning. Perhaps other "R.V.’s” have "recollections.”