COMING ROYAL VISIT

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1934, Page 11 (Supplement)

COMING ROYAL VISIT

DUMBER OF “DONTS’.” TOWS THAT "CAN’T BE DONE.” There are a number of "Don’ts” aaeociated with the coming visit to Australia of the Duke of Gloucester. Already certains groups and individuals have done things which definitely cannot be done, says the Sydney Morning Herald. In view of this the State director of the Royal visit, Mr. C. H. Hay, says he thinks it is desirable that certain important matters should be made unmistakably plain at an early stage in order to avoid confusion and disappointment later. Several inquiries have been made and proposals are contemplated that would be * entirely out of keeping with the occasion. ' Mr. Hay said the other day that shopkeepers who desire to use the term, “Under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, cannot do so. Only the King, the Queen and the Prince of Wales can bestow such official recognition. Autograph specialists who may be planning ail approach are advised that only in very Special circumstances will the Duke give his autograph. Requests posted direct to the Duke would be immediately forwarded by his private secretary to the Government of the State in which the applicant is resident. Private citizens or firms who may wish to make presents to the Duke are informed that such Will be accepetd On behalf Of the Duke'only if the individual is personally known to him, or if unusually special circumstances exist. The

only exceptions will be gifts offered by representative bodies and recommended by the Commonwealth and State Governments.

A similar warning has been issued in Melbourne.

Major-General R. G. Howard-Vyse, who will accompany the Duke of Gloucester as chief-of-staff on the Prince’s visit to Australia and New Zealand, had a distinguished career as a cavalryman during the Great War and, when in Palestine, met many Australian and New Zealand soldiers. Originally in the Horse Guards, he was the first Household Cavalry officer to enter the Staff College. In the European War Major-General Howard-Vyse served from 1914 to 1917 as brigade-major of the sth Cavalry Brigade and chief staff officer of the sth Cavalry Division. He served in Palestine in 1917-18 as chief staff officer of the Desert Mounted Corps and G.O.C. 10th Cavalry Brigade. He commanded the Cairo Cavalry Brigade from 1928 to 1930. Major-General Howard-Vyse, who is 51 years of age, like his father and grandfather, is a Royal Horse Guards officer, and since the war he has held command of the guards in which the Duke of York holds the rank of captain. He is now commandant of the Cavalry School of Equitation in Great Britain and inspector-general of cavalry. The standard of horsemanship in that school is equal to that of any school in the world.

General Sir Henry Chauvel says Of Major-General Howard-Vyse’s war record: “Being in the Blues, he was naturally invariably dapper and smartly turned out, a very good horseman indeed; a good judge of horses, too, and a popular fellow with all the staff.”