THE DUKE’S VISIT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 19 March 1927, Page 4

THE DUKE’S VISIT.

To the Editor of the “Timaru Herald’ 1 gjr,—Previous to tho visit of the Duke, a-letter appeared in. your columns re the crowding and jostling of the people in Auckland. . Well, a similar incident, though in a lesser degree, occurred at the begonia house in the Park yesterday, and it is n regrettable fact that those responsible were a party from whom one would least expect it. When the Duke entered the begonia house, the •people eagerly awaited his return quietly, in the hope of getting a last glimpse of him, but they wore very rudely disturbed by a section of the official party who, without any apology or, indeed, any right at all, pushed and elbowed their way through the crowd in a very unceremonious and undignified manner, and quite oblivious of the discomfort and inconvenience caused thereby, in their eagerness to get near tho Duke’s car as it left the drive. If the -party was still in attendance on tho Duke, one wonders why they did not keep to the pathway cleared by the police for official purposes. But it was plainty evident their official duties ended for the time being when the jDuke left tho dais, and it would have been much moro dignified and in accordance with propriety, if they had gone quietly to their own cars, and taken their rightful place in the procession. instead of pushing and hustling their way through the pcoplo in a manner both unseemly and undignified.. T was one of those who received a very .undignified and very “unofficial” elbowing, and the protests and remarks of others who received similar treatment were the reverse of favourable and complimentary to those responsible. In any case, so far as one could see, the Duke apparently did not notice them when ho regained his car, so they gained nothing by their unseemly actions. It is to bo hoped this kind of thing will not happen again at similar function, should it occur, for it was the means of detracting from what was otherwise an enjoyable and most decorous gathering.—l am, etc., DISGUSTED.