ROYAL TOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 21 March 1927, Page 8

ROYAL TOUR.

DEPARTURE FROM DUNEDIN. By Telegraph—Pres? Association. DUNEDIN, March 19. In beautiful weatlier the >t*fi on the last stage of the. N-ew Zealauc tour this morning, the Royal Usnx leaving at 9 a.ni. for Ranfurly. Before leaving the Fernliill Club thf Duke presented to die malinger, Mr C J. Bcecroft, gold sleeve links, with tiw Ducal, crest. Along the route to tin station, the Duke had an ovation Iron crowds. . He presented to the Mayer lor_ Rh City large autographed photcgrapiis o the Duchess and himself. At all crossings as tho train- passed crowds assembled and the Duke wave* farewell from the Royal coach.

DUNEDIN TO 44 r ANAK A

DUCAL MESSAGE TO CITY. j By Telegraph—Press Association. PEMBROKE, March 19. The Duke ot lork, in a- happilyphrased message sent from Rantuviy r.o the Mayor of Dunedin, referred to the absence of tho Duchess, and added: "I hope that next time I visit your city she may conic with me.” llis Royal Highness expressed his sympathy with the Mayoress in her serious illness, am! ashed the Mayor to convey his good wishes for her recovery. The Duke said he had been greatly impresses witli all ho saw in the Edinburgh of the South and, With, fits flourishing industries lie trusted that in years to- conic the prosperity and greatness of tlie city might rival that of the famous city of the North, iroin which it derived 'its name. . If he might judge from the happy faces and healthy appearance of the children he had seen yesterday, the further success of Dunedin was secure. He would never forget its warm-hearted welcome. The journey from Dunedin .to Lake 4Vana-lea was interesting, but uneventful. After running through the northern end of tho laieri plain, the tra.ui s owly wound its way up the steep grades and sharp curves of the Taieri Gorge, with the opalescent waters ot the river flowing gently in sweeping curves below*. Reaving the river behind, the tram quickened its pace across a high plateau, debouching upon the more fertile Strath, backed Dy the long Rock and Pillar Range. At Rock and Pillar station the engines stopped to w*atcr, and a small group of inhabitants assembled opposite the Royal car and shouted in chorus, “One, two, three. AVe want to see the Duke.” After they had shouted this'three times the Duke came and w*as received by cheering. • From Wedderburn the train climbed, to the highest point of the line, 2028 feet, and then descended to 1000 feet in three miles. At Ranfurly there w*as a brief stay, and the Duke shook hands with several people, including a grey-haired Crimean veteran. He also inspected the children and returned soldiers. At various places along the rout© throughout the sparsely-settled country to AVanaka, little groups of settlers with their children waved a welcome to the Duke. At Cromwell there was a picturesque welcome in a strange setting. All through the Clutlui river gorge, .stran- ! gers on the train were absorbed in the swift rapids of w'hirlpoojs of the famous river, which discharges more water than tho Nile. There was a strange contrast between the fine orchards on the little fiats and the and rocky hills which reminded one somewhat of the country banking the Red Sea. ... At Cromwell the party changed irom tram io motors. As the Duke reached Pembroke shortlv after 6 p.m., rain begun to fall from a darkly-lowering sky, which does not promise well for to-morrow.^ At present the lake is in sul en mood, and tho mountains are . hiding their heads in heavy clouds.

AMID SNOW AT PEMBROKE. TRIP THROUGH HELL’S GATE. By Telegraph—X'rexi Aiaociation. PEMBROKE, March 20. A quiet Sunday was spent by the Duke at Pembroke. There was Heavy lam during the night, with snow on the heights—an unusually early fall of snow. As morning dawned, the scene was enchanting. The lesser mountains were crowned with snow, and the higher peaks hid their summits in a mass of heavy cloud, through which, at rare intervals, came gleams of sunshine. The visitors were taken for motor! drives, the most popular being up Matukituki Valley through Hell’s Gate, past the twin waterfall, and on to Cattle Fiats Station. Glimpses of the great snow-clad buttresses of Mt. Aspiring, the monarch of the southern ranges., were seen at intervals, but the higher precipices, glaciers, and snowclad summits were hidden in the clouds, which rolled up from north-west. The barometer is low, and “ there is much more rain on the lower levels, it may be impossible for the Duke to make the crossing over the Crown Range, ancl the route may be diverted back to Cromwell and up tile Ivawarau Valley, which is much longer. . If there is no heavy snowfall during the night, and the weather improves bv morning, the Crown Rauge cross:intr may be practicable, m which vase a. glorious view should be obtained from the summit.