ROYAL BANQUET

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20782, 17 July 1937, Page 10 (Supplement)

ROYAL BANQUET

FOR GARTER KNIGHTS ATTENDED BY QUEEN The King created a precedent at the banquet which, as Sovereign of the Order of the Garter, he gave to the Garter Knights in Windsor Castle after the Garter Service in St. George's Chapel this week. For the first time for several centuries the Ladles of the Order—the present holders of that title are the Queen and Queen Mary—and the wives of the Knights attended the banquet.

This decision meant that the record number of about 100 guests attended the dinner, which was held in the Waterloo Chamber. It was the biggest banquet held at the Castle since the war. The State gold plate was used. On the steps of the chapel were guards of honour by the Royal Horse Guards and the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards. These regiments also lined the whole of the route from St. George’s Hall to the chapel. Once in the chapel the knights proceeded to their stalls, the King and Queen being on the immediate right in the nave, and next to them the Dukes of Gloucester and Kent. Apart from the knights and the military knights, the only other persons in the choir

were the Duchesses of Gloucester and Kent and the Princess Royal, for whom a special box had been constructed. The service was taken by the prelate of the Order, the Bishop of Winchester, Dr Garbett, the Chancellor, the Bishop ot Oxford, Dr. Strong, and the Registrar, the Dean of Windsor, Dr. Bailie. After the service the procession reformed and returned by the same route to St. George’s Hall, and the Garter banquet followed in the Waterloo Chamber. Royal Acedemy Visited On the occasion of the visit of the King and Queen to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition one day this week, th: exhibition was closed to the public an hour before the normal time. The first to arrive was Queen Mary, with the Princess Royal, Princess Marie Louise, Princess Helena Victoria, Lady Patricia Ramsay, the Earl of Athlone, Princess Maud, and Lord Carnegie. Ten minutes later, amid enthusiastic cheering from a crowd which had gathered, the King and Queen drove l: to the courtyard followed by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The Royal Party was welcomed and shown around the exhibition by the president, Sir William Llewellyn, the keeper, Str Walter Russell, R.A., and the treasurer, Mr Sydney Lee, R.A. The King was in morning clothes, with a silk hat. The Queen wore a three-quarter-length coat of Ivory coloured material, with a small hat to match, and a big white f fur.

There were long pauses and discussions in front of the various Royal portraits in the exhibition. These included one of King George V. on his white pony “Jock,” at Sandringham, by Mr A. J. Munnings, R.A., and twn of King George VI., one in Hussar’s uniform by Mr. Simon Elwes, and another in naval uniform, painted by M. Meredith Frampton in 1929 and lent by Dr Barnardo’s Homes. Members of the party discussed which most resembled his Majesty as he is to-day. The King and Queen and Queen Mary spent some time before the marble bust of Princes: Elizabeth, by Professor Strohi, viewing it from several angles. After inspecting the pictures In the galleries, the Fling and Queen visited, for the first time, the private rooms of the academy. Twins A composer standing outside his club was accosted by a man who said: 'Beg pardon, sir, but do you know a gentleman, a member of this club, with one eye called Matthew?" "Can't say I do,” was the reply. "What's the name of his other eye?”

A GREAT EXPEDITION (Continued from Page 9) nets, and lots of small articles, which Ekehu securely left for his return here. 19th.—This morning Epiki and wife made a start for Nelson. I refused to proceed from inability. Ekehu and wife went out searching for food, so I was left alone during the day. He returned hi the evening and was anxious to proceed. I told him I would try in the morning. 20th.—I made an attempt to start, and packed up, leaving everything we could behind us, for I could not carry anything. Managed to reach the Tutaki, which we ascended about a mile to a ford, and crossed over, when we found Epiki catching birds. We exchanged with him some berries for a few wekas, and had a good supper. 21st.—After walking a short distance, the rain began to fall heavily, when we camped and built a shelter of manuka bark. 22nd.—Travelled to the termination of the valley and camped, A slight fall of snow all day. Sought shelter under a large totara tree. 23rd.—Finding a kokaka tree, the berries of which the natives are very fond of, delayed us some time; but walked a short distance farther and camped on the banks of the Tiraumea. Rain fell during the night. A Serious Loss 24th.—Our clothes being wet by last night's ram, we proceeded to our shelter of last year, an overhanging rock, which protected us from the rain, and there dried our clothes. A small basket of mine, which was hanging to the roof of our rock, fell down on the fire during the night and was burnt, by which I lost all my sketches, several skins of birds, some curiosities, two letters which I carried for the Messrs Deans, in case I had crossed over to the east coast, and some memorandums, which may cause my journal to seem incomplete in many places. 25th.—Proceeded a short distance and built a shelter against the rain or snow which seems to fall here every day towards evening during the winter months. 2nd June.—Started and found the river very cold; so much so that after walking a short way we left Epiki and wife behind who were cramped with the cold. Cold and no fire.

3rd.—After waiting some time for the coming of Epiki, we made a start, and reached our former sleeping place at the junction of a small stream from the hills.

4th.—Epiki and wife arrived, having been all night on the hills. They had lost their way and had been without food since we left them. Went a short distance and camped. sth.—Reached the lake at mid-day. and found our canoe safe. Slept at our station. 6th.—Launched our canoe and crossed the lake.

7th.—Erected two sheds against the falling rain, made of black birch, one of which fell down and struck my lame side while I was lying by the fire and hurt me very much. Bth.—A fresh floated our canoe halfway across the lake before it was missed. Ekehu’s wife volunteered to swim out and bring it back, which she did, and we hauled the canoe up safe .Proceeded forwards, and camped on the Puhawini range. Rain all night, which made everything soaking, and kept us shivering. 9th.—Reached the river Puhawini, named the Howard, and built a shelter. 10th.—Rain, snow and a fresh in the river. 11th.—Reaching our former shed, we searched the country all round for food, but found none, and the river too deep to wade. An Important Conclusion Now, having traced the banks of the Buller from source to mouth, and returned by the Mawera, I am certain there is no accessible pass across the Island north of the Mawera, nor any practicable route from the Nelson settlement to the grass plains at Port Cooper but the coast from the Wairau. 12th.—Came upon our old quarters on the Rotuiti and sax six sheep, also the tracks of a large flock, which much astonished me. Snowing. 13th.—With much difficulty we crossed the river Retuiti. Saw some hundreds of sheep feeding on the grass there but no recent shoe or footmarks. Having no provisions, I was afraid of exploring for the station or road but went towards the hill over which I had twice travelled before.

14th.—Reached the junction of the Mokopiko and Mapo rivers, and camped. Caught 25 wood-hens so we were all able to enjoy a full meal once more. An English Voice at Last 15th.—Came to the old survey house on the Mokopiko, which we found fallen Ekehu and his wife much wished to stop here, as Epiki and his wife were behind. I said that I should push on an endeavour to spend the night at Fraser’s, at all events, on the other side of the Motueka, and when I mentioned tea and bread the woman agreed to follow me. I pushed on to prevent hearing the grumbling of Ekehu about sore feet, for after dark we were sorely pricked by the groundthorn and reached Fraser’s at 10 o’clock at night. He rose and gave me a real hearty welcome, and a smoke of good tobacco. So I thanked God that I had once more reached the abode of civilised man, of which I had many fears during my illness, the thought of which prayed on my mind. It is a period of nearly 560 days from the time I wished Fraser good-bye on the banks of the Rotuiti river and my seeing him at his house this evening, I have never during this Mme heard a word of English save a broken gibberish of Ekeha, and the echo of my own voice and I rather feel astonished to find I could both understand and speak English as well as ever, for, during many wet days, I had never spoken a word of my own language, nor conversed even in Maori, of which I was well tired. Mr Brunner at the conclusion of his notes made a forcible appeal on behalf of the few natives scattered along the West Coast, who were cut off from almost all intercourse with the rest of their countrymen, and were neglected by the Government and the two great missionary bodies who exert themselves so greatly to advance the condition of the Maori race in other parts of the island. Mr Brunner expressed the opinion that the introduction of goats on the West Coast would be beneficial to the natives there. They also, he said, stood in much need for axes and other tools.