WAIRARAPA’S HOMAGE

Wairarapa Age, 7 March 1927, Page 5

WAIRARAPA’S HOMAGE

DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK IN MASTERTON PUBUC RECEPTION ON PERFECT DAY SCENES OF ENTHUSIASM.

ARRIVAL AT OPAKI I , The Royal train reached Opaki some twenty-five minutes late. With everything in readiness, minutes seemed as hours, but eventually, after twentyfive minutes waiting, the Royal train swept majestically round the bend some four hundred yards north of the station, the handsomely decorated engine (driven by Engineer J. McCullough), bearing two Union Jacks and the Royal Coat of Arms, glistening under the brilliant sunshine. Only the official party were admitted • to the station yard, where the twenty Royal cars were drawn up ready to convey the Ducal party to Masterton. On the alighting from the train of the Duke and Duchess, the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. Jordan) and the Town Clerk (Mr. T. T. Denbee) were presented by Sir Heaton Rhodes. The Mayor formally welcomed Their Highnesses to the district, expressing regret that, through unfortunate circumstances over which they had no control , it had been found necessary to admit their Royal guests to Masterton through the “side door.*’ A crowd of some two hundred people, comprising residents from the nearby district and others from town, who had learned that the Royal Party were to alight at Opaki, had gathered at the first crossing so<th of the station, and as the " Royal procession moved off, Their Highnesses were accorded a stirring reception, salvoes of cheering and prolonged coo-ees and flag-waving signifying that Masterton’s welcome was warm and genuine. All along the route towards the town knots of loyal subjects cheered the party; the Duke and Duchesfc graciously acknowledging their plaudits on either side. The Northern Approach and street intersections contiguous to the Park entrance were lined with thousands of people, and as the Royal car approached Street from the town bridge a deep-throated roar of cheering could not have failed to express to Their Royal Highnesses that Wairarapa’s loyalty and welcome was in keeping with that which they had experienced elsewhere.

Though effervescing with enthusiasm and delight, the crowd outside the Park was most orderly and in no way impeded the progress of the Royal car.

THE PARK ASSEMBLY.

A WARM-HEARTED WELCOME. THE ADDRESS. Long before the hour at which the Royal visitors were due to arrive, large numbers of people had assembled at the Park, and before the proceedings began there must have been well over five’ thousand within the gates. The decorated dais on which the official reception took place was erected on the Park Oval, in front of the grandstand. Here a square was formed, Girl Guides in their neat uniforms occupying the front lines on two sides, with marshalled groups of children from various schools in rear. Boy Scouts and Wolf Cubs formed one side of the square immediately in front of the grandstand, and a place alongside the dais was alto a contingent of Brownies—quaint little figures who attracted many eyes. Owing to the fact that the arrival of the Royal party was delayed until nearly two* o’clock, the period of waiting in the warm sunshine was a little trying. For the children standing in their ranks, the wait must have been something of an ordeal, but all of them bore-it patiently. Some of them were permitted to break away for a time, aniP’the speed with which they returned at a call and dressed their ranks was worthy of well-drilled troops.

ARRIVAL OF ROYAL PARTY. On arriving at the main gateway of the Park, at a few minutes to two o’clock, the Royal Party left their cars and His Royal Highness inspected the guard of honour, furnished by the Wairarapa High School Cadets, under the command of Captain J. W. Bird. The Duke was here accorded another rousing reception. His Highness expressed his delight at the smart appearance and discipline of the cadets, whom he described as one of the finest guards he had seen since arriving in the Dominion.

The inspection over, the Duke and Duchess proceeded on foot to the Oval, escorted by the Mayor and Mayoress, and accompanied by the Earl and Countess of Cavan and other members of their party, and by Sir Heaton and Rhodes. On the way to the Oval the Duke was obviously impressed with the Soldiers’ Memorial Monument. This he momentarily paused to inspect, and inquired who had designed it, while the Duchess spoke flatteringly of the general appearance and lavout of x hc Park.

On the great and eargerly awaited occasion of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Masterton on Saturday, the important factor of the weather left nothing to be desired. Bright sunshine throughout the day gave the welcome ceremonies an appropriate setting. Owing to a shunting mishap at the local station yards, which resulted in seme damage to rolling stock and a temporary blockage of the line, the original programme had to be varied to some extent. Instead of reaching Masterton by train, , the Royal party detrained at Opaki and came on from that point by motor. .It was therefore, at Opaki that the Mayor (Mr. T. Jordan) first welcomed the Duke and Duchess of York to Masterton. In the pleasant weather, the countryside and town were looking at their best, and the decorations on the streets of approach and at the Park, as well as the Park itself, were admired At all points the Royal visitors were given a most loyal and enthusiastic welcome, and their visit will long be remembered with pleasure by all who took part in the proceedings of the day.

GUIDES AND SCOUTS. The parade of Girl Guides and Brownies was in charge of District Captain Mrs. Saville-Smith. The Guide companies on parade were: St. Matthew’s —Mrs. Bullock, Captain; SolwayCollege—Miss Leys, Acting-Captain; St Matthew’s School—Miss Wooldridge, Captain; and the Carterton Company— Mrs Bredin, Captain; Mrs Tweed, Lieutenant. The St. Matthew’s Brownies were under the charge of Mrs. Saville Smith.

The St. Matthew’s Boy Scouts paraded under the command of ScoutMaster A. Dewar, with Assistant-Seout-Masters L. Lamb and E. Green, and the St. Matthew’s Cubs were in charge of Cub-Master Hubbard and Assistant-Cub-Master Robinson. All the local schools and district schools as far away as Mangatainoka on the north, and Martiniborough on the south were represented by contingents of children, accompanied by their teachjrs. THE BANDS. The Battalion Band, under Conductor Bishop, was stationed at the Park gateway and the Masterton Municipal Band, under Conductor Noble, in the rotunda adjoining the Oval. PRESENTATIONS. The Boyal visitors were eheered enthusiastically as they made their way to the Oval, and louder eheering mingled with the strains of the Municipal Band playing the National Anthem as the party reached the da's. Here the Duchess of York was presented with a beautiful bouquet by Patricia Jordan, the little daughter of the Mayor and Mayoress. Sime .minutes were spent in the presentation to the Duke and Duchess of members of the Borough Council and their wives, the member for the district (Mr. <l. R. Sykes, M.P.) the chairmen of district local bodies and their wives. Later, the Mayor presented to the Duke a number of old residents who had a part as pioneers in shaping the early development of the Wairarapa district. The “old,identities” thus presented’ were: Messrs. ’Richard Brown, E. E. Chamberlain, ,G. E. Chamberlain, James MeGregor, Chris Bennington, Edwin Jones, David Dixon, E. Jones, E. Lee, J. P. Prentice, H, Bannister, Joseph lorns, John Wingate and R. McKelvie. AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME. The Mayor read the following address to the Duke and Duchess:— To Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York— May it please your Royal Highnesses We, the Mayors, Councillors and Burgesses of the Boroughs of Masterton, Carterton, Greytown, Featherston and Eketahuna, and the Chairman, Commissioners and Inhabitants

of the Town District of Martinborough, and the Chairmen, Councillors and Inhabitants of the Counties of Masterton, Mauriceville, Castlepoint, Wairarapa South, Featherston, Eketahuna and Akltio desire respectfully to extend to you a warm and affectionate welcome to the Wairarapa District and we rejoice especially that Her Boyal Highness has been able at great personal sacrifice, to come amongst us. With grateful satisfaction we recall that it .has been the pride and privilege of our generation to welcome to these shores firstly, Their Majesties the King and the Queen, or as they then were, your predecessors in title, the Duke and the Duchess of York, and more recently, your Boyal brother, the Prince of Wales, and we hope and believe that these visits and your presence here to-day wSI do much to show us in these remote islands that the Crcwn is not merely a mystic symbol of our unity, but that it is something human, personal and friendly. With our humble duty to His Majesty the King, we offer to you, as his representative, the expression of our unswerving loyalty and allegiance, and wo trust that your Royal Highnesses may long be spared to strengthen the ties of affection and devotion which unite the people of the British Commonwealth under the Crown.

We hope that your stay in these Islands will be pleasant and interesting and we wish you God-speed and a safe return to the land that we all call Home. We have the honour to subscribe ourselves, Your Royal Highnesses’ most humble and obedient servants.

(Signed) ■" TTIT T. JORDAN, Masterton. W. FISHER, Carterton. H. T. REDS, Greytown, J. W. CARD, Featherston. W. B. MARTIN, Martinborough. W. SIMPSON, Eketahuna. W. I. ARMSTRONG, Masterton. T. V. MOORE, Carterton. Q. DONALD, Featherston. R. JUDD. Mauriceville. S. SCHOFIELD. Castlepoint. J. B. CARRUTHERS, Eketahuna B. B. ROBERTSON, Akitio.

THE DUKE’S REPLY. The Duke handed to the Mayor the following reply:— His Worship, the Mayor of Masterton, Sir, —The Duchess and I are most grateful to yourself and all those on whose behalf you have just presented this address to us. We are much touched by your expression of loyalty, of which I will inform His Majesty the King, and also by the welcome you have afforded to ourselves. We especially appreciate your words about the personal and friendly nature of our visit. For our part, we believe that it is upon stich personal contact and acquaintance that the happy relations which exist between this Dominion and the Mother Country depend. We are delighted to be amongst you in Masterton, and we hope that although our stay be brief, we may yet gain a little experience of your life and your problems which will help us to serve New Zealand and her people when we return home; for all which concerns your welfare lies in our hearts. Once again we thank you sincerely for the way you have received us. We wish you prosperity and happiness, and would ask that the children may before long be given a whole holiday to commemorate the occasion. (Signed) ALBERT. March 5, 1927. AMONGST THE CHILDREN. The Duke and Duchess now loft the dais, the former to inspect the Boy Scouts and Wolf Cubs, and the Duchess to inspect the Girl Guides and Brownies. There was a pretty scene when the Duchess, a charming figure in her beautiful blue dress, stood in the centre of a ring of Brownies while the little ones jumped in the air and gave her the greeting of their order. A MEMORIAL TREE. An English oak tree was planted by the Duke in an open space at the rear of the grandstand. The tree was supplied by Mr. W. Kemp, and the Mayor, on behalf of the Borough of Masterton, presented His Royal Highness with a silver and greenstone trowel in memory of the occasion. His Worship here took the opportunity of presenting to the Duke the Park Custodian (Mr. J. Horton). THE PARTING SCENE. The Duke and Duchess now returned to the dais to bid? farewell to the assemblage. The National Anthem was sung with fineeffect in spite of the fact that some sections of the assembly were not quite in touch with one another and with the band, and at the Mayor’s call the assembled thousands lifted up their voices in hearty cheers for Their Royal Highnesses. The Royal party then left to enter their cars near the grandstand. The Duchess as she went waved her hand to the uniformed youngsters around the inner face of the square, and did not forget to bestow a parting smile on the Brownies. A FAREWELL GLIMPSE. Anxious to get a last glimpse 'of the Royal visitors, many hundreds of people left the Park just before the conclusion of the seremony and lined either side of the route right from the grandstand, where the Duke and Duchess joined their car, to the Perry Street corner. The pilot ear conveying the officers in charge of the police escort slowly threaded a passage, and as the Royal ear. moved off, the crowd gave vent to their feelings in one spontaneous cheer. No parting word could have been more sincere. It conveyed to the Duke and" Duchess that they had won the hearts of the many thousands, who, by their outburst, thanked them for their company and wished them God-speed. ON THE WAY TO WELLINGTON, As the ceremony had concluded somewhat behind time, the route to the station was covered as quickly as possible. In a parting word to the Mayor just before the train left, the Duke expressed thanks on behalf of himself and. the Duchess for the manner in which they had been received. They regretted that the visit had been rushed, but had seen enough of the town to learn that it was a substantial locality, and that its people were happy and prosperous. At 2.30 p.m. the Royal train moved off for Wellington, and was eheered all along the line as far as Cross Creek, each crossing being crowded -with people keen to get a last glimpse of the Ducal pair.

POPULAR ROYALTIES. DUCHESS MUCH ADMIRED. Prom comments heard on all sides on Saturday, it was manifest that both the Duke and Duchess of York had made a most favourable impression on those who assembled to greet them. There were many approving remarks upon the appearance and carriage of the Duke, but the favourite of the day undoubtedly was the Duchess. It appears to be the simple fact that with her pretty face and charming presence she captured at sight the hearts of all beholders. Men and women alike were heard to declare that nothing they had read about the Duchess in any way exaggerated her charm, and another frequent observation was that her pictures did her much less than justice. Her appeal to children was certainly not less potent than in the ease of adults. It soon became evident that she was delightfully in sympathy with the members of the rising generation. The dress the Duchess wore was admired only less than its wearer. It was a beautiful “creation” of delphinium blue georgette with petalled skirt. With it was worn a soft flowing cape of the same material and colour finished with a beautiful collar of feathers. Her hat toned exactly, being of the drooping becoming shape which is always associated with the Duchess. It was mounted with an ornament of pearls and diamonds. She wore champagne stockings and shoes of a deeper tone, and carried a large parasol suitable to the day—white, lined with green. DISAPPOINTED SPECTATORS.

It was unfortunate that through the mishap at the railway station which threatened to hold up the main line, the many l/ndreds of people who lined Perry Street and Queen Street were deprived of the first view of Their Royal Highnesses. As the result of willing efforts by the railway gangs, the line was actually cleared in time to give passage to- the Royal train, but a prior decision that the party should alight at Opaki was adhered to-. THE DECOBATIONS. Many people on Saturday were heard to speak in praise of the decorations in the streets and at the Park. As a whole the street decorations were effective, and shopkeepers and other business people co-operated creditably with the Decorations Committee. The arch of welcome at the Park gate, flanked on either side by a big Union Jack on a tall pole, was generally admired. Ex-

cellent work was done also in decorating the dais with hydrangeas. The total scheme of decoration was a credit to the town and worthy of the occasion. A NEEDED REST. ROYAL VISITORS AT WELLINGTON WELLINGTON. March 6 The Duke and Duchess of York arrived at Wellington last evening from the Wairarapa* having warm welcomes accorded them at each stop. The ascent of the Rimutaka Incline afforded them great interest, and they inquired closely into the working of the Fell locomotives. Wellington streets, all the way from Lambton Station to Government House, were packed with great crowds of people whose frequent outbursts of enthusiastic welcoming cheers and acclamation were repeatedly acknowledged by the Duke and Duchess. To-day they attended church at St. Paul’s Tiro-Cathedral, the afternoon being free foY personal enjoyment of the beautiful weather.—(P.A.)