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I think too, of the people who waited cheerfully all day under a blazing sun, in terrific heat, in the Tirau Domain on New Year's Day. Tirau, whose normal population of about 600 leapt to 7,000 on that day -many came upwards of 50 miles to be there.
And how can we forget that magnificent floral carpet around the dais, a loving, loyal gesture from the women of the district. Flowers did express in tangible form the feelings of everyone throughout New Zealand, particularly the women folk. I can see again the bowers of flowers in hotels, at civic functions, that wonderful arch at Timaru's Ashley Park, and the hanging baskets along the entire length of Dunedin's main street. Private houses gaily decorated with countless varieties of blooms, often a big hedge with the word 'Welcome' picked out in blue hydrangea heads. And I recall the surprise of seeing at the side of� a vivid green hillside on a main road in Southland the symbol 'ER II', written boldly in hay bails - a delightful tribute from a farmer. And those unscheduled, unrehearsed incidents: at Rotorua aerodrome, Mrs Muriwai, said to be 107 years of age, grasping the Queen's hand for minutes it seemed and softly speaking with her words of affection and loyalty. I recall with so much pleasure the Queen stopping her car on several occasions to accept bouquets from the hot little hands of children on the roadside, children who had waited hours for this enchanting, fleeting, never-to-be-forgotten moment.
Through the mountains to Christchurch, to a welcome in the Square [loud cheering].
All the Royal emblems are up here on the buildings, in places of honour for Her Majesty the Queen - I see St George's Cross there, the lion's cross and banners bearing the flags of New Zealand and the merchant navy, the fleur de lis, the cross we associate with the Order of the British Empire, the thistle, the badge of the air apparent, all around the Square these Royal emblems are placed up, but the key note I think in the welcome in the Square is one of flowers, particularly those two tramway shelter offices which are flanking the Godley statue and those four magnificent lime trees there - they've been built up pagoda fashion floating towards the top and the whole has been cloaked with a mat -� a soft, firm mat of� pine and fir cuts -� and then from the corners of that mat, up towards the top, the centrepiece, marigolds in great swathes going up there towards a great cushion of red dahlias, and on top of that cushion - and this goes for both of those things - great crowns in flowers.
And now, as a climax to all those emblems, the emblem of all, the Royal Standard, has entered the Cathedral Square, and as Her Majesty does come into this Cathedral Square, the Garden City, a welcome of flowers and bells [sounds of bells tolling].�
South and West and North again, the towns and cities vie with one another in their loyalty: Palmerston North [chanting, 'We Want the Queen']. Wanganui [singing For She's a Jolly Good Fellow'] -this is absolutely spontaneous [loud cheering] well that was wonderful, there singing 'For She's a Jolly good Fellow', I think that is the first time I've seen� it sung, and it just seemed to grow and grow.New Plymouth" [chants of 'Hip hip', 'Hooray']
One of the happiest and luckiest children in Nelson was Rosalie Merritt [sp?] of Hampden Street School, she was chosen to present the Queen's bouquet.
Interviewer: Rosalie, how did it all happen?
Rosalie: I was picked to go with the party from Hampden Street School down to the park, on the day that the Queen was coming.
Interviewer: And did you know then that you were to present the bouquet?
Rosalie: Well no, I wasn't told until about ten minutes before the Queen came and I was very excited.
Interviewer: I should think you were, too. And you were stationed in Trafalgar Park, in good position to see the car coming around were you?
Rosalie: Yes I was over by the Grandstand with the Boy Scouts. And when I saw the Queen's car coming round the corner I went out in front of it - I wasn't sure whether it was going to stop or not though, but to my relief I saw that it did. I went up to the Queen and I said to her 'Please your Majesty will you accept this bouquet'. She took it and said to me, 'thank you my dear'.
Interviewer: And that was a wonderful honour wasn't it?
Rosalie: Yes
Interviewer: And how many children were there in the park at the time, Rosalie?
Rosalie: Oh, there must have been over a thousand.
Interviewer: Now, apart from presenting the bouquet to the Queen, what other incident will you always remember in connection with the Royal tour?
Rosalie: Well on Sunday morning, a beautiful day, I was up on the church steps, and when we saw the Queen coming down from church we were cheering like mad. When she walked past us she seemed to give everyone a lovely smile, and we saw her walk right down to her hotel. She was in a white dress with black spots and a little wee bolero.
Interviewer: And was that the last you saw of the Queen?
Rosalie: No I saw her at the aerodrome when she went.
Interviewer: You are in Form Two I think, is that right Marjorie?
Marjorie: Yes
Interviewer: And how old are you?
Marjorie: I'm 12
Interviewer: And I suppose you'd have been only eleven when the Queen came were you?
Marjorie: Yes
Interviewer: Marjorie, I believe that you were with the other children from your school at Forbury Park, is that right? -� at the picnic there. Will you tell us about that?
Marjorie: Well it was awfully exciting, we got up early in the morning and went out to Forbury Park, and while we waited out there there were all sorts of amusements for us; there were clowns doing all sorts of acrobatic tricks and they were funny, and then there was the pony club on horses and chased and robbed a stage coach, that was fun too. But we all wanted to see the Queen more. And when they came it was exciting, you could hear one big shout out of the gates and then gradually it came nearer and nearer, and we were leaning over the railings� - though we'd been told not too - and then the Royal Couple came into view, oh we cheered like anything! They came nearer and nearer and all of a sudden they were just past, and you could see them going around and we all ran across the grass to the other side so that we could see them as they went out the gate.
Interviewer: And Marjorie, did you see the Queen very closely at that time?
Marjorie: Oh yes.
Interviewer: Did you see her again while she was in Dunedin?
Rosalie: Yes, I saw her at the Law Courts Hotel on the night she went to the Royal Concert.
Interviewer: What was she wearing that night, can you remember?
Marjorie: Oh she was wearing a lovely evening frock and a white fur coat, then she had her diamonds and tiara on, oh she looked really beautiful.
Interviewer: Gosh it was an exciting night wasn't it?
Marjorie: Oh yes.
At Ngaruawahia it was the turn of the Waikato:
'And there races that mighty war canoe with a crew of 60, a crew of 60, 30 seated on either side, rowing with rhythmic precision with their gleaming paddles. And as the Duke and Queen catch a vision of it, they raise their paddles perpendicularly, point up to the heavens, in a last royal salute'.
And then that greatest of all Maori gatherings, at Arawa Park, Rotorua:
[Singing 'Haere mai e te Kuini' - a song written by Te Arawa especially for the occasion]� 'The Rhythm of the poi dance, the dancers in their bright blue skirts and blouses, covered with the traditional piupiu mats, singing the praises of those first hardy adventurers, who manned the first Maori canoes which came hither in the great migration more than 600 years ago. [More singing].
Her Majesty was in her Capital six days - there she opened Parliament, the first time that a reigning monarch has ever performed this function in New Zealand. When the ceremony was over, the Queen reappeared with the Duke of Edinburgh at the head of the steps and stood for some moments looking down on the thousands who looked up at her. Her diamond tiara and necklace flashed blue and pink in the summer light.
[New voice] 'I had a very close and uninterrupted view of this very beautiful picture. The Queen in her beautiful coronation dress which sparkled and shone in the strong sunlight. With her scintillating jewellery and decorations, the vivid blue slash of the Order of the Garter worn across the body. The Duke dignified in black and gold, with sword and decorative chain, medals and orders. The effect was breathtaking, and the crowd's reaction was peculiar - quite suddenly there was no cheering or shouting as we all just stood there and gazed and a strange quiet fell about the place. The Queen and the Duke too, neither waved nor smiled, but just stood there inspecting us as we in turn gazed at them. The picture was quite vibrant and moving.
This is the first time that I have spoken to New Zealanders in their own homeland and my first words must be to tell you how happy I am to be amongst you. I am looking forward with hope and happiness to the journey I am to take with my husband, from this city to the southern most part of the South Island. A journey during which I shall meet many of you in your own homes and see something of the beauty and greatness of your country.
I want to thank you too, for your welcome to my husband. We have both been deeply moved this morning. It has indeed been an inspiring experience for us to travel across two vast oceans from one side of the world to the other and to find ourselves not in a foreign land and amongst alien people, but at home with our kinsmen.�
The royal car approaches the Custom Street intersection, and ahead of the Royal Couple now is the length of Queen Street, that section of the city's drive which has been described as the Royal Mile.
[New voice] And the cars at the moment are driving slowly up towards me. The first car is just past the junction of Queen and Shortland Street and already the crowds around here are beginning to go mad, they're lining the street six deep, they're leaning out of windows, they're on window ledges and all Auckland seems to be alive with excitement on this really joyous day. The first car, the car containing the Commissioner of Police, is just passing Wyndham Street and already everyone in the crowd is waving everything they have in their hands - I can see umbrellas and flags and newspapers - all lifted up in the air as they cheer their hearts out today. And now the first car is coming up quite close to us here and it is amazing to see the sort of explosion that happens in Queen Street as each section of the crowd gets a glimpse of the royal procession coming forward towards us now.
And now the Royal car is coming up towards us, the Royal car with the Perspex hood, and from here we get� a very clear view of the Queen. She's sitting on the right hand side of the car and she looks beautiful, she looks like sunshine in her yellow dress and her yellow hat. She's waving to the crowd and smiling and the Duke is in full naval uniform. They're both smiling and looking from side to side as they go up the street. And there's a tremendous ovation going up from all Aucklanders here in Queen Street today. The Queen's city welcoming its Queen.
Radio recordings from a documentary made a year after the
Queen's arrival in New Zealand, 'Royal Visit Highlights 1953-54', ref D 548/3-5.
Provided by Sound Archives/Nga
Taonga Korero,
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