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Film: children meet the Queen at Athletic Park, 1954
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Film clip: children gathering to meet the Queen
Still shots and description
The Royal couple are standing in the back of a specially converted jeep as it drives past thousands of children gathered in Athletic Park. As their car passes the children they all swarm en masse to the other side of the field to get another look as the jeep turns a corner.
Commentary:
'Wellington, a great moment for the 133 year old capital city, as never before it celebrates. And the greatest, most tumultuous welcome of all is from it's children. The organisers have arranged that every child shall have a good view as the Queen and the Duke drive past - but the children found a way to ensure at least two good views! Fifteen thousand individual wills, they filled but a single paddock.
These are the future men and women of one far corner of a commonwealth of many governments but of one allegiance.'
Archives New Zealand
The Royal Tour of New Zealand, 1953-54 (National Film Unit)
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GoogleHow to cite this page: 'Film: children meet the Queen at Athletic Park, 1954', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/video/children-meet-the-queen-athletic-park, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 31-May-2007
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