The city's devotion to the throne, however, was amply demonstrated in those crowded few minutes, as people lined the streets near the Railway Station and along the route thence to the Fernhill Club.
But yesterday a much more abiding and well-sustained tribute to our Royal visitor was given by crowds of eager citizens who thronged every coign of vantage in the city to obtain a view of the King's son as he passed on his way to the varied and onerous duties that constitute his lot as the representative in our midst of the Royal Family.
He had already visited Oamaru, where he opened the Hall of Memories at Waitaki Boys' High School, dedicated in remembrance of the noble part played by boys of the school in the Great War.
Throughout the day, crowds congregated on the line of route and waited patiently, as is the wont of Dunedin crowds, for the appearance of the Duke of York.
Whether nature smiled or frowned, the same eager throngs were there, waiting and watching, with a patience that drew many testimonies of appreciation from police officers.
The city presented a gay appearance yesterday, the flags, banners, pennants and bunting of many nations making a brave show on every flagstaff and large public or private building that fronted the line of the Duke's advance.
The programme yesterday was a busy one, including a civic reception at Logan Park, a visit to the University of Otago and the unveiling of the municipal war memorial in the Queen's Gardens.
The memorial, erected to perpetuate the memory of the soldiers of Dunedin who gave up their lives in the Great European War lasting from 1914 till 1918, takes the form of a graceful and dignified obelisk and is regarded as one of the most beautiful in New Zealand.
It has been beautifully finished in Carrara marble, and is 90 feet in height.
In the evening the Citizens' Ball was held. The day's programme was a full one, but his Royal Highness accomplished the task set him with an ability and ease born of long experience in the realm of public life and limelight.
Only one thought in the minds of the people marred the enjoyment of an otherwise pleasant day: the Duke's consort might have been spared the indisposition that rendered her visit to Dunedin impossible.
March 19: This morning Dunedin will wave farewell to her Royal visitor, the Duke of York.
The Duke's programme yesterday was again a full one and contained, perhaps, the most impressive and appealing function of the visit. This was the great demonstration by 9000 school children at Logan Park, which followed a visit to the Early Settlers' Hall at 10 a.m.
The children, hailing from one hundred and one schools between Palmerston in the north and Waiwera in the south, were drawn up in orderly formation in two great divisions. Behind the Royal dais was a grandstand packed with happy and admiring parents, the majority of whom it might be said were mothers, or at least women.
Behind the children on the green hillside there was a gathering of 2000 to 3000 people, who were again for the most part women.
At the conclusion of the children's demonstration, the Duke proceeded to the Art Gallery on Logan Park and performed the official opening ceremony in connection with the new home of the Dunedin Art Gallery Society.
The building served as the gallery during the Exhibition and proved so suitable for the object for which it was erected and so superior in every way to the old gallery that Mr and Mrs Percy Sargood came forward with a handsome donation, which enabled it to be secured by the city as a permanent gallery.
His Royal Highness later presented the city with a statue of St George.