“K. OF K.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2712, 17 January 1910, Page 7

“K. OF K.”

UNINTENTIONAL' DISCOURTESY

On his way to Wallangarra Lord Kitchener paid a short visit to Warwick (writes the correspondent of the‘‘Sydney Morning Herald”). At Toowoomba there were some pretences of making; arrangements. There were none at Warwick. There wore police on the platform for seiuo purpose; but what the purpose was it was hard to guess. The people were not likely to be disorderly. They were merely curious, and. were anxious to be polite; and tlic police wore there presumably to see that their curiosity did not overcome their politeness. However, nobody seemed to realise this, and the result was that the moment the train came in tliei crowd, which was on the platform, crammed itself along the side of Lord Kitchener’s carriage Straw-hatted youths and young maidens glued their eyes to the chink left, between the bottom of the window and the blind, which had apparently boon pulled down to avoid this, thing. Those who could not get a peep,/which satisfied them from this side of the carriage Avent round on to the other side, between the lines, and got it ■ there. Lord Kitchener walked down the platform through the crowd and reviewed a smart little detachment of cadets there; and as at Toowoomba ho seemed to like this part of the ceremony well enough. But as soon as the engine had finished watering the train started. Many people seem to look upon what is realiy a visit of an important public servant in the Empire at the reguest of the Commonwealth, upon a business of great importance to Australia,' as a side show. Groups at passing stations are almost aggrieved if tliev do not get a sight of him. Unless the authorities take the steps which are ordinarily taken in courtesy to any visitor, to give him some protection from tlic natural curiosity, any pleasure which Australians may wish Lord Kitchener to draw from his visit here will almost certainly be spoiled. Tlio camera is, perhaps, an almost greater ordeal to Lord Kitchener than tlio admiring crowd. Ho sat in one group at tlio end of his first day in Brisbane. When the photographer asked him afterwards if he would mind be taken alone ho shook his head. “I have been photographed more times to-day than I ever was before in my life,” he said. Once in liis life Lord Kitchener lias been subjected te a form of hero worship which is known to bo so distasteful to him, that the occasion has become notorious. It is ten years since he visited Cambridge; but the reception which ho was given there is a matter of common history in England to-day. It is quite on the cards that that is the sort of history this visit may make. New Zealand and Canada will in that case run the risk of getting some reputation at the Australian expense.