Focus Live Earlier: NZ ‘offers an example to the world’ - Prince Charles at Waitangi.
The latest Royal tour of New Zealand by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall has wound up - with the future King getting a rather cheeky welcome to Kaikōura.
The couple started the day at the Lincoln Farmers' and Craft market yesterday morning, before the Prince flew to Kaikōura.The Duchess remained in Christchurch and visited the offices of the Battered Women's Trust – a not for profit organisation dedicated to supporting families to live violence free – before touring the Christchurch Botanic Garden.
At the gardens she impressed staff with her knowledge of botnay.
"She seemed to really enjoy it and asked lots of questions," Luke Martin, curator of the New Zealand Plant Collection, said.
"I think she could have happily stayed there all day."
Prince Charles at Takahanga marae in Kaikoura. Photo / Getty Images
Meanwhile, 180km north in Kaikōura, the Prince was given a cultural welcome at Takahanga Marae, before a public walk about, visiting a number a number of stalls set up by local food producers, meeting a group of first responders to the November 2016 earthquake, and then visitng the Kaikōura Memorial Hall to see various set ups and displays highlighting the past, present and future of the local area.
After a walkabout through the main street where he met some of the 600 locals out to grab a glimpse of the royal visitor, Prince Charles was taken through a series of displays at the Memorial Hall, entitled 'The Future is Bright'.
"We designed it from the past, to the present and the future" said organiser, Joanna York.
"The past starts with the earthquake and moves on through and goes to the innovation that came out of the earthquake, local artists and then in to where the future's going."
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attends a powhiri at Takahanga Marae in Kaikoura. Photo / Getty Images
The president of Kaikoura community theatre, John Wyatt, had a display complete with a plan for what the new theatre would look like once the $3.6-million project was completed in 12 months time.
He said the final hurdle was raising another $350,000 to complete the job.
"The basic services are in, which is really very exciting, we hope the roof is going to be on in about March and then we just go for gold from there."
One of the artists displaying their works, Susie Baker, who created images using an old form of photography, said art played an important part in helping children take their minds off the quakes.
"It was that coming together and bringing parts of the community that don't normally come together, with no stress...it was just about coming together and making some art."
The ladies from the Kaikoura Bowling Club did their bit, baking cakes and whipping up sandwiches in case the prince had time for a cup of tea and a bight to eat.
Prince Charles meets a group of White Ribbon Riders who are on their annual motorcycle ride raising money and awareness of domestic violence. Photo / Getty Images
The club's president, Carol Reardon, said they had been busy all morning making a feast fit for a king in waiting.
"We've got sandwiches, egg, and ham and mustard, cheese and pineapple, and then we've got the world famous in Kaikoura cinnamon oysters made by Viv Butcher."
While Prince Charles was running late and didn't have time for afternoon tea at the hall, RNZ can report the cinnamon oysters, a cinnamon sponge with a cream centre, were delicious.
Joanna York, said the visit was good for the town.
