29 JUNE 1912, Page 17

The tour of the King and Queen in South Wales

began on Tuesday. On reaching Cardiff, where they were received with great cordiality, the King and Queen were conducted to

the City Hall, where an address of welcome from the City Council was read expressing the enthusiasm and delight which would result from the decision to establtsh a home in the Principality for the Prince of Wales. In his reply the King observed that South Wales might well he proud of the part it bore in supplying coal for maintaining the efficiency of the Fleet. He welcomed the assurance of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coalowners' Association that they would spare no efforts to secure the safety of the mines and the well-being of the workers, and expressed the hope that the laws affecting mines recently passed might bear fruit, not only in increased safety and improved conditions of work, but also in stronger and more cordial feelings and goodwill among all classes engaged in that industry. The King then knighted Mr. Courtis, the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, and bestowed life-saving medals on two miners, Cornelius Philpott and William John, for conspicuous bravery at Pontypridd last January.