EMPIRE PAGEANT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 166, 27 April 1935, Page 5

EMPIRE PAGEANT

THE KING'S JUBILEE.

HIS MAJESTY'S PERSONALITY,

INTENSE HUMAN INTERESTS.

STRICT CONSTITUTIONALITY.

WORTHY HELPMEET IN QTJEEN. (United Press Association —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 2 p.m.) LONDON, April 26. , A correspondent of the Australian Press Association says: With the celebration of his Majesty's silver jubilee only a week distant a pen sTcetch of the King' as he is to-day is not inopportune. Physically his Majesty is wonderfully fit. From the standpoint of the people he was never more loved than he is to-day. Two things above all others endeared him—his intense human interests and his strict constitutionality!. Years hence there may be discussions on the King's part in the events of 1931, when the National Government was-formed. For the present it is sufficient to pay tribute to his immense political, sagacity. He had gone to Balmoral Castle for a holiday. He.was there only a day'when he sensed that matters at Downing Street were approaching a crisis. On his own initiative his Majesty returned to London imme* diately. History records—and the world has since not ceased lauding—the wise measures of those fateful days. Transcending all other considerations is the King's ardent interest in the welfare of his own people. Twenty-five years on the Throne have not dimmed his energy, fie likes all State papers to be available for signing before breakfast. His familiarity with affairs in Australia and New Zealand is noteworthy. At the age of 70 the King is still very active. He loves to lead a man's normal life. He is abstemious to a degree and turns very often for pleasure to his magnificent stamp collection. One room of the Palace, filled with oil paintings of his famous racehorses, shows how dear to him is the racing stable. Of the Queen the correspondent writes: What finer tribute could be mentioned than a noted English gentleman's comment, based on long acquaintance and keen observation, "There could not have been found a finer helpmate than Queen Mary." Home life and her family are almost passions with her. Life's daily domestic tasks delight her, whether it be at the Palace or in some institution or home. The Queen's wonderful-attach-ment to her daughter, daughters-in-law, sons and grandchildren is proverbial. Her interests in their tours of the Dominions and her forethought for their comfort on those tours is that of a true mother.

Incidentally, continues the writer, it is gathered that both King and Qneen 'are highly pleased with the benefit to the Duke of Gloucester from His tour of Australia and New Zealand, both physically and in outlook.

PREPARATIONS IN FULL SWING.

PROVISION FOR SPECTATORS. SUM OF £500,000 PAID FOR SEATS. m (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 26. Twelve days before the King's silver jubilee Londoners and thousands of visitors to the Capital are displaying keen interest in all the preparations for the celebrations, which are to be conducted on an unprecedented scale. The streets are assuming their jubilee dress and, the decorations already erected have stood successfully the wind and cheerless weather conditions of the last few days. Every morning sees a rehearsal of the various processions, and every night the floodlighting plant, which will provide a blaze of illumination for notable buildings not only in London but also in every town and every village throughout the country, undergoes tests. On May 7 hundreds of thousands of spectators will stand in the streets. Every window along the route will be packed, while special seating accommodation provided for 7500 of the most fortunate will be thronged. The series of brief processions into which the Royal Family and Imperial representatives are being divided will maintain the interest for those who will willingly wait several hours. It has been arranged) that the escorts of life Guards and Horse Guards will be supplemented by contingents from other cavalry regiments. This decision was taken in part because of the tremendous public interest. Over £500,000 has been paid for seats and this requires that the people should be given a really striking pageant.

ROYAL PROCESSIONS. DETAILS OF ARRANGEMENTS. LONDON, April 25. The full programme for the processions to St. Paul's Cathedral, for the King's Jubilee thanksgiving service on May 6 has not yet been issued, but it is understood that the Prime- Minister and the Dominion Prime Ministers will leave St. James's salace ahead of the Royal procession. Tne first procession will leave Buckingham Palace at 10.42 a.m. with the Duke and Duchess of York and their children, and the Duke and Duchess of Kent with ladies and gentlemen in attendance. In the second Royal pro-

cession will be the Queen of Norway, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Gloucester, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Harewood and Princess Victoria. The Sovereign's procession of six State landaus, in the first of which the King and Queen will travel, Is timed to leave the palace at 10.54 a.m.

WELCOME TO VISITORS. EMPIRE MEETING SUGGESTED. (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) V LONDON, April 26. Mr H. K. Hales, Conservative M.P. for the Hanley Division of Stoke-upon-Trent, suggests that a mass meeting be held at Albert Hall to give a rousing welcome to the many thousands of Australians and New Zealanders who will attend the jubilee. He says it would be a unique opportunity of permitting the Australian and New Zealand Premiers and British Ministers to meet on the platform, proving that the Empire was not an abstract term, but a genuine bond of brotherhood.

THEIR MAJESTIES.

PLANS FOR. RETURN TO LONDON. LONDON, April 25. The Court will return from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace on Friday, May 3, in preparation for the Jubilee celebrations, which begin on Monday, May 6. Before returning - to London the King will visit Newmarket for the Guineas race meeting, travelling by car on Tuesday morning, and returning to Windsor on Friday. If the weather is favourable on Saturday week the King will attend the Association Football Cup match at Wembley.—British Official Wireless.