THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Issue 23, 28 January 1901, Page 5

THE NEW KING PROCLAIMED IN AUCKLAND.

I'roclaiming the KinG xar nw S Jc,

TO-DAY'S CEREMONY.

THE SCENE IN

AUCKLAND

Those Auckland ers who "were present at the memorable ceremony in front of the Municipal Chambers today witnessed and participated in the event of a life-time —the proclamation of a great Sovereign. The national sorrow at the death of the Queen gave place for the day to rejoicing at the accession of a new King, and for the time being all signs of mourning were put aside. The doleful streamers of crape disappeared from flagstaffs and doors, and flags were hoisted mast-high on buildings and ship-

ping. Business people everywhere cuspended work for an hour or two, to do honour to the King while the proclamation was being read.

In accordance with a telegram

from the Acting-Premier, received early this morning, the new King was officially proclaimed to-day by the Mayor of Auckland. Preparations were hurriedly made for the ceremony. A wooden platform, covered by a cloth canopy, composed of red, white and blue, was erected on the high ground on the late Dr. Philson's property in Wellesley-street west, just opposite the Municipal Chambers, for the Mayor, who was to read the proclamation. Some time before noon the citizens began to gather in the street, and by half-past twelve the thoroughfare was packed with thousands of people. The spectators formed a solid mass from the doors of the Free. Library across the street and right down to Queen-street. The little hillocks on the north side of the street, at the side of and behind the platform, were thickly crowded with people, and all the verandahs which commanded a view of the platform bore interested lookers-on. Even the roof-tops were packed with spectators, especially the roof of Pullan & Armitage's premises opposite, where a large number of enthusiastic persons gathered.

All the public bodies of Auckland ■were well represented at the proceedings, and the Consuls of foreign countries and a number of volunteer

officers in uniform were conspicuous. A ruimber of volunteers of various corps, about 100 in all, paraded at the Drill-shed and marched into Welles-ley-street, where they took up a position as a guard of honcnir, in conjunction with the Sixth Contingent men. Lieutenant-Colonel 'White was in command of the parade. Great enthusiasm was aroused by the arrival of the Auckland Company of the Sixth Contingent, under Captain Reid and Lieutenant Markham. The contingent, to the number of! about a hundred, rode down Welles-j ley-Street shortly after noon, and' formed up in iine, extending- from the northern door of the Municipal Chambers in Coburg-street out into Welles-Jey-street, facing- the Mayor's platform. The young soldiers looked smart and workmanlike in their new uniforms and handled their horses very well. The great crowd waited patiently for the appearance of His Worship the Mayor,-Mr David Goldie, who walked | out on to the platform at 12.30 o'clock, wearing- the insignia of his office, the aMyoral chain. He was accompanied by the local members of Parliament, members of the City Council, the- foreign consuls and others. BEADING THE PROCLAMATION. His Worship's appearance on the platform was greeted with loud cheers. Then all was silence and heads were bared ns the Mayor announced that he had received the words of the proclamation of the new King by telegraph from Wellington, and was desired to read it. His Worship then read in a clear voice the royal proclamation as follows: —

"Whereas it. has pleased Almighty God to call to His mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria of blessed and glorious memory by -whose decease the Imperial Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and all other Her Late Majesty's dominions is and rightfully come to the High and Mighty Prince Edward, we, the Governor and Executive Council of the Colony of New Zealand, Eiehard John Se.ddon, a Member of Her Late Majesty's Privy Council, Joseph George Ward, ActingPremier of the said Colony, assisted by Members of both Houses of the General Assembly, Judges, Magistrates and Officers of Courts, Ministers of Religion, Mayors, Chairmen, and Members of Local Bodies, and numerous other Eepresentatives, European and Maori Citizens here present, do now hereby, with one full voice and consent of tongue find heart, publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Prince Albert Edward is now by the death of our Late Sovereign o± happy and glorious memory, become our only lawful and rightful liege Lord. King Edward the Seventh by the grace of God, Kiug of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire land. Defender of the Faith, Emperor of Tmlia. Supreme Lord in and over the Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, to whom we do acknowledge all faith nr,d constant obedience with nil hearty and humble affection, beaching' God. by whom Kings and Queen* do vtign, to bless the Eoyal

Prince Edward the Seventh with long and happy years to reign over us. " Given at Wellington, in the Colony of New Zealand, this 28th day of January, in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and one. RANFURLY, Governor. R. ,J. SEDDON, A Member of Her Majesty's Privy

Council. J. G. WARD, W. C. WALKER, Win. HALL JONES C. 11. MILLS. " God Save the King."

SALUTING THE KING

No sooner had the las! words. "God Save the King!" been pronounced than thi' crowd burst into loud cheers. Then II is Worship said: '"And now I ask you to give three cheers for King Edward the Seventh!" The great gathering with one accord responded most enthusiastically to the inviiation. iCvery hat was in the air. and the crowd right loyally cheered the new King. Scarcely had the echoes of the shout died away before a gun boomed out above in Albert Pavk, where the "A" Cattery of Artillery had paraded with two of their ninepounder Armstrong field-guns to fire the royal salute. The cheering was succeeded by the singing of the "National Antlu-m." with the deepest enthusiasm and feeling, by the spectators, and it was thus the words "God Save the King" were sung for the first time in Auckland. When the assemblage in the street and in front of the platform had sung the first verse of the anthem, the gathering on the roof of Pullan & Armitage's premises opposite struck up on their own account, conducted vigorously by a

gentleman in a white coat, and the roof-top crowd finished up with "Rule Britannia" amidst the applause, of the other spectators, and then the ceremony closed with the playing of

"God Save the King" by the Artillery Garrison Band, under Bandmaster Hunter. The Sixth Contingent and the volunteers wore marched away, and the crowd slowly dispersed.

A llo.yal salute of :il guna was fired in the Albert Park under the shadow of the British, ensign by the "A" Battery of Artillery, assisted by a number of other artillery volunteers, who helped to man the battery's ninepounders. The battery was under the command of Sergeant-Major Sherson and Sergeant Hazard. The salute was fired ingood time, and the field guns were then taken back to the Drillshed, where the volunteers were dismissed. Thus ended a ceremony which will in after years be looked back upon as a most memorable national event.