A WEDDING CRUSH.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 51, 1 March 1923, Page 5

A WEDDING CRUSH.

TRIBUTE TO PREMIER'S DAUGHTER. SCENE OF GREAT ENTHUSIASM. It is seldom that a wedding ceremony attracts such public interest as did that of Miss [sabel Massey, daughter of the Prime Minister, yesterday afternoon at St. David's Church," Khyber Pass. An hour before it was timed to commence people had began to assemble and at rive minutes to three o'clock there was n dense crowd outside the church, overflowing from the. grounds across the. road to the lawn of St. Sepulchre's, and the casual observer would have been unable, to say in which church the ceremony was to be performed.

A tall police sergeant, aided by several constables, was kept busy in controlling the crush of femininity. Here and there among the womenfolk a man could be seen, but it was essentially a women's gathering. Nearby fences were climbed and boxes were carried to favourable points, and from these coigns of vantage the more enterprising of the fair sex, sacrificing dignity to curiosity, obtained a glimpse of the contracting parties and their attendants.

The. bridegroom and best man had to elbow their way through the press, a stalwart constable going before them to clear a path. When the bride arrived, the excited chatter gave place to a hush, a thousand heads bobbed, the same number of pairs of feet rose on tip-toe and there was much jostling in an endeavour to see the little lady, who stood on the pavement whilst her veil was being arranged. The massive figure of Mr. Massey was beside her. his familiar face wreathed in smiles. As father and daughter proceeded churchwards, behind two men in blue, who literally pushed women out of the way, with kindly but firm pressure, there were cries of "Good old Bill!" at which the Premier smiled bis acknowledgments. The large crowd was further swelled during the service, and trams went past at reduced speed, every window a frame for a peering face. Women shuHled anil jostled in an attempt to get a better position, and there was much competition for the space immediately around the bride's car. Policemen found it impossible to keep the curious ones in check, and at one stHge there was an unbroken sea of bobbing hat* from gate to church door. Eventually an avenue was cleared and the bride and groom emerged, to.be greeted with cheers and a fair quantity of ricp and confetti. They at length gained the shelter of the car and drove off amid continued cheering.

Then came-Mr. and Mrs. Masscy. who were the recipients of further cheers and more cries of "Good old Bill!" and on this hnppy occasion, at least, there was nobody, whatever his political views, who* grudged the Premier his popularity. .