THE KING'S HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 184, 5 August 1936, Page 22

THE KING'S HOUSE.

A JUBILEE PRESENT.

COST £35,000 TO BUILD,

WILL STAND FOR 500 YEARS,

(Special. —By Air Mail.) LONDON) July 11. The King- this week entered for the first time the King's House, the Silver Jubilee gift to King George V. from the Royal Warrant Holders' Association. It stands in the beautiful Surrey countryside near Burhill. Arriving as the late afternoon sun was gilding the sturdy oak door, King Edward turned the look with a golden key ornamented with a jewelled crown. He stepped briskly into the bright and spacious hall and, looking about him as any pleased house owner might, he smiled and (-aid: "This is very nice." The house was built "for any person whom Jlis Majesty may think worthy of the indication of his Royal favour." He was at once fascinated by the modernistic charm of the interior, and its subtle decorative contrasts. For more than half an hour the King went from room to room, finding in each of them some novelty of . furniture or decoration which called forth his delighted comments.

In the panelled dining room he asked: "Where the radio?" and he laughed and exclaimed: "That's certainly an idea," when it was pointed out to him that a. loud speaker was concealed in the wall behind the Hat face of a. clock. In the principal bedroom the King found u wireless gramophone cunningly hidden beside tho fireplace.

The bathrooms with their glass walls and mirrors which cannot be obscured by steam, and also the kitchen with its walls of stainless steel greatly interested him. Making a tour of tho garden, the King's attention was attracted to tho weather vane, a per feet scale model of King George's racing yacht Britannia, which has just been scrapped. In the servants' quartern King Edward shook hands with the caretaker, Regimental Sergeant-Major .McKay, late of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, with whom he spoke of seeing the regiment at Agra during one of his Empire tours. He shook hands also with Mrs. McKay and greeted their small daughter Violet with "Well, little one, how are yon V"

On leaving the King stood for a moment gazing at, the house, and he said: "How very sad it is that my father never lived to see it standing here."

The house lias cost £35,000 to build, furnish and equip. It is endowed with a sum of £10,000, and it is elaiined for it that it will stand for 500 years.