THE LAST RITES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11934, 28 January 1936, Page 3

THE LAST RITES

pUNERAL of LATE KING GEORGE

triVE KINGS AS WELL AS KING EDWARD f ATTEND

IMPRESSIVE PREPARATIONS

London. Jan. 26. nwn King George's coffin, when it .. lowered into the vault of Saint Chapel. Winrlson. at 1.30 on Sav. King Edward VIII.. “to ' 1,., leaves the sceptre and the will vast a handful of English

London, Jan. 26. London never witnessed anything to equal the tremendous human current which to-day resistfessly set toward the "Hall of Rufus” (Westminister Hall) where in all the loneliness of his kingship lie the remains of George V. When the hall was closed shortly after midnight, yesterday's admissions had totalled 150,7 70, making, with Friday's total, more than 250,000. Another queue immediately began to form for the reopening to-day. By 10.15 a.m. the crowd extended from the hall ovei Vauxhall Bridge and on to the Albert Embankment. The gathering included rich and poor, old and young, maimed old soldiers wearing medals. Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, nurses, members of the Salvation Army and several blind people anxious to “sense” the scene.

6 Tlie final details of the funeral ■rnuiKvnivnts were personally solid h v King Edward, who motored—tired as he was —from his country reddenve. Fort Belvedere, to Winder and conferred with the au-

thorities. . The police expect 1 00.00 p.lgnms will go windsor 0,1 Tl "' s(lay ' The ,nwn is already uncomfortably conned. S«‘ts are selling at 116 6s e3 pive Kings, as well as King Edward will attend the funeral, namely King Haakon of Norway, King Leopold of Belgium, King Christian „ f Denmark, King Carol of Rumania a „d Boris of Bulgaria. As the day for the supreme Royal obsequies approaches a realisation of the extent of the mourning all over the .world penetrates every heart. Impressive preparations go steadilv on, assuring perfection in every detail. The majestic ceremonial of the lowering of the Royal Coffin from the chancel steps into the vault of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, at 1,30p.m., Greenwich mean time, on Tuesday, will coincide with the beginning of two minutes' silence throughout Great Britain, enabling millions to participate in the crucial moment of the burial service. This necessitates exact timing of the funeral procession, for which the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, has supervised rehearsals at Windsor, achieving complete synchronisation, though adjustment of the musical service can he made to ensure

Sunday’s leisure afforded an all day and all night opportunity for the people to renew their homage to the dead King. The queue soon exceeded all previous dimensions, stretching 12 abreast down the Albert Embankment, across Vauxhall Bridge and along the southern bank of the Thames to Westminster Bridge. The rearguard took four hours to move the three miles.

It became necessary to arrange to admit the public to Westminster Hall until 6 a.m. to-morrow. Two thousand people replaced every 1000 who traversed the hall.

AN IMPRESSIVE PAUSE IN OUR DAILY LIFE.

With reverence befitting the ’passing of a revered King, the community generally observed a two minutes silence this morning at 11 o’clock.

His Worship the Mayor and Councillors, the town clerk and office staff, with the Rev. Mr Smyth, stood to attention on the steps of the Municipal Chambers immediately the fire siren sounded. It may truly be said that for those two minutes New Zealand called a halt in the hustle and bustle of daily life to pay its deep respect to the memory of a King who for a quarter of a century has controlled its destinies in a manner that time alone can fully disclose. The firebell (muffled) and the post office clock were each tolled during the period of silence. The Last Post will be sounded from the steps of the Municipal Chambers at sunset to-night, when the flag, which has been at half-mast since the death of King George Y. will be lowered.

coincidence of the silence with the actual burial. A procession over the entire route in which troops will participate will be rehearsed on Monday in order that the actual observance may lie flawlessly carried out in accordance with impressive British tradition.

The funeral procession, sections of which will earlier take up positions at various points adjacent to the route, will be finally marshalled at 9 a.m. and will start at a wireless signal at 9.45. All armed forces of the Crown, including the Dominions, Air Forces and Navies, will be represtnted. All troops will he- dismounted, marching at slow time to solemn music, carrying reversed arms.

The bearer party of the King’s Company of Grenadier Guards will march on each side of the naval gun team drawing the coffin. The Earl Marshal will precede it. The Royal Standard of England . follows. Then come King Edward, the Royal Family, foreign Royalties, the Queen Mother and Court ladies in carriages.