DECORATIONS COMMITTEE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18942, 5 March 1927, Page 15

DECORATIONS COMMITTEE.

WORK WELL IN HAND. Reporting at yesterday's meeting of the Decorations Committee, the chairman, Mr J. N. Du Feu, stated that satisfactory progress was being made with tho scheme for decorating tho City. All flags and festoons would be finished this week, and the wholo scheme should be completed by midday on Saturday next. The committee had been asked to decorate the porch at King Edward Barracks, and also place flags at the entrance to tho Show Grounds and at the Y.M.C.A. Tho committee had had 1000 flags and pennants made, and the9e would serve to decorate the procession routes nnd Cathedral square. Ho suggested that they start the work of decorating the Square with shields and festoons on Thursday. The work at the Railway Station was also well in hand, and the cost of the wholo of the decoration work would be approximately £7OO. The committee was well within its limit, as the amount allowed was £BOO. The bigger shops, said tho chairman, were arranging to decorate in a fairly large way, but not a great deal had been heard from the smaller shopkeepers. The Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs wroto acknowledging tho receipt of a letter from the committee regarding tho decoration of public buildings and the illumination of Warner's Hotel. It had been decided that all decorations should be of a modest nature. Tho letter was received. Mr 11. J. Knight put forward a request on behalf of tho Returned Soldiers' Association for two strings of coloured lights to be placed across the roadway in front of Jellicoo Hall on tho Tuesday night when the Returned Soldiers' Association entertains his Royal Highness. The request was granted, and it was also decided to illuminate the entrance to the Oflicers' Club in Worcester street which would be visited by tho Duko of York on the same evening. A motion of appreciation of the work carried out by the chairman was passed by tho committee. An application was received from some shopkeepers in Lincoln road for assistance in decorating and illuminating their premises. Tho request was declined, it being stated that such assistance could not bo granted to one section and not to another.

BALL PREPARATIONS. GOLD AND WHITE COLOUR. SCHEME. The Ball Committee has taken considerable trouble to make tho tea kiosk nnd the trees and lakes at the trotting grounds at Addington present tho appearance of a piece of fairyland on the occasion of the citizens' ball to tho Duke and Duchess of York. Thousands of multi-coloured lights will be festooned everywhere, and in order to make more room for tho dancers all the windows and doors arq being removed bo that the large verandah will be available also. Gold and white will be tlio colour scheme for the ballroom, nnd broad stripes of these colours will drap© t tho walls and will be finished at the ceiling with huge festoons of gold muslin in tho form of valances. All the ballroom decorations will be of muslin and the walls will be lined with white paper lieforc tho decorations aro arranged. Tho kitchen at tho rear of the ballroom wi'.l be turned into a lounge nnd the separating wall will be removed. The Royal dais will fco against the wall in tho centre of the room arid over it will bo a canopy of gold brocade. The floor of the dais, which will be in a recess, will be covered with red felt. A special lighting scheme will operate, a gold tasselled shade hanging under every lamp. Green and white will bo the colours in the lounges, which will be marquees with tho flower beds in tho centre. A broad canvas-covered path will lead to the supper room, floral decorations being a feature of this department. At present the Ball is considering tho question of a closing date for the sale of tickets, which will probably be several days before the function. So far tho salo of tickets has been satisfactory and the gathering is expected to be a very representative one.

CHILDREN'S DISPLAY. REHEARSAL AT SHOW GROUNDS. Fifteen hundred boys and girls from Canterbury primary schools assembled in the Addingtcn Show Grounds yesterday afternoon, when they gave a rehearsal of tho physical drill display that will be presented by them to tho Duko and Duchess of York at 10.30 on the morning of March 1-lth. It is estimated that between ten and twelve thousand town and country children will witness the demonstration. AM those who will not take pari in the drill display will be formed up in blocks around tho oval. Hoy Scouts and Girl Guides will be lined along'the top of the embankment opposite the Royal box. So that they will not interfere with tho public on the grounds, the children will enter the oral by tho gate on Westcnra terrace. They will assemble! on .the grounds an hour before the arrival of the Duke and Dncl.ess, who si* attention they will occupy for about an hour and a half.

CATHEDRAL ORGAN. READY FOR ROYAL VISIT. Tho reconstruction work on the organ at the Christchurch Cathedra! having been practically completed, it will probably bo used for the service on March 13th. when their Royal Highnesses attcnJ, the organist, Dr. J. 0. Bradshaff, p!avitig the instrument. Dr. Bradshaw has been practising on tho organ for the past few weeks. All the main work having been done, all that now remains is tho insertion of a few of the finer stops. The work is being done by Mr G. AV. Luck in, representing Messrs Hill, Nortnan, and Beard, who catno from England speciallv to carrv out the big job. He stated yesterday that it was intended to use the organ publicly for the first rime on the Sunday of the Royal visit. The total cost of the work will be about £'9ooo and the organ is now one of the best- in New Zealand. V\ hen the contract was started it wa.s not anticipated that it could l« completed until nest montlj. hut, in anticipation of the visit of their Royal Highnesses the work was- expedited.

INTEREST AT HOME. 'ALST.-Ol :A.N' AND CABLV ASSOCUHOS LONDON, March 3. Sir James Parr announces that in cousequeuce of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to New Zealand, the London office has received n«inber. i less enquiries regarding trade postiibUiflxhin&