BIG PROCESSION PLANNED

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22081, 1 May 1937, Page 22

BIG PROCESSION PLANNED

. » CORONATION DAY IN 1 CITY

FIRMS TO ARRANGE ORIGINAL DISPLAYS

Leading city firms and interested organisations will co-operate on Coronation Day, May 12. in one of the biggest and most attractive processions held in Christchurch for a number ot years. A large number of floats nasj already been promised, and firms arej already busy preparing them. It is in- j tended that the procession' should de-j scribe the development of the province from its earliest years. _ m . tno __. The committee which is making arrangements for the procession met at the C m y Council Chambers yesterday with Mr J. L. Hay as president. Mr Hay later reported that widespread interest was being displayed in the procession. Already many of the leading firms had agreed to arrange exhibits, and some of them were to be most original. Between 400 and 500 Letters had been sent out to interested parties asking for support, and there was an indication that most would soon come forward to co-operate. An endeavour was being made, MiHay said, to obtain a team of bullocks] from Little River as one section of the procession, to give something of the atmosphere of the early days ofj the province. It was hoped that a] coach could also be obtained, and oldfashioned cars and bicycles would also take part. There would be a complete! display of modern vehicles. One exhibit was already being made at ttie Addington railway workshops—a model of one of the latest • locomotives. Another exhibit being prepared at the) workshops was a large scale model of H.M.S. Victory. . { The procession would assemble in Moorhouse avenue, and finish in Park] terrace. It was. planned that all the city bands should take part at the finish. Massed bands could play the National Anthem, in which the people would be invited to join. Mr Hay said that the honorary organiser for the procession, Mr H. Macintosh, the former chief city traffic inspector, would be available daily at the City Council Chambers to answer inquiries. ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONCERT Six. choirs, those of the Royal Musical Society, the Harmonic Society, ■ the Male Voice Choir, the Liedertafel, the Liederkranzchen, and the Orpheus Choir, have agreed to take part in the musical festival in the Civic Theatre on the evening of Coronation Day, according to a report received at a:meeting of the committee set up to make arrangements for the concert. The possibility of arranging for the combined choirs to sing the Hallelujah" chorus as a finale to the festival was discussed, but in view of the diffl-culties-dnvolved it was decided not to adopt the suggestion. Two verses of a hymn, in which the audience will be asked to join, will be sung at the conclusion. „ . It was resolved to reserve the seating at the front of the circle for the use of the Mayor and City Councillors, and to accommodate in the front stalls the members of those choirs which would be waiting their turn to participate on the stage. Messrs Mark A. Pvichards and K. G. Archer were appointed stage managers. Advice was received that the City Council would, in view of the festival being under civic patronage, place the theatre at the disposal of the committee and arrange, if necessary, for the manning of the theatre on the night of the performance.