LONDON LETTER PAGEANTRY PROMISED FOR CORONATION WEEK

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26729, 13 May 1952, Page 6

LONDON LETTER PAGEANTRY PROMISED FOR CORONATION WEEK

[From

NEVILE WEBBER,

London Correspondent of "The Press”]

London. May 2.-The first week of June, “1953—Cojonation week—promises to be one of the most flittering of recent times. If it lS blessed with some of those incomparable English June days London should see its greatest crowds . Almost every day there will be tre mendous pageantry and spectacle whose lovely centre-piece will be the 27-vear-old Queen; for in addition to the Coronation, she is almost certB ’” to attend the Royal events of the Derby, the Oaks, Trooping the Colour, and the opening of the Royal Tournam Already interest is intense. Up in Lancashire where unemployment stalks grimly through the textile industry, hopeful plans are being laid for scores of miles of gay bunting, flags, and dress materials. In the potteries artists are hard at work on designs for a great variety of Coronation souvenirs. - Here in London robe-making firms have received their first orders for the gorgeous ceremonial costumes that win be the order of the day. Costs , ral )S e from 77 guineas to 377 guineas m the case of a baron, and up to 403 guineas for a duke. A coronet will cost an additional 50 guineas. Dresseii for thenladies are priced at up to 572 guineas. The charge for hired robes has been announced at £25, but the demand is likely far to outstrip supply. The greatest bustle to date, however, is for seating and accommodation. Ticket agencies have already received thousands of inquiries for good seats along the six and a half mile route the Coronation procession is expected to take and options have been taken on hundreds of verandas, windows and vantage points. Prices are quoted at from £l5 to £25: comparable seats for the 1937 Coronation cost only £8 London hotels are being rapidly booked and the leading ones are already full for Coronation Week. No overseas visitor should be disappointed, however, if he applies to the London Hotels Information Service, an organisation set up last year to put people from abroad in touch with approved hotels. No charge is made; and I was assured this week that exploitation will not be tolerated. Later, it is expected that a special bureau to offer private accommodation will be opened. How to Pick New Zealanders One does not need to go to the foyer of New Zealand House just now to realise that there are hundreds of new arrivals from the Dominion in London. On Sunday, while viewing the magnificent tulips at Hampton Court Palace. I picked out two parties in the grounds and a further group of six in the trolley bus. The next evening I pointed out another in a Soho restaurant and a further one at the Royal Opera House. I confirmed my conviction by speaking to them. "How do you know they’re New Zealanders?" asked a French friend with me. It's easy. The men have much darker complexions than Englishmen. They wear Stetson hats low over their eyes. They look at you very directly, T*he women have darker complexions, which are usually not nearly so smooth as Englishwomen's. They slouch more and their clothes are of a poorer cut. Both sexes have wrinkles round their eyes, caused by the brighter light in New Zealand. They talk in a flatter tone and clip their words. Many more, of course, can be told in a flash by their Returned Services Association badges or the little fern leaf clips so many take pride in wearing. London for Music

The claim that London is "by far the most cosmopolitan city in the musical world. Well ahead of Paris and New York in breadth of outlook," is made by Mr J. H. Davies, head of the British Broadcasting Corporation's music library. “Amateur operatic societies, gramophone, opera and ballet clubs show yearly increases ih membership," he said. “Most important of all for the future. British creative genius echoes the Elizabethan and Purcellian eras. From Parry and Stanford, through Holst and Elgar, to our contemporaries so magnificently led by Vaughan Williams, runs a line of composers that makes utter nohsehse ot

that absurd German jibe—‘En.i, the land without music’." These l views supported by every mu ' to whom I have spoken. CI * 1 > Criminal Lunatic at Large Superseding all news this week h been the shocking affair of Straffen, an insane criminal, who J 1 caped from the lunatic prison , Broadmoor, where he was detains after his accusation—but not trial—S murdering two children last year , few hours after his escape, five-y.J old Linda Bowyer, in the nearby in lage of Farley Hill, was fJJj strangled m a wood. Straffen m, has been recaptured, is now accused iJ this murder also. “"’Kt

Several very disturbing emerge. Broadmoor appears to 2 laxly run and to be seriously und& staffed. Straffen. like others of conduct, was allowed to wear civiibj clothes under his prison garb. Thoua it was not until 30 minutes afterS escape was noticed that the alarm given, even then no siren sounded. Neighbouring residents wer> not informed. Such is the mass test all over the country, and espi cially in the locality of Broadmom that the Home Secretary has ordered an immediate and searching inquin It is demanded that no rrgercy u shown to guilty officials and that h future public safety be put well abow new psychological methods or treatment. It is pointed out that Straffa is only one of a score of criminal lunatics who have escaped from Broadmoor in recent years.

Enter “Schnozzle" Durante To succeed Sophie (Red R ot Mamma) Tucker at the Palladiik comes Jimmy Durante, famous « over the world for the Durtnjj “Schnozzle" (that great nose which it insured at Lloyd's for £35,000), tht Durante voice (so rasping that it matters not if you use an old needle), and the great Durante song, ‘"Hie Lot Chord.” In the United States hit voice, nose, and vitality earn hfa £15.000 an hour on television, £25,000 a film, and £5OOO a week in cabaret With him comes a 28-year-old gid friend and a retinue of 12. Some quotes: "My favourite occupation is making friends and influanctai money.” "When I sing a song I roe-ii it for anybody else. It is th® kite d debt.” "The day I start talking the Queen's English back I go to the piano.” “I wear a new suit and the next day it’s old.” Out of the big English musical, “Zip Goes a Million," at the Palace it George Formby, who is suffering froa coronary thrombosis. He may neter appear on the stage again. A ftiodet liver, a tremendously hard work, and one of the friendliest actors hi show business, Formby is a rich man He has been making £ 1000 a week fa a great part of his 30 years In front of the footlights. At Stratford-on-Avon Margaret Leighton has reached new heights a Rosalind in “As You Like It. The critics have run out of superlative* to describe her performance. Here in London that master chameleon, Alee Guinness is astonishing capacity houses by his ability to carry of! six different roles in. the farce. ‘Under ths Sycamore Tree.” In the United Stales, by the way, they are saying that hit two film comedies, “Lavender Hill Mob” and “Man in the White Sull" are the funniest seen there in 10 yetn

How to Make a Dog Let Q® How can one induce a bull terrier to release its grip? This question b poted in succession to the remarkable Storyd a little girl who was bitten by a Dull terrier as she was playing in he home. Her mother could not separate them, and her desperate efforts earned only a severe bite in the face. Th* screams attracted seven men, but lve« with their massed might it took Cw half an hour before one managad to stun the dog with a hammer. Here are some suggestions from correspondents: “Drop a lighted match on its nose” . , , “Blow sharply dam one of its ears” . . . “Put a rope round its neck and tighten” . . . "Grab its forepaw and squeeze hard” .. . "Sprinkle pepper on its nose." Canine authorities comment that th«re is no foolproof method of making a dog let go, onee it has tasted blood.