CONTINGENT FOR CORONATION

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26943, 20 January 1953, Page 8

CONTINGENT FOR CORONATION

100 APPLICATIONS FROM CANTERBURY Applications from former service personnel in Canterbury for inclusion in the Coronation contingent were "coming in thick and heavy,” said the secretary of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association (Mr L. A. McKenzie) yesterday. About 100 applications, including seven from former servicewomen, had already been received, he said. Although most of the applications were from men who had served in World War II there were ‘'still some optimists around,” because, although barred by the age limit, there was a fair sprinkling of applications from men who had served in World War I, These men would only be accepted in Special circumstances, he said. The applications had to be in Wellington by January 31 and, therefore, none could be received at Christchurch later than January 24. A rough guess, based on the number of applications received from Canterbury, would put the total number of applications received throughout New Zealand at about 1000, said Mr McKenzie. Canterbury usually had 10 per cent of the New Zealand total.