ROYAL DRIVE IN CITY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28490, 21 January 1958, Page 12

ROYAL DRIVE IN CITY

Schools To Have Holiday

Although there will be no organised assembly of children to see the Queen Mother when she drives through Christchurch on February 14, there will be a holiday in primary schools under the control of the Canterbury Education Board. Children will then be able to watch the drive through the city with their parents or individual schools may arrange parties to gather along the route.

The secretary of the Christchurch Post-Primary Schools Council (Mr P. J. Halligan) said last evening that none of the school boards with which the council is associated had yet considered the possibility of declaring a holiday in their schools on that day. The following statement was issued by the Canterbury Education Board yesterday after a subcommittee had reported on its discussion of the Royal visit:— No Assembly

“The Queen Mother’s visit will not be as extensive as the Royal Tour of 1953-54 and, as there would not be sufficient time after schools resume to make the complete arrangements necessary, or funds available for transport and other costs, it has been decided that on this occasion there will be no organised assembly of school children as was arranged by the City Council and the board when the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh paid their visit. “It is, however, the wish of the department and the board, in cooperation with the City Council, that as many children as possible see the Queen Mother*, and a school holiday has been granted on Friday. February 14. for this purpose. Full details of the route to be followed by the Queen Mother on this day will be circularised to school committtees and head teachers at an early date. “It is expected that children will mainly attend with their parents, but school committees and teachers may wish to arrange for children to assemble in school groups. In these cases it is recommended that the route be lined away from the central points. “As previously mentioned by the Minister of Education, school buses will not be available for the transport of children to Christchurch,” the statement said.