ROYAL VISIT 70,000 Expected At Christchurch Welcome

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30045, 1 February 1963, Page 11

ROYAL VISIT 70,000 Expected At Christchurch Welcome

A crowd of 70,000, including 30,000 school children, is e *P£. ct .eu for the civic welcome to Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh at Lancaster Park on Saturday, February 16. This would be the biggest crowd ever assembled in Christchurch.

“We expect that every person present will get a good view of the Royal couple because they will make two complete circuits of the oval and also be readily seen on the dais which is to be erected almost in the middle,” said the DeputyMayor (Cr. H. P. Smith), who is chairman of the civic welcome committee.

Cr. Smith said the Royal couple would make a complete circuit and half a western circuit on arrival and half an eastern circuit as they left. The children on the oval would form a circular lane so that some would be either side of the vehicle path and this would still be close to the invited guests in No. 1 stand, the country children in other srands, and the public on the embankment. "Putting children on the oval enables us to accommodate a orowd larger than any which attended any Rugby test,” said Mr Smith.

Everyone should hear the civic welcome and Queen’s speech through 30 loudspeakers. For this reason portable radios will be banned from the ground and the ban will be rigidly enforced. “Radios could set up a terrific racket which would ruin the event.” Mr Smith said. The public would have free access to the embankment and be permitted to bring cushions and small seats, provided this did not spoil the view of those behind. The dais would have a canopy lift high at the front lacing No. 1 stand and 9ft at the rear so that it would not impede the view from any side. There would be no presentations of civic dignitaries at the civic welcome, Mr Smith said. Mr Smith said he had been asked whether there would be any entertainment for persons arriving early to get good places. The band of the Ist Canterbury Regiment

would play and the massed children's choir of 2800 would probably have a rehearsal. “It must be remembered that aH these children will have sung together only once before (a rehearsal next Thursday) so I am sure the public will understand if their rehearsal on the Saturday is interrupted during this final practice while the musical director (Mr E. R. Newson) gave last-minute directions,” said Cr. Smith.