CROWD CONTROL TROUBLES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30051, 8 February 1963, Page 13

CROWD CONTROL TROUBLES

Thousands See Queen At The Theatre (New Zealand Press Association; AUCKLAND, February 7. Hie foyer of the St James Theatre in Auckland tonight took on the atmosphere of a war-time clearing station after a fantastically enthusiastic crowd had fought for a glimpse of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on their way to the opera, “A Unicorn For Christmas.”

Fifty people, most of them elderly folk, suffering f r ® m shock and effects of the heat, were treated and remained inside the foyer until the crowd retreated.

Members of the Red Cross and St. John Ambulance Brigade had to fight their way through the milling throng to bring them to safety.

STORES FOR YACHT

Three Tons Of Potatoes

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Feb. 7.

While the Royal yacht Britannia is in Auckland she will take on provisions “sufficient to last her for a few days,” according to the crew’s supply officer. Three tons of potatoes were delivered to the yacht today. “It sounds a lot, but it has to feed about 300.” said the officer. About 3001 b each of carrots, cabbages, lettuces and tomatoes also went aboard. The yacht’s stores were supplemented with 300 11b loaves of bread and 20 gallons of fresh milk. Tomorrow, 80 gallons of milk will be supplied. It was not known tonight whether the trout especially caught for the Royal party had been delivered. Opera Gown For the Royal opera performance of “A Unicorn for Christmas,” the Queen was magnificently gowned in a full-length dress of light gold Paisley lace. The gown had a long- fitted bodice and bell-shaped skirt. She wore a tiara. The Duke wore a dinner suit Print Gift The Queen has presented to the Mayor of Auckland, Mr D. M. Robinson, a framed nineteenth century coloured print of Auckland to mark her visit to the city. It was from a painting by Charles D. Barrand.

It was also announced from the Royal household that to mark her visit to Russell, the Queen had made an undisclosed donation towards the cost of restoring ‘Christ Church there.

Guests For Lunch The head prefects of the Hastings Boys' and Girls’ High Schools will lunch in the Britannia with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on Sunday. They will also act as host and hostess at the tea to be served to the Royal party on the Hastings Boys’ High School lawn on Sunday afternoon.

Programme For Today

This morning the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will part company for the first time during the tour when they make separate visits to Auckland factories. The Duke will visit New Zealand Forest Products. Ltd., and the factory of Fisher and Paykel. Ltd., while the Queen is at Tattersfield Brinton Carpets factory and Crown Lynn Potteries. In the afternoon the Royal couple will attend the Royal horse of the year show at Epsom Showgrounds. At 9 pm. the Britannia, with the Queen and the Duke aboard, will sail for Mount MaunganuL

Queen Assigns Coats Of Arms

(N Z.PA.-Reuter—CopyngM) LONDON. February 5. The Queen has assigned coats of arms to her two younger children. Princess Anne and Prince Andrew, and she has also assigned arms to Prince William of Gloucester—now in Australia—Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra of Kent Prince Charles, the Queen’s eldest son and heir to the Throne, already bears the coat of arms of the Prince of Wales.

Switchboard Fire. Vary slight damage was done to the switchboard »t the premises of the Bennett Mirror and Glass Company. Ltd.. 63 St Asaph street, when it caught fir- about 320 p.m. yesterday. Two engines from the Centra) station extinguished * fire.

The excitement was apparent an hour and a half before the Queen’s arrival. The crowd jammed the entrance to the theatre, and with no ropes to assist them a force of 70 police and soldiers struggled to keep control. As the situation deteriorated police reinforcements were called. They formed a solid wall on either side of the entrance, but the crowd still surged back and forth. There was an urgent call for crowd barriers, but it was almost impossible to place them in position. As the Royal party entered the theatre, the ranks suddenly closed sweeping

police and soldiers into the centre.

The Commissioner of Police (Mr C. L. Spencer) and other officers were caught in the crush and others had to fight to get them clear. As soon as the Royal party was inside the foyer, the big glass doors were closed. The pushing and surging became even worse as thousands more people from the Wellesley street junction swept up Queen street as soon as the Royal entourage had passed. Eventually the crowd dispersed with the arrival of more police reinforcements, including a constable with the police dog Duke.