Queen Salote’s Body Flown Home

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30939, 21 December 1965, Page 3

Queen Salote’s Body Flown Home

l Sew Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 20. A Maori haka as a tribute to a chief of highest rank, a Tongan farewell hymn, a 21-guh salute and a fierce electrical storm preceded the departure of Queen Salote’s body from Gov eminent House for its flight to Tonga this morning.

About 400 people gathered at Government House to pay their last respects. More than 100 were Tongans with mourning mats around their waists.

Just after 10 a m. the Prime Minister of Tonga, Prince Tui Peiehake, the 17-year-old Crown Prince. Prince Taufa’ahau Manumataomgo, and members of the Tongan royal family and civic dignitaries arrived to pay silent tribute to the Queen. Prayers were said by the Rev. Lepu Kupu, personal chaplain to the Queen, and the Rev. R. F. Clement, minister of the Pitt Street Methodist Church.

The coffin, draped with the personal standard of the Tongan royal family, was placed by eight military pall-bearers on ceremonial mats on an open gun carriage for the drive to Whenuapai. Queen Salote’s body had lain in state almost three days. More than 4000 persons had paid tribute and members of the Tongan community had maintained a round-

the-clock vigil beside the body. The sun came out as the gun carnage stopped behind the waiting Hercules on the tarmac at Whenuapai. The coffin was carried to the aircraft over 100 yards of royal taps mats, lined with 60 crosslegged Tongan mourners, many of them weeping. The band of the R.N.Z.A.F. base played the National Anthem and “Abide With Me.” and an Air Force guard stood to attention. About 400 people gathered at the airport to watch the final ceremony. The Hercules left on the four-hour flight to Tonga at 11.45 a.m. On board with the members of the royal family were two lifelong friends of the Queen. Mrs W. Garfield Bagnall, of

Epsom, and Miss B. Hazelmore. Memorial Service The Rev. A R. Witheford, of Ashburton, president of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, will preside at a memorial service in honour of Queen Salote at the Pitt Street Methodist Church, Auckland, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Immediately after the service, which will be attended by the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Fergusson) and. the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake), the party will fly in a special plane to Tonga to attend the Queen's funeral on Thursday morning. Mr Witheford will represent the Methodist Church at the burial service.