DAY OF MOURNING TO-DAY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 100, 22 January 1936, Page 16

DAY OF MOURNING TO-DAY

All Activities Suspended

GOVERNMENT GIVES LEAD TO COUNTRY

Since some uncertainty has arisen over the Government's wishes regarding national mourning for his late Majesty the King, the clerk of the Executive Council, Mr. C. A. Jeffery, was invited last night to clarify the position. Mr. Jeffery explained that the Government had definitely appointed to-day, Wednesday, as the official day of mourning. It asked citizens throughout New Zealand to observe the mourning in a way that was appropriate to the solemnity of the occasion, and according as each citizen considered fitting. As far as the Government was concerned, State activity would be suspended for the day, and it was expected that industry, warehouses, and retail shops would follow the lead.

Mr. Jeffery further explained that the people, in the interval between the date of the King’s death and the day after the funeral are invited to avoid as far as possible festivities of a public nature. He mentioned that in Australia and New Zealand race meetings, picture and theatre performances, and similar activities involving the employment of members of the public are not expected to be cancelled, as these do not come under the head of “festivities.” Business and commerce, after to-day, would of course continue as usual. 8.8. C. TRANSMISSIONS SUSPENDED Mr. Baldwin to Speak to Empire According to advice received by the “New Zealand Radio Record” from the British Broadcasting Corporation, London, all Empire transmissions ceased on receipt of the news of the King’s death, and the stations will stay off the air until 11 a.m. to-day (New Zealand summer time). News bulletins will continue to be broadcast at certain times, however. The Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, will broadcast from Loudon, and his remarks will be heard in New Zealand at the following times: 0.30 a.m., 12.45 p.m., 3.45 p.m. and 9.45 p.m. to-day, and at 1 a.m., 4.30 a.m. and 6 a.m. to-morrow, Thursday. AH Empire programmes for the rest of the week will be subject to drastic revision.

2YA ARRANGEMENTS Considerable alteration in radio programmes has been necessitated by the death of the King. All national stations will observe Sunday hours to-day, and the programmes will be appropriate to a .Day of Mourning. Commemoration services will be relayed by 2YA in the morning and evening, and the evening programme will include a talk on “The Reign of King George V.” The alternative station, 2YC, will not be on the air until 6 p.m. Music broadcast yesterday afternoon was suitably solemn, all light and variety items being eliminated. MAYOR SENDS CABLE Wellington’s Sorrow Tlie Mayor of Wellington, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, sent the following message yesterday to the Secretary of State for the Dominion?:— “On behalf of the citizens of Wellington I desire io express their profound grief at the death of our beloved Sovereign.” “DEEPEST REGRET” Harbour Board’s Sympathy The chairman of. the Wellington Harbour Board, Mr. T. R. Barter, addressed the following communication yesterday to the Prime Minister, Hon. M. J. Savage, on behalf of the board :— “The chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, having received with the deepest regret the intelligence of the death of his most gracious Majesty King George the. Fifth, desires on behalf of the board to place on record the expression of its deepest sympathy with the members of the Royal Family in their bereavement and of its sorrow in.the great loss the Empire has sustaind by the death of its beloved King.”

MESSAGES TO QUEEN Navy League and Cancer Campaign The acting-president of the New Zealand Navy League, Sir James Grose, has cabled the Secretary of State for the Dominions expressing on behalf of the ten branches in New Zealand their deepest sympathy with tier .Majesty the Queen. The president of the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign, Dr. J. S. Elliott, has sent a cablegram, on behalf of the branch, to the Secretary of State for the Dominions, expressing its. deepest sympathy with her Majesty the Queen in the' Royal Family's bereavement. SYMPATHY OF PRESS ' Sir Henry Horton, chairman of directors of the United Press Association, sent the following message to her Majesty the Queen: “Members of the Press Association of New Zealand respectfully tender their heartfelt sympathy to your Majesty and members of the Royal Family. His Majesty was eminent for righteousness and for loving service to his people.”