SAD PROCESSION

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 102, 24 January 1936, Page 11

SAD PROCESSION

People File Round King George’s Coffin RICH AND POOR SIDE BY SIDE (Press Assn. Cable and British Official Wireless.) London, January 22. While London was acclaiming the new King a sad procession of pilgrims from all parts of the country converged on Sandringham as, according to the Queen’s express orders, the Church of St. Mary Magdalene wq> opened to the general public, not merely to villagers. The first arrivals waited for hours in the cold for the doors to open, and filed slowly past the flag-draped coffin on which was the Queen’s wreath of white chrysanthemums and orchids. The first to enter were two old women of over SO years of age who had lived on the Sandringham estate all their lives and knew King George from his childhood. The mourners exemplified the democracy so dear to King George’s heart. Wealthy people, clad in expensive furs and conventional silk hats and morning suits, walked beside humble agricultural labourers. The King travelled to Sandringham by rail with the Duke and Duchess of York and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, as the weather was unfavourable for flying. Doctors consider that both the Duchess of York and the Duke of Gloucester are now well enough to travel. The Queen spent the morning attending to a mass of private correspondence. Messages of condolence continue to arrive from all parts of the world. Queen Mary has personally replied to many. After several hours at .her desk, she walked in the sunshine with the Princess Royal, both being dressed in the deepest mourning. About noon another- wreath of pink and white carnations was placed on the coffin. There was no card attached, but it is understood that the wreath came from the late King’s children. Long before midnight last night, London streets, which' would normally be thronged with people at that hour, were empty. A silence as impressiw as that of Armistice Day hung ver them. Motorists travelled silently and buses hurried almost empty toward the suburbs. Streets normally ablaze with lights from the flashing electric signs of a score of theatres were in darkness and pavements were deserted. Night clubs’ and restaurants were shut. London was a city of sorrow. A MOVING TRIBUTE Archbishop of Canterbury Speaks of King- George (Received January 23. 5.5 p.m.) ' London, January 22. Among the most moving tributes to King George was a speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury,, who had closer contact with his Majesty during his last illness than anybody else except the-Queen and the King’s medical advisers. Addressing the Convocation, he said: “For nearly 40 years King George permitted me to regard him as a very dear friend, and memories are still fresh in my heart of the last two days of his life which I spent with him as he lay in weakness, and especially, if I may say so, of the moment in which I prayed with him and give him my blessing, and in which I commended his soul aS it was passing to our loving, merciful God.

“When yesterday morning I looked for the last time upon his face I saw in its beautiful tranquillity a symbol of that peace which we pray God will give him now and for'ever. “King George’s religion,” he proceeded, “was a simple and most real use of tlie name of God in his public utterances. It was for him not a mere convention, but an expression of the simple, reverent, deep sense of his own responsibilities to God.” Referring to the Queen, he said lie could bear witness to the truly noble fortitude with which she bad borne the anxiety of these last days. To all around her she had been a veritable rock of calmness and courage. Tlie King and Music. Sir Walford Davies, Master of tlie King’s Musick, in a broadcast address, said that King Edward insisted that tlie National Anthem be played slowly because it was a prayer. When a command concert was given at the Albert Hall last May King George insisted that “Jerusalem” be snug, and said: “If they don’t sing it I’ll go and whistle it.” The King once said about some hymns that they were either of too many syllables for the notes or there were too many notes for the syllables, Mr. Marshead, librarian at Windsor Castle, in a broadcast to schools, said that King George used sometimes to tell the children when they came ,to Sandringham House for a special prize how when he was a boy his grandmother, Queen Victoria, gave him a Bible. She advised him to read a chapter every night. “I have always done it wherever I have been,” said the King, “except during that bad illness. I could not do it then. Now, you do as you like, but if you make that a rule of life I don't think you will regret it when you come to my age, and you have a long way to go.” Then he would burst into his great boyish laugh. Last Appearance Out of Doors.

.Mr. Marshead told of King George's last appearance out of doors when he rode his little fat white pony Jock through the sunny woodlauds and dismounted at the garden gates close to ihe little church where he is now lying. Jock his head against his master for the carrots which Ufe knew were coming. Mr. Marshead met the King there and had brought for him the original handwritten document from which the girl Queen Victoria had read her speech to 4be Privy Council on the day after William IVs death. The manuscript had strayed into private hands, and the owner asked Mr. Marshead to offer it to tils Majesty. “As we walked to the house,” lie said, “his Majesty told me of the insupportable emotion with which lie himself had confronted the Privy Council and of how be had been up all night and could hardly snatch time to jot down notes. He despaired in his grief of being able to give utterance to his thoughts.” Mr. Marshead added that only a week ago Mr. Bernard Shaw, before sailing to the West Indies, said that King George was one of the finest broadcasters, and that bis sincere humility and whole attitude made us say. “A man. God bless him.”

Dr. Hertz, the Chief Rabbi, has ■sent Io the Queen a message expressing the sympathy of the Jewish communities of the Empire, "whose souls overflow with gratitude to Almighty God for the noble example bequeathed in the life of King George.”

NO PROCLAMATION AT DUBLIN

Governor-General’s Former Oath Held to Suffice MR DULANTY ABSENT FROM ACCESSION COUNCIL By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received January 23, 11.50 p.m.) London, January 23. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Dublin correspondent says that King . Edward was not proclaimed at Dublin. It is understood that the Government’s view is that a formal proclamation was unnecessary as the Governor-General, on his assumption of office, swore allegiance to “King George, his heirs and successors.” As King George’s heir is now King it is considered that the original oath entirely meets the situation. Mr. J. W. Dulanty, Free State High Commissioner in London, did not attend the Accession Council on January 21. Tlie “Daily Telegraph” says that he communicated with Dublin before the council met and received certain instructions. An official of the High Commissioner’s office explained “Mr. Dulanty takes his orders from Dublin.” CANADIAN PROCEDURE (Received January 23, 7.20 p.m.) Ottawa, January 22. Guns at saluting posts in 15 Canadian cities saluted the new King at noon to-day. Flags, which had been flown at half-mast since Monday, were raised to the mast-head till sundown i.. honour of the accession. High officials throughout the nation swore allegiance to the new sovereign. The accession was announced in a special issue of the Canadian Gazette. The British practice of reading the proclamations in public was not adopted in Canada. BRITISH WEST INDIES (Received January 23, 8.30 p.m.) Kingston January 22. The British West Indies to-day celebrated the accession of King Edward VIII. At Kingston the Governor proclaimed the new King, in front of the Victoria statue in the city’s principal square before members of the Privy Council and the populace. Similarly, at Nassau, the Governor proclaimed the new monarch from the balcony of the Legislative Council building, and the legislature met in special session to swear allegiance to King Edward. Tn Bermuda tlie Legislative Council also took the oath allegiance and the accession was proclaimed at an impressive military ceremony with a 21gun salute and the firing of a feu de joie. PROCLAMATION AT APIA (Received January 24, 1.20 a.m.) Apia, January 23. Tlie proclamation ceremony took place at the Administration Buildings at 11 a.m. to-day. The acting Administrator, Mr. A. C. Turnbull, read the proclamation and then the National Anthem was played, followed by a salute of 21 guns. Ex-servicemen and the Samoan police force paraded,- and there was a large attendance of Europeans and Samoans. THANKED BY KING Sir Isaac Isaacs’s Services To Australia x Melbourne, January 23. King Edward VIII has sent the following message to the retiring Gover-nor-General, Sir Isaac Isaacs: — “My father, had he been spared, intended to send you a message thanking you for your valuable services as his personal representative In Australia. I am, therefore, doing this in his name, and add the hope that you and Lady Isaacs may enjoy many years of happiness and leisure. Edward ILL” Sir Isaac Isaacs has sent the following message to the Private Secretary to the King:—“Please lay before his Majesty, with my humble duty, the unmeasured gratitude of my wife and myself for his most gracious message. our assurance of, unswerving loyalty and devotion • to the Throne and his person, and our ever-loving remembrance of his Majesty’s most illustrious father.”

SOMBRE ATMOSPHERE

Lord Gowrie Sworn In As Governor-General

(Received January 23, 10.20 p.m.)

Melbourne, January 23.

Lord Gowrie, formerly Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven, was sworn in as Governor-General of the Commonwealth with brief ceremonial in the Legislative Council Chambers. A sombre atmosphere of mourning dominated the proceedings. Only a few members of tlie public witnessed Lord Gowrie’s arrival at Parliament House, and inside the benches set aside for spectators were empty.