THE CORONATION

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 153, 25 March 1937, Page 12

THE CORONATION

Week’s Festival In New Zealand

GOVERNMENT’S PLANS

Prime Minister Appeals For Co-operation

An appeal to all authorities and organisations to co-operate in a national festival for Hie celebration of Hie coronation of King George 5 1 was issued yesterday by the Prime Minister, Rt. lion. M. J. Savage, who outlined the Government’s proposals. It is hoped that every section of Hie community will have an opportunity to take part in Hie celebrations. “The week beginning on Coronation Day (May 12) should, it is desired, be celebrated throughout Hie Dominion as Coronation Week,” said Mr. Savage. “Coronation Day itself will be a paid holiday for all Government, employees, including casual labour and those working under awards. Those departments unable to close down entirely on Coronation Day will give one day’s pay or one day’s leave in lieu of pay to each worker employed on that day, and like provision will he made with regard to the unemployed. The Government invites all local authorities and private employers to observe a similar holiday with pay in the same manner as has been decided on for Government employees. “The Government invites ail churches in New Zealand to hold special services on Sunday, May 16, and if they desire, on Coronation Day as well. These services can be either special services in individual churches or combined services as may be mutually arranged in each town. Ceremony at Parliament House. "The Government recognises that local controlling authorities are the best judges of "’hat form of celebration is most suited to their respective localities. The Government itself proposes to organise a function on the steps of Parliament House, Wellington, at 11 a.m. on Coronation Day, at which his Excellency the GovernorGeneral and the Mayor of Wellington will be invited, together with Hie act-ing-Prime Minister, to address those assembled. Similar functions in each centre of population at the same hour would give uniformity to the national observance. Generally speaking throughout Coronation Week Hie local controlling authorities should, it is suggested, arrange suitable social and othe r functions in keeping with the occasion.

“Sports bodies in particular, are. invited to hold special sporting events during Coronation Week. The defence and naval authorities will be requested to hold reviews, etc., and salutes will be arranged for at every possible saluting centre. The authorities will be requested to co-ordinate their proposals in each case with those of the controlling local authority.

School Celebrations.

“The part school children will play in the celebrations has received most careful consideration. It is desired to avoid any prolonged strain such as is Involved in bringing children together from different schools over a large area. It is therefore proposed on this occasion that children should go to their own schools on the morning of Coronation Day and that, in each school at 0 a.m.. a short ceremony should be held, the children then being released for the remainder of the day. Where, however, in any local district there is a desire for the children either from one school or several schools to take part in any ceremony, the question of'allowing them so .to take part will be left to the discretion of the local, education board and the controlling authorities of any secondary schools affected. “As has already been announced, it is not. proposed to issue coronation souvenirs to individual school children, but the Government will, at. a later date, have a suitable souvenir of Hie coronation presented to each school throughout the Dominion. On the day before the coronation, the schools will be requested to recognise and explain to scholars, a.s part of the school curriculum. the significance of the coronation. It. is also suggested that schools themselves might provide some .suitable symbol of commemoration —for example, where practicable, the planting of a tree in the school grounds.

"Some time ago 4 the Government approved of the decoration and illumination of public buildings throughout New Zealand on a scale commensurate with the occasion. A special inter-depart-

mental committee has been working for some time on this, and a very complete .scheme has been evolved. It will undoubtedly be the finest display-of its kind yet held in New Zealand. Not only in the four centres, but in other main towns, suitable Government buildings -ill be decorated and illuminated, the illuiniuution wherever possible taking the form of floodlighting. Local authorities are invited to arrange displays of street lighting and decorations, and business people and citizens generally arc invited to decorate their buildings. ‘‘ln file main centres the Public Works Department, which is acting for Hie inter-departmental committee, has already made contact with civic authorities for the purposes of co-ordinat-ing their displays with the decoration ami illumination proposed for Government, buildings. The Government notes with satisfaction that throughout the Dominion local authorities are already dealing with this matter in earnest.

"The example of certain power boards in making special reduced rates for electricity to be used for illuminations. is commended to all supplying authorities. Tlie decorations and illuminations on public buildings will continue to be displayed throughout coronation week. Broadcast of King’s Address. “Parliament Buildings at Wellington will be connected by a relay wire with 2YA, and on coronation night the ceremony in Westminster Abbey will be broadcast through loudspeakers. The following day His Majesty’s coronation address Io Hie Empire will be similarly broadcast. The National Broadcasting Service will be requested to arrange suitable programmes throughout coronation week.

“All expenditure incurred by local authorities and other public bodies in connection with the coronation will be validated next session. No Government grants, however, will be made for either local celebrations or memorials, or for the entertainment of school children.” LOYAL ADDRESS Work of Art for King George VI

New Zealand’s loyal address to King George VI at his coronation has been illuminated and embellished by Mr. Stanley Davis, of the New Zealand Railways advertising studio. The finished gift, including a beautiful cover inlaid with 25 varieties of New Zealand wood, is a fine example of New Zealand craftsmanship. The cover was made by disabled soldiers under the guidance of the Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment League, and the execution of the address was entrusted to Mr. Davis, who served iu the World War as an officer in the Regular Army. The address is bound with coronation blue velvet and gold braid surrounded by gold rosettes.

The handsome address was received vesterdnv by the .Prime Minister, Rt Hon. M. J. Savage.