CORONATION COSTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1941, Page 11

CORONATION COSTS

SERVICES GIVEN WITHOUT

CHARGE

The cost of the coronation of the winning queen in the Victory Carnival $vas referred to today by Mr. J. Annand-Smith, chairman of the carnival committee, who said that the method of buying materials and the amount of free service given ensured that none of the queens' or princesses' frocks would cost more than £3. Not one penny piece of the cost of the coronation, he added, would come from patriotic funds.

" Because" the ceremony was to be the most elaborate of its kind yet held in New Zealand, some of the' public had the impression that it was going to cost a lot of money, he said. The position was that the cost would be little more than the hire of the Town Hall at the charity 3rate: practically everything else was Toeing given free.

■• For instance, the whole of the decoration was being provided free under the direction of Mr. C. Scott. Mrs. Bessie • McKinlay was doing the • setting, with the producer, Mr. W. S. Wauchop. Miss Molly Rodie was designing the frocks of the queens and princesses, and Miss Cora Duncan training the ballets. All these services were being given without charge.

The paper, blocks, photographs, and printing of the programme, with its seven-colour cover, were being giv^n free.

j ?.he drama circle of the Victoria League, which would play a prominent part with 120 members, would use its own costumes. Mr. Clement Howe's Victory Troubadours—a choir of 50— were likewise providing their own costumes.

."■ First night dress circle seats were to be auctioned by Mr. Eric Johnston. The coronation nights would be June .3 and 4, with a coronation ball on June 6.

The impression that the ceremony would make a hole in the profits of the carnival was therefore quite wrong.

FIRST TO REACH 500,000,

The Queen of Commerce, Miss Patricia Luckie, was the first to reach the half-million votes and a dinner is being arranged in her honour with her princesses and members of the executive of her committee. Mr. H. J. Kellicher, who offered this function some time ago, will visit Wellington towards the end of next week to entertain his guests at the Hotel St. George, after which the party will be the guests of Theatre Management, Ltd., at the Majestic Theatre.

The Sunday afternoon garden party at Homewood was an outstanding success and the thanks of the executive are due to Mr. and Mrs. Ben Sutherland and everyone who helped. There was a record attendance of just under 3000 and the gross takings totalled £250, which, will help each of the queens concerned.

HUTT VALLEY'S WEEK.

There will be an Easter flavour about the activities of the Hutt Valley Queen, Mrs. Love, during her week at the airraid shelter in Featherston Street. Special novelty'items have been arranged, and orrtfkwcM&vfa&t cross- buns and other Easter '-'; dainties- will be sold. Energetic, workers were busily engaged yesterday in setting the week's programme in motion, and for the remainder of the short period various fund-raising devices will be employed.

As the shelter will have to close on Thursday evening, the Hutt Valley committee will be deprived of the usual Friday street activities, which the other queens have found extremely lucrative, and the is therefore intensifying its efforts during the limited time available.