THE DIAMOND JUBILEE.

Evening Star, Issue 10339, 12 June 1897, Page 1

THE DIAMOND JUBILEE.

Theßuahine, with the New Zetland contingent and rifle team on board, arrived at Plymouth on Thursday. The Pope has sent a letter to the Queen congratulating ber upon her Jubilee and enclosing a richly-jewelled gold casket as a present. Mr Whitelaw Reid, United States Jubilee Envoy, has reached London^ Ferdinand, Prince of Bulgaria, attends the Jubilee. The Auckland Charitable Aid Board decided to grant the recipients of rations Id ser ration additional to celebrate the Queen's übilee. The Alliance Franchise of Auckland, a literary and musical society, resolved to forward a congratulatory address to the Queen on the attainment of the sixtieth year of her reign. ~ % .'- •■■■■ A public meeting at Oisborne decided to commemorate the Queen's JnbHee by erecting a firebell tower with lamps in ttte main street, the planting of the new public domain by the sohool ohildren, and fireworks, bonfires, etc. At a meeting of the loeal Executive Committee, held yesterday, the treasurer reported that thorewas a cash balance in hand of £l6B 15s. The various requisitions of the Special Committee were approved, and, as far as could be gathered from those present, all preparations for the demonstration are ia a forward state. At a meeting of the Charitable Distribution Committee it was reported that a large quantity of goods had been received from citizens. It is* intended to distribute these on Saturday next, and to ask ladies of the various church societies to send in the names of persons requiring aid. Mr M. Fraer, chairman of the School I Committees' Conference, has received the following letter from Bishop Verdon:— "Dear sir,—We have arranged to mark the celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by laying the foundation stone of an orphanage at South Dunedin on Tuesday, 22nd June, and we expect that our school ohildren will be present on tbe occasion. We have not yet been able to fix the hour for our celebration, as we do not know at what hour the public procession will start, and we wish to leave all our people free to assist at it. I think, however, that the children will find it rather difficult to assist at our demonstration in South Dunedin and also at the demonstration in the Octagon." The Arthur street Sohool Committee have made arrangements for the erection of a substantial flagpole On their ground. All the friendly societies will take part in the procession. The Executive of the Schools' Conference are printing their programme for the demonstration by the school children on Jubilee Day, setting forth all tbeir arrangements, together with the words of the doxology, and the portions of the National Anthem which are to be sang. Copies will be Bent to the schools early next week. The following is the proposed programme' of ceremonies at Jubilee Park .—The mayor, councillors, town clerk, and city engineer will each plant an oak on arrival at the ground. His Worship the Mayor will then deliver a short address, intimating that tbe oaks have been planted in commemoration of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee, and will be called " The 'Victoria Grove." His Worship will conclude by calling for three cheers for the Queen. The flag will then be hoisted on the flagstaff as a signal to the volunteers to fire their salute. After the salute the ussambied bands will ptay 'Ovd save the Queen.' They will then play it a second time, when all assembled will sing the first verse, which will conclude the proceedings. Archdeacon Fenton has subscribed £5 ds to the children's ward fund. On Jubilee Day the Port Chalmers School ohildren will assemble in Post Office square at noon and sing the National Anthem. At night beacon fires are to be lighted on the road above the quarry, and there will be a display of fireworks on the Signal Station hill. The Garrison Hall Methodist Mission have secured the City Hall for their special afternoon service on Jubilee Sunday. The hall | will be darkened for a lantern service, when special pictures will be shown bearing on i Her Majesty's religious life, and the National Anthem and other suitable hymns will be thrown on the screen. The collection will be handed over to the treasurers for the children's ward at the Dunedin Hospital. The orohestra will play appropriate mnsic. A four-part soag for male voices, music by Mr Jesse Timson, words by Mr Charles Umbers, is one of the seasonable publications issued in Dunedin. The title is 'Victoria: Qu<;en and Empress.' The verses are Bimple, sensible, and suitable—a great deal more than could be said of all patriotic songs—and there is real strength in the wording of the last phrase: "The Queen whose crowning glory is the peace of sixty years." Mr Timson has also done justice to the Bubject. The music is in the key of C with a couple of transient modulations; range for the first tenors from G in the stave to A above, and for the second basses from C above the stave (in unison phrases) to F below. There ia capital strength throughout tbe melody, the three opening bars being particularly effective, also the finale, and the whole piece seems to be tastefully harmonised. We shall probably get a good idea of the song at the approaching concert in the Agricultural Hall, and meanwhile may describe it as a promising and creditable production.