COMMEMORATION WEEK.

Evening Star, Issue 10343, 17 June 1897, Page 4

COMMEMORATION WEEK.

THE RUNNING OF TRAMCARS. At last night'B meeting of the City Council a letter was received from the secretary (Mr D. Harris Hastings) of the Jubilee Demontration Committee expressing dissatisfaction with the action of the directors of the Tramways Company, and expressing the opinion that the safety of the public would be endangered if wheeled traffic were not suspended between 7 and 10 p.m. on the 22nd inst. Cr Solomon said he presumed they had no legal power in the matter. Cr Gore asked if there had been any reply from the company refusing to stop traffic that evening.—(A Cotrxcnxoß: "Yes.") He thought lhat was a very great pity, as it would prevent many people from coming into town and bringing their families. It was much to be regretted that the tramway company could not see their way to give this slight concession. It might be the opinion of the company that they would lose money by it, but he would not be sure of that, and was inclined to think the Council had power to stop the traffic if public safety was endangered by it, and there would be no question that it would be unsafe for the cars to run. He would not like the Council to have to go to the extreme measure of stopping the oars, and would much prefer that that had been done willingly. Cr Chisholm said he understood that in Christohurch the action taken was that the mayor had requested the inspector of police to instruct the police to stop the traffic. That would certainly be perfectly legal, and he thought that the mayor and the town clerk should see if the traffic could be stopped. The Town Clerk (Mr Taylor) said he had looked into the matter very carefully, and - so far as he could see they had no power to stop the traffic, except in certain cases where the reconstruction of the streets or the making of sewers was being carried on. Mr Gore : Or for the public safety. The Town Clerk thought that was not sufficient to (jive them power to act, and the Council's solicitors were of the same opinion. Cr Thomson was convinced that in the original agreement certain power was given to the Council to stop traffic on the tramways. But if their solicitors could not find ir, it was hardly likely that they would do so. He thought the best thing would be to amply leave the matter to the mayor and town clerk to do the best they could, and had not the slightest doubt the Tram Company would reconsider their decision, and even find it to their advantage to stop the traffic on the occasion mentioned. Cr Carroll thought the company would surely reconsider the matter. The desire of the people would be to walk down the centre of the street, and tram traffic would be very dangerous in that .caW. It was to be regretted if they had no legal power to stop the traffic, for its continuance would prevent to a large extent the success cf the demonstration. Cr Swan asked if the mayor and the town j clerk were to arrange for stopping the buses and cabs, as well as the tramway traffic. The Mayor said it was quite evident that if the tramway traffic was stopped the buses and other wheeled traffic would stop also, but if the trams ran he should not ask that any other vehicular traffic Bbould be stopped. Cr Solomon said it seemed a very ungracious thicg that the Tramway Company should not yield this simple matter to the pnblio convenience, aDd be would not be surprised if the crowd stopped the trams . themselves. The matter was referred to the mayor and the town clerk to take such action as to them should seem advisable. THE CHURCH SERVICES. The following having signified their intention of joining in the proposal for an afternoon service on Sunday, June 20, and singing the National Anthem, at 4 o'clock, as part of the movement to sing the anthem all round the world:—Rev. Canon 6. M. King, St Peter's Caversham; Rev. D. 0. Hampton, Abbotsford; Rev. J. M. Fraser, Chalmers Church; Rev. D. Borne, North-east Valley; Bev. A. North, Hanover street Baptist Csuroh; Rev. Win. Laycook, Dundas'

street, Dunedin; Captain J. H. Simmons, Salvation Army, Dunedin; Rev. William Will, the Manse, East Taieri; Rev. Wm. Hewitson, Knox Church ; Mr Chas. Watt, Tabernacle, Great King street; Mr Alfred Brunton, church at Choral Hall; Rev. A. Donglas Mitchell, Queenstown; Rev. I. K. M'lntyre, the Manße, North Dunedin; Rev. A. Greig, the Manse, Sandy mount; Rev. T. G. Watson, Mossburn; Rev. John Lothian, Clyde, Alexandra, Bald Hill Flat, and Matakanui; Rev. S. W. Carrie, the Manse, Balclutha; Rev. E. C. Tennent, the Manse, Port Chalmers; Rev. W. M. Fell, Congregational minister, Union street; Rev. Dr Rutherford Waddell, Dunedin; Synagogue, Rev. L. J. Harrison; Ven. Archdeacon Beaumont, Lawrence; Rev. J. M. M'Kerrow, MosgUl; Rev. T. G. Brooke, Cargill road, South Dunedin; Dean Fitchett, All Saints', Dunedin; Ven. Archdeacon Robinson, St. Paul's, Dunedin; Colonel Webb, the volunteers, Garrison Hall; Rev. W. Curzon-Siggers, St. Matthew's. Bishop Verdon writes, under date June 10, to Mr James Allen (chairman of the Committee), re churches, as follows :

Dear sir,—The Catholics of Dunedin will join most cordially with their fellow-citizens in manifestations of loyalty on the auspicious occasion which is bringing such joy to Her Gracious Majesty the Queen and to her faithful subjects. Special reference will be made to the festive celebrations in the sermons which will be preached on Sunday, 20th June, and Tuesday, 22nd June. We have, however, our customary forms of devotions, and it is fitting that we should adhere to them at divine service on Sunday, 20th June.

In the procession on Tuesday the City Fire Brigade will occupy a position from which it will be easy for them to fall out should an alarm of fire be given, but in any case they will not march further south than Rattray street. The Committee of the Wyllie's Crossing School have decided to give the children medals in commemoration of the record reign, and the Committee of the Saddle Hill School are arranging to give each of the female pupils a brooch and each of the boys a medal. A very loyal subject of Her Majesty the Queen in Gore, who, besides possessing a large fund of patriotism, has thirty-two children, grandchildren, and other descendants, purposes celebrating Jubilee Day by planting thirty-two oak trees. At Tapanui it has been decided that a memorial town clock be procured, to be raised by general subscription, and also to provide a dinner for any poor residing in the town. A bonfire is to be lighted on the Blue Mountains. It has been decided to light up the hospital until ten o'clock on the Diamond Jubilee celebration night. A prominent place will be given in the Jubilee procession at New Plymouth to Mr W. Baker, an inmate of the Old Men's Home, who served his country under four sovereigns. Baker, who is now in his ninety-second year, joined the Navy in the last year of the reign of George 111., and continued to serve under the successive reigns of George IV., William IV., and Victoria. Mr W. Jones, of Moturoa, will also be specially asked to take part, be being one of the earliest settlers in Taranaki, having been located at Moturoa as a whaler as far back as 1837. The following verses, composed by Mr Charles Umbers and set to music by Mr Jesse TimsoD, are to be used at the opening of the Imperial Hall on Monday night : Wherever a Briton breathes to-day, Wherever the Old Flag flics, A name is heard on the lips of men With fire in their joyous eyes, With pride in their sturdy bosoms— The pride that shall e'er remain— For the great aud Sov'reign Lady In the splendor of her reign ! Victoria! Victoria! The world shall And In ev'ry Briton's bosom Our Queen enshrined. We love you, we sing you, Thus ever has it been, Victoria! Victoria! Our own blest Queen 1 How grand is the loyal tribute uow That round the whole world runs— A myriad voices' mighty song, The boom of a myriad gnns'. How joyous a loving people That she of the Glorious Throne Has ruled with a heart so gracious In the Sixty Years now flown I Victoria! Victoria! etc. O Mother of England's blessed race, O pride of the Strong and Free, Whose bayonets wall the land around, Whose pow'r is on the sea. We sing from the heart God bless you ! For the love that all endears To the Queen whose crowning glory Is the Peace of Sixty Years ! Victoria! Victoria! etc.