CROWNING CEREMONY

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 December 1938, Page 11

CROWNING CEREMONY

QUEEN QUITA ENTHRONED The finale to the Queen Carnival to raise funds for the Marist Brothers’ Building Fund was witnessed by a full house at the Regent Theatre last evening. A programme of song and dance numbers preceded the Coronation the dancers being from Miss Thwaites’ School of Dancing, while the vocalists were Misses Doreen Donovan, Melva Moss and Mr. T. Hatch. Items were also given by the Marist Brothers’ and Convent Choirs. The audience, though unresponsive at

first warmed as the programme advanced and when the main part of the entertainment —the Coronation —was presented, were loud in their applause.

Heralded by trumpets and to an orchestral accompaniment by the Convent Orchestra, the Queen-elect, preceded by her Court Officials, Princesses and their retinue, made a dignified entrance to the stage from the body of the Hall. No detail of the ceremony was forgotten and the dressing was on a lavish scale. The scene when the small, titian-haired Queen took her seat on the Throne was delightful, the dazzling white of the Queen’s and Princesses frocks being set off by the pastel shades of their attendants and the coloured trains of the Princesses. The jewels used in the coronation were lent by Messrs Hay’s Ltd., Christchurch, being replicas of the Crown Jewels, and were things of beauty. The Coronation ceremony was performed by the Lord High Chancellor (Mr. Neil Collins) with dignity and grace after which the Princesses, their attendants and ladies-in-waiting were presented to her Majesty. The Court was then entertained by a concert programme, the vocalists being Misses Donovan, Moss and P. Marshall and Messrs M. Marshall and A. Goulden. Ballets were an attractive part of the programme, the solo dancing being done by Miss Eileen Hannan. Very Rev. Father J. Long on behalf of the committee made presentations of engraved gold wristlet watches to the Queen and her Princesses. He paid a warm tribute to the ability of Mrs. J. W. Hannan under whose direction the Coronation was staged and voiced his gratitude to all who had made the carnival an unqualified success. A call was made for Mrs. Hannan and she was the recipient of a bouquet.

The personnel of the Coronation scene w % as as follows: —Queen, Miss Quita Hassall. Trainbearers: Dorothy Jones, Margaret Hanrahan. First Princess: Miss Colleen Moore. Trainbearers: Brenda Guerin, Margaret Fisher. Second Princess: Miss Carmel Jefferies. Trainbearers: Margaret Bellamy, Allison EJlery. Third Princess: Miss Mollie Coll. Trainbearers: Miron Brown, Pat. McGirr. Lord High Chancellor: Mr. Neil Collins. Earl Marshal: Mr. J. Quill. Mistress of Robes: Miss K. Carson. Herald: Margaret Jackson. Bearer of Mace: Mr. K. Coll. Bearei’ of Imperial State Crown: Owen McCarthy. Bearer of Jewelled Sword of State: Brian McCarthy. Bearer of Orb Pat Bently. Bearei- of Sceptre: Margaret Bourke. Bearer of Chains: Thelma Inkster. Ladies-in-Waiting: Misses Agnes Butler, Joan Guerin, Noreen Kennedy, Rose Ward, Joan Walker, Kathleen Pollock. Flower Girls: Betty Marshall, Shona McAra, Joan Moar, Shirley Price, Josephine Rathbun, Raoni Anderson.

The proceeds of the entertainment are to be donated to the Greymouth Dental Clinic funds, as the Carnival itself brought in more than was aimed at for the Marist Brothers’ Building Fund.