Report From The Capital— Wellington Prepares To Receive Royal Party

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 October 1948, Page 2

Report From The Capital— Wellington Prepares To Receive Royal Party

(SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT)

WELLINGTON, This Day.

As befit? the Capital City—and the city which will be the introduction to New Zealand for the King and Queen next year—Wellington is well advanced with its preparations for the Royal visit. The police authorities already are banking on between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors to invade Wellington for the week commencing February 28, 1949, and if any provincial residents who wish to welcome the Royal party have not yet made their bookings they would’be well advised to make haste. -

It is unfortunate that the detailed itinerary for the Royal tour of New Zealand has not yet been announced. A newspaper statement has been prepared for months, but it was taken to London by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, with the intention ‘of completing a few details when he visits Buckingham Palace. Present indications are that the full list of functions, in each centre will not be announced officially until about the end of this month. Sufficient is already known, however, of the programme in Wellington to excite the interest of those in distant centres. When H.M.S. Vanguard steams up Wellington Harbour on the morning of February 28, she will be accompanied by the New Zealand cruiser, H.M.N.Z.S. Bellona, and four of the new frigates which are now on their way out from London. The Vanguard will berth at Aotea Quay at 10.20 a.m. Dredging already has been carried put at the wharf to cope with this mighty warship. As the King steps ashore the Sovereign’s salute of 21 guns will boom forth from Point Jerningham and the Royal tour of New Zealand will have begun. Seven Days In Wellington For the next seven days, the King and Queen and Princess Margaret will be in Wellington. One of the most colourful ceremonies will be the formal opening of the third session of the 28th Parliament of New Zealand on the morning of March 1. This will take place in the Legislative Council. When the King opens Parliament it will be the third time he has done so outside Westminster. In 1947 he opened the Parliament of the Union of South Africa at Capetown, and, a few weeks later, the Parliament of Southern Rhodesia. It seems unlikely that the Royal Assent will be given to any Bills in New Zealand. If so, it will also be only the third occasion on which this has been given outside the Mother of Parliaments. The last time was when the King gave assent to a Bill in Capetown, some weeks after he had opened Parliament. Previously, m 1938, he gave assent to a number of Bills of the Canadian Legislature in Ottawa. Failing this, however, it seems certain that the King will preside over a meeting of the Executive Council at Government House, where he would sign the Bill personally. Those visitors who hold any hopes of witnessing the historic ceremony of the King opening Parliament had better be prepared for a disappointment, for the Legislative Council holds only 250. By the time the members of both Houses, diplomats and their wives and other distinguished visitors are catered for, it is obvious that the public will be on the outside looking in. State Reception

The next function to be attended by the King and Queen on March 1 will be a State reception, probably in the form of a State luncheon. Here again, the list of guests will be scrutinised most rigorously. The public, however, will have its main chance when a children’s gathering is held at Athletic Park, the home of Rugby, some time on the day of March 1. The King and Queen will then have a fest day on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday they will visit Wanganui, New Plymouth and Palmerston North and on Saturday they will go to Masterton. On the next day they will set sail in the Bellona to

cross Cook Strait to start on the South Island portion of their own. ■ V/hile in Wellington, the King and Queen will be given a civic reception in the Town Hall. The main decorations here will be tall and colourful gladioli, flowering shrubs and hundreds of hanging baskets of begonias.

In spite of all these preparations, there is a growing fear that the worsening international situation may cause a postponement of the visit/ Lloyds of London this week increased the premium for insurance against the cancellation of the Royal tour from 10 to 15 guineas per £lOO of cover.

Italian Opera Coming? Here is some newsy which may be greeted with enthusiasm by music lovers, but may have a boomerang effect on those in provincial centres. It is now almost definite that the Italian grand opera company now playing in Melbourne for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., will come to New Zealand early next year. It is expected to open a season in Auckland about the middle of February, followed by 'another in Wellington. It is rumoured that the visit may be subsidised by the Government and that the National Symphony Orchestra, or at least a section of it, may be used.. Last year, the orchestra was broken up for months because of the “Carmen” tour, and this was given as the reason why provincial centres still have not heard this national orchestra. If the same is to happen next year with the Italian opera company, it looks as if the provincials will again be out of luck —in spite of fervent assurances recently by the Director of Broadcasting, Professor Shelley.