CORONATION PLANS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 72, 24 February 1937, Page 9

CORONATION PLANS

INVITATIONS TO POWERS. ITALY ANGERED. BY ABYSSINIA’S RECOGNITION. (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received February 24, 10.55 a.m. LONDON, Feb. 23. Thirty-three maritime Powers, including Spain, have been invited to participate in the Coronation naval review on May 20. The Abyssinian Legation confirms that a Coronation invitation has been received by the Emperor, who will later designate his representative. X* rom Koine it is autuoritatively stated that Italy will boycott the Coronation if Abyssinia attends. Commenting on the invitation to Abyssinia to attend the Coronation, one paper attacks “the impudence ol Britain in putting a negro chief on the same level as the representative of the Italian King-Emperor.” CORONATION VISITORS. PROVISION OF SEATS. PRICE TO BE FIXED. LONDON, Feb. 22. The predicament of Dominion visitor.-. about Coronation seats was discussed in the House of Commons. Mr D. J. Colville said the total cost of stands would approximate £l4o,Out). The price of seats would -be fixed at half the net cost. It is understood that the price has been fixed at 30s, half of which will be borne by the Government and half paid by the occupant. The allocation of seats in these stands is under consideration. It is hoped to give representation to as many aspects of national life as possible. Arrangements are being made for flood-lighting between Coronation Day and May 1/ of Buckingham Palace, Victoria Memorial, St. James’s Palace, Houses of Parliament, National Gallery, Tower of London, Somerset House, Windsor, Hampton Court Palace and grounds, Admiralty Arch, Westminster Abbey, St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, Trafalgar Square, and Royal Mint. The possibility of Italy refusing to attend the Coronation has arisen as a result of the invitation to Abyssinia, which was sent in the form of a letter asking whether Haile Selassie wished to be represented. If the former Abyssinian Emperor accepts Italy will probably refuse to be represented. HEAVY AIR TRAFFIC.

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Feb. 23

Imperial Airways state that all available accommodation in aircraft reaching London from India, South Africa and Australia in the weeks just preceding the Coronation was booked up some time ago. In many cases advance bookings were made months ago.