THE CORONATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11999, 23 June 1902, Page 6

THE CORONATION.

CEREMONIES AT DEVONPORT. The Mayor and councillors of Devonport are working very energetically to make the Coronation and peace celebrations in their district on Thursday next as successful and interesting as possible. It is intended as a lasting memorial of the occasion to build an esplanade on the water front, extending from near the old naval depot towards Devonport Wharf, on which are to be placed two stones, one in commemoration of the declaration of peace and the other of the Coronation of King Ed'warckVll. Two arches are to be erected on Victoria Wharf, and decorated with evergreens and bunting. At night bonfires will be lighted on Stanley Point, the hill near Calliope Dock, on the reserve near Victoria Wharf, and on Mount Victoria, ana between the points where the fires will be lighted there will be rows of torches. Calliope Dock will be lighted by electricity, and the foreshore from the dock reclamation to Magazine Rock, illuminated with torches placed' 15ft apart. , Mount Victoria is to be also illuminated with torches. There will be a display of electric light from Fort Cautley for a couple of hours. The submarine mining boat is to be anchored off Victoria Wharf, and will be illuminated with electric light, and there is to be a brilliant display of fireworks from the steamer and all parts of the borough. His Worship the Mayor and those who are working with him, are deserving of great praise for the manner in which they have arranged the details, and if the weather is anything like fine the display should be a splendid one. The following is the programme of the proceedings as arranged, and everything will be carried out promptly to time:—Morning programme: 9.45, Coronation service at Holy Trinity Church; 10.45, procession from church to site of laying stones for esplanade to celebrate the Coronation and declaration of peace: 11.10, address by the Mayor of Devonport in reference to the Coronation of the King; 11.20, feu-de-joie; 11.30, band to play the National Anthem, all present to join in the singing; 11.40, address by the Mayor in reference to declaration of the peace; 11.47, " Rule Britannia"; 11.52, Mayor's address in reference to esplanade and placing commemoration stones; 11.58, " God Save the King"; 12, firing of Coronation salute of 101 guns. Evening programme: At 5 torches to bo lit; 7.30 bonfires to be lit; 7.30 to 9.30, display of searchlight; 8, fireworks. The Devonport Brass Band will play patriotic airs throughout the evening. THE SOUVENIR CARDS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. A few days'ago it was feared that the whole of the Government's souvenir cards could not be issued to the various schools iin the colony before Coronation Day. The Government printer has, however, been equal to the occasion, and, has delivered no fewer than 120,000 cards to the Education Department for distribution. The balance of the 200.000 required is being prepared in Auckland and Ohristchurch. CLOSING OF HOTELS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Dunkdin, Saturday. The city hotels will close during the hours of Divine service on Coronation Day. Gisborne, Saturday. The Gisborne publicans have decided to close their hotels from eleven a.m. to four p.m. on Coronation Day. SOUTHERN PREPARATIONS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. A rehearsal by the school children of the hymns and songs which they are to give on Coronation Day took place this afternoon. The children, numbering about 1500, sang with enthusiasm, and should do well on Thursday next. Mr. Robert Parker, the well-known Wellington musician, has the control of this branch of the local celebrations. [BY TELEGRAM. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington*, Saturday. At a meeting of the Coronation Committee a proposal to include two captured Boer flags in the procession was rejected on the ground that the national Boer flag was now nonexistent. Colonel Newall declined to give his decision without consulting General Babington, but he personally thought that such a display would be in the nature of a burlesque. Ashbtjrton, Saturday. At a meeting of the Coronation Committee last night it was resolved to make the erection of a drinking-fountain in Baring Square the first charge on the funds, subject to the approval of the Ashburton County Council. Palmerston North, Saturday. The Borough Council recently invited competitive designs- for an ornamental fountain to be erected in the square in commemoration of the Coronation. At a meeting today a design forwarded by C. A. Vautier was accepted. PREPARATIONS IN LONDON. Writing on May 9, a London correspondent says:ln anticipation of the Coronation procession London is in the hand of the carpenter. All along the line of route stands, more or less " grand," are in various stages of completion. The consumption of timber is enormous, and the trade of the carpenter is booming. Presumably, a considerable portion of the timber put to this temporary use may, when the show is over, be utilised for other purposes. Meanwhile the effect on the appearance of the streets is striking, and in this cheery May weather, the roads deep in slush, the consequence is inconvenient for the pedestrian. Next to the carpenter's shop the insurance offices are benefiting chiefly from the impulse of the coming ceremony. Everyone of these stands, involving hundreds of thousands of capital, are insured not only against the ordinary risks of fire, but against the odd chance of the Coronation not coming off at all. Members of both Houses of Parliament are very properly seeing that they and their family circle shall not be ovorlooked. Each member will on Coronation Day have a couple of seats in the Abbey, to one of which he may escort his wife. For the naval review, which some justly regard as the most attractive item in the programme, two large ocean liners will severally be placed at the disposition of Lords and Commons. The difficulty, contemplation of which clouds the prospect of a happy day in the Solent, is how to get back to town after the review is over. This will be overcome in the case of such members as by favour of the ballot secure berths on the liners. These arc to be allotted at the rate of 25s a head, a mere trifle compared with the exorbitant charges of hotels and private lodgings ashore. Representatives of the colonial and American press have already flocked to London in anticipation of the memorable week. A proposal made that their London colleagues should entertain them at dinner has been heartily taken up. The banquet will be held on Saturday at the Criterion. Most of the prominent working journalists of the metropolis figure in the list of the committee. Mr. Choate, the American Ambassador, will be present, and may be counted upon for one of his charming speeches. Throughout an ordinary session it is easier for a camel to enter the needle's eye than for a stranger to obtain ace-ess to the press precincts of Parliament. The .Speaker hns created a precedent by authorising the throwing open to colonial and American journalists during Coronation week of the commodious writing, dining, and smoking rooms allotted to the press in the Palace of Westminster.