MELBOURNE EN FETE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21931, 15 October 1934, Page 11

MELBOURNE EN FETE

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS GREAT THANKSGIVING SERVICE (Received October 14. 10.35 p.Tn.) MELBOURNE. Oct. 14 The Victorian Centenary celebrations may be said to have been begun. Beflagged streets and illuminated buildings await the arrival of the Duke of Gloucester in Melbourne on Thursday. The city is crowded with visitors. Forty thousand people attended a thanksgiving service on the Melbourne Cricket Ground to-day. There was a choir of 3500 voices, accompanied by five bands of 200 players. The Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr. F. W. Head, and ministers of other deneminations offered thanks for blessings bestowed on Victoria in the past 100 years. The scene was one of striking reverence and calm after, the tumult of yesterday over the Caulfield Guineas and the football final. Although the celebrations of next Tuesday are menaced by the tramwaymen's stoppage over the wages depute the emergency transport arrangements are complete. The railways are not affected. Dissatisfied with the Tramway Board's offer of a share of the extra profits from the Centenary traffic, the men are demanding a permanent increase of two shillings a day, a total cost of £164,000 a 3'ear. The events this week will include the world professional billiards championship, a cattlemen's carnival, the Royal Agricultural Show, the Caulfield Cup and performances by the Grenadier Guards Band.