GAY LONDON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22724, 10 May 1937, Page 9

GAY LONDON

STREETS THRONGED CORONATION PARTY UNPRECEDENTED SIZE CELEBRATIONS BEGUN THEIR MAJESTIES BEST By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received May 9, 7.55 p.m.) LONDON. May » While Their Majesties have chosen the quietude of the Royal Lodge at Windsor, in which to spend their last week-end before the Coronation amid the beautiful gardens, the greatest public party the world has ever known began the celebrations in London yesterday. . There was the biggest preCoronation crush yet experienced in the metropolis. In addition to ship loads of foreigners and visitors from overseas scores of trains brought thousands of provincial day trippers. Sightseers In the West End Three thousand motor coaches laden with family parties also reached London and more thousands of Lancashire and Yorkshire visitors to see the Rugby Cup final. These filled in their time touring the Coronation route. r .Hie West End was almost impassable in the afternoon and repeatedly traffic was brought to a standstill. Restaurants were packed and thousands of people bought supplies and picnicked on the stands along the route. By nightfall it was estimated that there were 1,000,000 sightseers in the streets. There have been no scenes approaching these since the amazing demonstrations of loyalty oij the occasion of King George V.'s silver jubilee. ■Busy Night on the Thames Trafalgar Square and the surrounding streets were choked to a late hour with slow-moving traffic. Special constables patrolled the kerbs in an attempt to keep the crowds on the pavements. The River Thames also had one of the busiest nights in its history. All the river steamers were packed with spectators seeing the decorations along the waterway. When darkness fell lights were flashed on and London became the gayest city in Europe. The Economist estimates that 1.000,000 spectators will pay more than £1,000,000 to see the Coronation procession. They will include 200,600 overseas visitors, who are expectod to spend more than £25,000,000 during their stay. The average cost of seats along the route is 7| guineas. Roth the Australian and New Zealand Coronation contingents are rehearsing mounting guard for the Palace under the eye of Guards officers. ROYAL PERSONAGES VISITORS FROM ABROAD GUESTS AT THE PALACE (Received May 0, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, May 8 The latest arrivals in London for the Coronation include General Pershing, who will represent the United States. He was welcomed by the American Ambassador, Mr. R. W. Bingham, and representatives of the Foreign Office. The Maharaja of Mysore and Shah Vali Khan, uncle of the King of Afghanistan, who is Afghan Minister in Paris, also arrived. King Farouk of Egypt, who has been in London for some time, is leaving to-day for Paris. He wil[ be represented at the Coronation by his coiiKin, Prince Mohammed Ali. The following foreign Royal personages will be the guests of the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace for the Coronation. Prince and Princess Paul of Yugoslavia. Princess Juliana of Holland Princess von Lippe. Prince Frederick of Prussia. Prince Paul of Greece The Prince of Preslav, brother of the King of Bulgaria. The Com to de Flanders. The Crown Prince of Rumania The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Sweden.

Prince .Ernest Augustus of Hanover The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway.