THE CORONATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15098, 22 March 1911, Page 5

THE CORONATION

DOMINION PREPARATIONS.

OVERSEA VISITORS.

(Fbom Out. Own CorksfondextJ LONDON, February 3. Those who contemplate coming from Now Zealand rapt not place too much dependence on obtaining scats in the New Zealand stand. Sir William Hall-Jones has already received applications from far more persons than he is likely to be ablo to find aocommodatiqn for, and the allotment of tho seats will inevitably leave hundreds unprovided for. It may bo taken for granted at once that the only persons at all likely to get into the Abbey are those holding high positions in the Dominion, ouoh as tho Prime Minister and the Attor-ney-general. There are so many to be provided for that the Earl Marshal will not ha.ve any eeats to sparo outsido the most exclusive Tanks, and, of course, admission to the Abbey depends quite on tho Earl Marshal's invitation. •

STANDS FOR VISITORS. Plans are now being prepared by the Office of Works for tho structures which will accommodate sightseers for whom there ia no room in the Abbey, but who have claims to consideration which cannot be disregarded. The principal stand, which will bo erected by the Government Department, will cover the strip of garden between tho walls enclosing Buckingham Palace Grounds and the railings on the south side of Constitution Hill. As Eicon as the snowdrops and crocuses have shed their petals the workmen will take possession, and a huge timber erection, capable of holding between 7009 and 8000 spectators will be built

The othor stands which tJio Office of Works- has in contemplation, are at Westminster and in Trafalgar square. The former will be ior the House of Commons, including the officials of the House and the members of tho Press Gallery; tho latter for tho friends of members of the Upper House. Two sites which were available far Government 6tands at the last Coronation, are now covered , by the War Office and the I/ocal Government Board Birildinp. And, as the Coronation proccsBion will almost certainly pas 3 through the Admiralty arch instead of entering Whitehall by way of tho Horse Guards, the opliortunity of erecting stands at this point, which was enjoyed in 1902, will be lost. Sir William Hall-Jones had desired to erect a stand for the accommodation, of visiting New Zeaiandcrs, "but the Office of Works prefers to keep this in its own hands, merely providing the High Commissioner with a certain number of tickets, which ho will presumably have to allot by ballot. Nine years ago tho Colonial. Office was able to arrange for tho accommodation of about 4000, aad a similar courtesy will probably be oxtended to them this year.

HYMNS FOR THE NATION. Already there are various hymns for general use at the time of the Coronation, but perhaps that written by the Bishop of Durham is destined to the widest favour. Dr Handley Moule has already written sereral hymns that have found their place in popular collections, and only a few weeks ago he composed one for the use of miners in his great diocese. The Coronation Hymn has as its oponing , . lines:— "Lo, the King in,state-and splendour Bears the crown upon his brow," while the fourth. Terse runs: — "Save him to maintain victorious

All the good his father sought ; All his battles, gieat and glorious, On the fields of peace be fought; Let him follow Thee before us, All his works in Thee be wrought." Sir Frederick Bridge lias written a stirring , congregational tune for it, and it is included with others by the Ect. S. J. Stone, Canon Ainger, and the Eev. S. Baring , Gould in a little collection, of which their Majesties have accepted l the dedication. TO ENTERTAIN COLONIAL TROOPS. Preparations. are already being made for tho entertainment of from 1500 to 2000 troops, who will represent the colonics at tho Coronation. Major-general Lord Cheylesmore, who acted as hou. secretary of tho Hospitality Committee in 1902, states to-day that he is starting the Colonial Troops Entertainment Committee again, with the Duke of Aberoorn chairman, as before, and that the officials of the War Office and Colonial Office are very anxious that they should do what m was done in 1902. Sir Edwaxd Ward at the War Office, and Mr Harris at the Colonial Office, are co-operat-ing with the committee.

THE DECORATIONS.

IMPERIAL SCHEME PROPOSED.

NEW ZEALAND ARCH,

Some days ago Professor Lanteri, of the Royal College of Art, made the suggestion that on the occasion of tiho Coronation the route along whioh the processions will pass should be decorated on somo Imperial plan. He produced photographs of designs for a triumphal arch, .and expressed tho hope that the oversea dominions would see their way to do something in the matter. The idea of a New Zealand arch at once commended itself to the High Commiswho approached ■ his Government, and obtained sanction to the expenditure of a certain, sum of money. It should be remembered that Victoria 'street is not on the line of route, so that any money spent on external decorations at tho New ZeaJand offices- would not havo anything like such a practioal effect as an arch somewhere on the route. It is hoped that the Dominion aroh will be erected in Parliament street, at the end of Whitehall. No better site could 'be found, for it will "be close to the, Abbey and flie House of Parliament, and must be eeen by hundreds of thousands of sightseers. Sir William Hall-Jones told your representative to-day that tho proposal to erect s. New Zealand arch struck him as tho besfr way to celebrate so great an occasion. Wo are not," he said, "in one of the most prominent thoroughfares of tho city nor we we on the line of tho route of afterprocession. Therefore, I believe it is a good thing for the Dominion to have an. aren where w 9 can show our loyaltv The "?» IS '° j»™ a big, comprehensive scheme, the details of which will dovetail into one, another, and the New ZeaJand Government has approved of the suggestion co tar bs tno Dominion is concerned." "NOBLE EXAMPLE OF XFW ZEALAND."

«.™ ndfr (p this l*? d ' nff tho Standard says:iiio offer of tho Dominion cf New Zea- - *& ?-°^ ate in ih * Proposed scheme ;or the decoration of the Coronation route m a dtgnified and Imperial manner ha<= given to the movement a practical basis which materially advances its nrospocts. The recognition by the Dominion of the Imperial nature of the scheme, and of tho lact that the oversea, dominions should have vheir share in the public decoration of the Coronation route is, however, mow i,,,porant still. >,ot only will the arch offered by Aew Zealand be an imposing emblem of its ioyalty to the Emp lro and the CWn, out it w,U also servo to bring to the notice of tho people, at Home Uμ great resources ,'M opportunities of this oversea State."