KING’S LAST MOMENTS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13163, 23 January 1936, Page 5

KING’S LAST MOMENTS.

A PATHETIC SCENE

United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, January 21. The Daily Mail says: “Not long after the Council of State had been created only to last twelve hours the King lapsed into a coma. Oxygen was administered to ease the laboured breathing and injections were given to aid the flagging heart, but shortly after the critical bulletin he became delirious and called many times to the same white pony on which he roclc the coverts last week, catching the cold which caused his death.

“The Queen in the last moments knelt by the King’s head clasping his hand. The Archbishop of Canterbury knelt beside to murmur his whispered prayer which was hushed as the King breathed his last. “As the King died the Prince ol Wales, his son and heir to the greatest Empire in the world, assumed his dignity heightened by the bitter blow of his and his family’s loss.” King Edward immediately began consultation with the Duke of York and Lord Wigram. Many lighted windows of Sandringham H ouse bore witness of the numerous formalities attendant on the death of George and the accession of Edward. The death chamber alone remained in darkness. The new King motors to London to-day to attend the Accession Council. THE QUEEN WEEPS. LONDON, January 21. Five minutes before midnight the tragic hours which had passed since 5.30 p.m. ended. The doctors when they realised the end was only a matter of minutes summoned the family to the deathbed. The Queen, whom the Prince of Wales had been comforting, and the Royal ladies entered the room ‘followed by the Princes. They stood sad-eyed" and grave, looking at the tired frail figure of the King and watched him breathe his last. The Queen, whose self-control had enabled her to maintain calmness throughout the anxious days of trial, broke down and wept. Then she turned to the Prince of Wales—the new King—and mother and son embraced affectionately. Edward then turned sadly to his brothers and sisters and the Royal party moved out of the death chamber to an adjoining room to discuss what must now be done. It is said King George’s wish has been granted. He always hoped the last hours of his life would be spent at Sandringham, of which he loved \the quiet and peace of the spacious halls, rooms, gardens and parklands. Moreover, it was where Queen Alexandra and his brother Clarence died and the youngest child Prince John was buried in the village churchyard. Immediately the King's death was | announced the Queen spoke on the telephone to the* members of the ; Royal family who were not present -st Sandringham. When all necessary was done the Queen went sorrowfully to bed. the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Kent vainly trying j to console her, but her Majesty’s grief was over-great for comfort, j Now that a happy union which last- | «ed so many years had ended, the i Queen, the duties of her high posi- j tion temporarily ended, was per- ] mittecl to mourn her dead husband like any other loving wife. King Edward telegraphed at 12.28 to the Lord Mayor of London: “I am deeply grieved to inform you that | my beloved father the King passed away at 11.55.” Signed Edward. Soon after _ the Mayor received the Homh Secretary's message requesting that the big bell at Saint Paul’s be- tolled this morning at 8.10. The Lord Mayor replied to the King's message and also sent a message of condolence to Queen Mary. Mr Baldwin will issue a broadcast a --age to the nation to-night at 0.30. UNITED IN PRAYER. LONDON, January 21. The chilly mists of morning hung •v» r Sandringham as a little group of people passed down the winding path to the village church of St. Mary Magdalene, it was the Printss Royal, eyed, with her ladies-in-waTfcing on their way to early communion celebrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. In the* dim quietness a handful oi household servants and tenants knelt in silent prayer for King George. The Archbishop of Canterbury, in a low but calm voice asked the tiny • ongregation to join him in asking •Cod’s blessing for the new King who had already taken up the burdens his father had Jaid down. Windsor, which has the closest ties with the Royal Family, is especially grief-stricken. All the blinds were* drawn and the castle bills in St. George's tolled hourly. Many shops had special black boards on the front windows and cinemas and theatres closed to-night, while garrison drills were cancelled. A REIGN OF GREAT DEEDS. SUFFERINGS, PERILS AND SPLENDOUR. LONDON, January 21. The Times, in a leader, states : “The Empire mourns a man who never forgot and never cheapened one obligation of his rank and office. What touches the* Throne touches the Empire in every part. Highflown formalities would be inept to house and redlm. He applied the* ■strictest and most modern theory of the Royal function, «'»nd with him a finall v-settled and unambiguous tranal said to begin.

“The King spared himself nothing in the leadership of the community. The instinct of the man in the street rallied easily to him. He knew as thoroughly as his Ministers the character of the times and the tasks before us.

“Tol his heir as to him every part of his Dominions will offer more than constitutional courtesies, namely, a vivid flesh and blood loyalty. A ;reign of great deeds, sufferings, perils and splendour is ended.” THE LINbTfISUCCESSION. LONDON, January 21. The Prince of Wales is the first bachelor King since George 111., who succeeded in 1760. Assuming liis continued bachelorhood, it is considered possible Queen Mary will remain at Buckingham Palace and act as his hostess, but she may take up her residence at Marlborough House, to which place Queen Alexandra went on the death of King Edward. The order of precedence of the Roy ill ladies remains unaltered. Queen Mary as the Queen Mother is still the first lady of the land. Then comes the Princess Royal, the Duchess of York, the Duchess ot Kent, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. The Duke of York becomes the heir presumptive, and next in, succession is Princess Elizabeth, then Princess Margaret. There is no heir-apparent. The position can only be occupied by a Sovereign's son or grandson. The title of the Prince of Wales lapses, since by immemorial custom it is conferred only on the Sovereign’s eldest son. Tt is recalled that Parliament in 1910 increased Queen Mary’s annuity, in the event of surviving her husband, from £30,000 to £70,000. BIG BEN TELLS EUROPE. LONDON, January 21. The United Press Geneva correspondent says: “Sounding with foreboding clarity across Europe, the chimes of Big Ben at 12.15 a.m., which is 1.15 a.m. Geneva time, heralded the death bulletin from the wireless in Mr Stanley Bruce’s silent hotel roof with greater intensity because the streets were empty in the the damp cold air. Mr Bruce, his wife* and staff stood silent and Mr Bruce cancelled all the entertaining lie* intended giving as president of the League Council. DELEGATION OF POWERS. FAMILY’S RESPONSIBILITY. LONDON, January 20. The Sun-Herald news agency in London says that his Majesty made constitutional history embracing the whole Empire this afternoon, when supported by pillows on which he was tenderly raised by doctors and nurses, he watched through the communicating doors the* brief meeting of the Privy Council and signed a document * George R” constituting a Council of State. It will be recalled that during his Majesty’s illness in 1928 the Council appointed included the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor, and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Sun-Herald agency is informed that there is no precedent for a Regency Council composed exclusively of members of the Royal Family. It is understood that this is regarded as a corollary arising out of re- « ent constitutional changes in the British Commonwealth as a result of Mr Balfour’s 1926 declaration, the Statute of Westminster. The formation of the* Council and its personnel irests solely with his Majesty, who delegated to his family Sovereign powers to perform certain duties on his behalf, constitutional provision for which is contained in the fact that as members of the Crown they possess a link with the Dominions similar to himself. COURT MOURNING. GOVERNOR-GENERAL CANCELS ENG AGEMENTS. AUCKLAND, January 21. I’ll order to attend to affairs of the State arising out of the death of the King, tin* Governor-General. Lord Galwav, accompanied bv Captain Heber-Percy, A.DC., left for Wellington by the Limited express tonight. His Excellency will go into residence temporarily at Government House, Wellington. A period of court mourning will be observed in accordance with advice which will be received from England. As a result his Excellency and Viscountess Galway have announced the* cancellation of several functions at Government House, Auckland, foir which invitations have already been issued. These include a dinner and investiture arranged for January 30, a ball on February 7, a children’s party on Februarv 8, and a tea party on February 11.