DOMINION FEALTY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 23 January 1936, Page 15

DOMINION FEALTY

SIMPLE DIGNITY

ASSEMBLY OF THOUSANDS

CROWDS IN MAIN CENTRES HUSH DURING' CEREMONY GOVERNOR (HVES LEAD

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON", This day. With the solemnity and simple dignity belitting the occasion, the proclamation of Edward. VIII as King was read from the steps of Parliament Buildings to-day by the Governor-General, Lord Galway, before a concourse of fully 15.000 people. '1 he proceedings, whicli lasted barely :i quarter of an hour, were carried out with perfect precision until the close ol ihe ceremony, when His Excellency called for three cheers for His Majesty King Edward. There was no demonstration on the part of the massed assemblage, which was hushed with the significance of the occasion and followed intently every detail of the proceedings.

The weather was line but overcast. A holiday was declared between the hours of 10 o'clock and noon. Shortly after 10 o'clock, crowds started to stream on Parliament grounds from every direction A guard of honor was provided for [lis Excellence by units from the sloop Wellington and ,'froiu the training depot. immediately the Governor arrived, he was accorded a royal salute and the L'nion .lack was broken from the peak of the flagpole attached to the dais. On the other side was the New Zealand Knsign, and across the front of the dais were hung Hags. His Excellency inspected the guard of honor and was attended by representatives of tho military, naval and air services, ill I of whom wore black mourning hands on their sleeves. As His Ex-cellency-mounted the dais, those seateii stood .ind remained standing throughout the ceremony. HERALDED BY TRUMPETS lie was handed the proclamation of accession by the clerk of the Executive Council, and as be turned to face the crowd trumpets sounded to herald the ceremony. In clear, measured tones he read the proclamation, which was signed by himself and the Prime Minister, the Hon M. J. Savage, and the following members of the Ministry: The Hon. P. Eraser, the Hon. W. Nash, the Hon. 1). G. Sullivan, the Hon. H. G. R Mason, the Hon. II T. Armstrong, the Hon. W. I'l. Parry, the Hon. E. Jones, the Hon. W. Lee" Martin, the Hon.. E. Langstone, and the Hon. Mark Fagan, and also the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, Sir Francis Bell, and Sir Apiram Ngata, the last-named representing the Maori race.

When tho reading was finished His Excellency, raising his voice, solemnly proclaimed: "God Save the King.' Immediately there was a fanfare of trumpets, and salutes of 21 guns were fired alternately by H.M.S. Wellington and a military battery at Point Jerning liiiiu, the signal for the first shot being flashed to the gunners from the top ol Parliament Buildings as soon us (he reading of the proclamation had ended. Simultaneously with this, flags on Government and public buildings were run up to the peak and will remain there until sunset. RESPONSE WITH ONE VOICE The Wellington Regimental Band played the National Anthem and flu final, anil one of the most impressive, features of the proceedings was Hi.-. Excellency's command to those assembled to hare their heads and givt three cheers for the King. With one voice the crowd enthusiastically professed its loyalty to the new King, the salvo of cheers being a titling climax to the. inspiring ceremony. His Excellency then returned to Government House.

Special accommodation was provided on the steps of the buildings for members of Parliament, Ipcal body representatives, and members of foreign consulates and others, while the members ol the official party were seated with the Governor on the dais. This included the Prime Minister and Ministers of the Crown,, the Speaker of the House ol Representatives, Sir Francis Bell, the Chief Justice, church dignitaries, and the Mayor of Wellington.

A peal of 10 bells sounded from the national carillon during the firing of the salute.

The proclamation of the accession of Edward VIIT, as read by the Governor, has been issued in the form of an extraordinary Gazette. CONCOURSE AT AUCKLAND An Auckland message says that 20,000 citizens listened to the reading of the proclamation this morning in front of the Town Hall. Queen street and the radiating thoroughfares were closely packed with cage) faces. All vantage points were crowded, such as window ledges, safety ladders, roofs and verandatops. Color was lent to the gathering by the presence of the guard of honor provided by the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, ihe New Zealand Artillery, and the New Zealand Air. Force in •eroinoniiil uniforms, currying fixed bayonets, and by the presence on the platform of the Mayor in his robes jf office. Commodore the Hon. 10. If. Drumniond', representing the Navy, f'olonel J. K. Duigan, officer commanding the Northern Command, and .Major L. M. Lsin, coinmaiuung the Hobsonville Air Base, and other officers were in ceremonial dress.

Willi the official party was Lady Gahvay accompanied by a lady-in-waiting and the former's children. Also on ihi' platform were members of Parliament, the consular corps, the City Council, and other official representatives.

The proclamation was impressively read by the Mayor, Mr Ernest Davis, as ihe Town Hall clock struck eleven. Synerhonisiiig with the speech, every Hag in Queen street was raised to the masthead .and, in the following silence, there rang out the voices of officers giving military commands and ihe detonations of the Royal salute tired by the Dovonport Naval Base and artillery on the waterfront.

The National Anthem was played by tin.' Municipal Band, the crowd joining heartily in the singing, after which cheers were enthusiastically given (or His Majesty King Edward' VIII. The crowd, in dispersing, completely blocked traffic in Queen street A silent crowd of 4000 people assembled outside the City Council Chambers in Ohri.stehiii'ch to hear the reading oi the proclamation bv the Mayor, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan. On the stroke of 11 o'clock- Hags were mastheaded and the proclamation was read. Buglers sounded the royal salute and the crowd joined in singing the National Anthem and the ceremony concluded with cheers for King Edward VIII.

The proclamation was read in Dnnedm from Hie Town Hall steps at 11 o'clock lo a crowd of several thousands. It was preceded by a fanfare bv n regimental bugle band' and was followed bv the National Anthem played Ivy the Mounted Rifles Band and joined in with by llie crowd. Amongst those on 'the flap-strewn dais were the Mayor, the Rev. R. T. Cox. Colonel S. P.' C. Niebolls. Officer Commanding the Southern Command, Mr. Justice Kennedy, and Sir James Allen, who was Defence Minister during the (beat War. All business was closed for two hours and all flags were elevated to the truck. Under favorable weather conditions at. Timarti the proclamation ceremony was carried out in Si George's place in the presence of an immense gathering of citizens. The proclamation was read by the Mayor. Mr. T. YV.. Watterthwaite.