NEW KING PROCLAIMED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 23 January 1936, Page 4

NEW KING PROCLAIMED

GISBORNE GATHERING A SIMPLE CEREMONY BIG CROWD ASSEMBLES The ceremony of reading the proclamation of the new King in Gisborne was in very simple form. The whole gathering took only a few minutes. A fanfare of trumpets was sounded, and the proclamation was read. The audience sang the first two verses of "God Save The King." and then dispersed. The original arrangement to read the proclamation from the balcony of the Borough Council Chambers was abandoned in view of rlie heavy rain. The deputy-Mayor, Cr. H. Holmes, therelore, readily agreed to the offer of the use of the King's Theatre for the gathering. The manager, Mr. J. M. Downie, offered to make all the necessary arrangements, including the playing oi the fanfare of trumpets and the National. Anthem, and also the screening of a picture of His Majesty, King Edward VIII. These arrangements went forward without a hitch, and, despite the short notice with which the gathering was arranged, the theatre was nearly filled to capacity. The crowd commenced to assemble' shortly after 10.30 o'clock, and included "'""ig and old, many arriving in rain-drenched coats. The gathering was representative of all walks of life. Businessmen of the town carried out the request of the Government, and closed their doors between 10 o'clock and noon, and this action enabled large numbers to attend the historic ceremony.

The ceremony commenced sharp on the stroke of 11 o'clock. At that moment, (he deputy-May or, borough councillors, the town clerk and representatives of military forces took the platform. Those present, were the deputy-Mayor, Cr. H. Holmes; Crs. D. S. Thompson, Cr. Bradlev Smith, N. H. Bull, P. W. Bushnell, H. M. DeCosla, and J. H. Hall; the town clerk, Mr. W. M. Jenkins: Colonel R. F. Gambrill, representing the military forces; Major A. Blackburn, Hawke's Bay Regiment; Lieut. R.. H. Perrett, M.C., the New Zealand staff. THE! PROCLAMATION

Immediately the officials on the stage took their places, trumpets were sounded by the motion picture sound mechanism The deputy-Mayor, in the absence of the Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., who is in "Wellington, then rose, and read the proclamation, as follows: — "Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God to call to His mercy

our late Sovereign Lord King George the Fifth, of blessed and glorious memory, by whose decease the Imperial Crown of Great Britain, Ireland and all other of his late Majesty's Dominions is solely and rightfully come to the high and mighty Prince Edward Albert Christian George Andrew* Patrick David.

"We, therefore, George Vere Arundel, Viscount G,al\vay, the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, Michael Joseph Savage, Prime Minister of the said Dominion, and the members of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, assisted by members of both .Houses, of the General Assembly, judges and magistrates, ministers of religion, mayors, .chairmen and members of local bodies, .and numerous other representative European and Maori citizens here present, do now hereby, with one voice and consent of tongue and heart, publish and proclaim that the high and mighty Prince Edward Albert Christian George AndrewPatrick David is now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Edward the Eighth, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, to whom we do acknowledge all faith and constant obedience, with all hearty ana humble affection, beseeching God, by Whom kings and queens qo reign, to bless the Royal Prince Edward the Eighth with long and happy years to reign over us. "Given at Wellington in the Dominion of New Zealand, this twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and thirty-six." (Signed.) GALWAY, Governor-General. M. J. SAVAGE. P. ERASER. W. NASH. D. G. SULLIVAN. H. G. R, MASON. H. T. ARMSTRONG. W. E. PARRY. , F. JONES. W. LEE MARTIN. PRANK LANGSTONE. MARK PAGAN-. MICHAEL MYERS, C.J. P. H. D. BELL. A. T. NGATA. "God Save the King."

The gathering rose at the mention of the name of the late King, and stood throughout the reading of the remainder of the proclamation. There was no dem. onstration at the conclusion, those present no doubt being touched by the death of King George only two days ago and possibly believing that an outburst of enthusiasm might be irreverent so soon after the sad occasion.

However, they were given no longer interval for reflection, The lights were suddenly dimmed, the curtains on the stage parted and the strains of the National Anthem swelled forth from the speaking apparatus At the same time, a picture of King Edward VIII was flashed upon the screen. Two verses of the National Anthem were sung heartily, This concluded the ceremony, and the large gathering immediately dispersed, going out into the drenching rain by the various exits.

HEADING AT TE KARAKA GATHERING IN SCHOOL The proclamation was read at Te Karaka by Mr. C. Mills, chairman of the Te Karaka Town Board. He did so on behalf of both the Town Board and the Waikohu County Council, in the unavoidable absence of the County Council chairman, Mr. A. A. Fraser. Despite the heavy rain, the. gathering was a representative one, and those present listened intently to the contents of the proclamation, as it was read slowly and clearly bv Mr. Mills.