ROBES WORN AT CORONATION

Southland Times, Issue 23553, 6 July 1938, Page 4

ROBES WORN AT CORONATION

DISPLAY CANCELLED AT GORE EXHIBIT ARRIVES EARLY IN INVERCARGILL

Because no suitable hall was available at Gore the display there of the Coronation robes worn by their Majesties the King and Queen and Princesses Margaret Rose and Elizabeth has been cancelled and the robes and regalia, carried by two special motor-lorries arrived in Invercargill last evening—two days early. The exhibit, safely housed in the motor-lorries, spent last

evening in the yard of the city police station. Although no hall has yet been chosen, it is expected that the display will open in Invercargill this evening and be continued all day tomorrow. The display was to have been held in the Victoria Hall, but when Mrs M. Murray Fuller, the representative of the Government travelling with the robes, was told that the hall was on a first floor she said it would not be possible to take the packing cases—some of which weigh two tons and a-half—-upstairs. The town clerk (Mr W. F. Sturman) is now endeavouring to secure a centrally-situated hall for the display- , . , “Because of the very short notice and the rearrangement of dates,” said Mrs Murray Fuller, “this will not be an easy matter, but it is hoped that a hall vhich is at present engaged may _be vacated on this occasion—an exceptional one.”

The Princess Theatre had been engaged for the display at Gore but it was discovered yesterday afternoon by those in charge of the exhibit that because of the immense size of the packing cases it would have been impossible to gain access to the theatre. Other halls in Gore, the Methodist hall and the Band hall, were inspected but it was found that these halls were too small. The Theatre Royal, the only other big hall in the town was not available. The Princess Theatre had been prepared by the Borough Council for the display, the majority of the seats having been removed, and had the doors been in a better position the theatre would have been quite suitable. An endeavour is now to be made, to arrange for residents of Gore to visit the exhibition at Invercargill. Arrangements will also be made for school children to attend the display.