THE KING'S FETE TO SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14521, 17 August 1911, Page 7

THE KING'S FETE TO SCHOOL CHILDREN.

A WONDROUS FUNCTION. . FOOR ARMIES OF 30,C00 CHILDREN. TRIUMPH OF ORGANISATION. The history of the Crystal Palace, or indeed the history of modern Royal functions, would bo searched m vain for an episode more bewildering to the eye or ear than that of yesterday (states the London "Daily News" of July 1). As a Royal garden party it eclipsed all functions of its kmd by its vasuietiSj in the bounuless enthusiasm of its guests, anu its imiuite .variety-oi colour. It was a grea.t feast ior smau children, uina wruch none oi the public wtro to gaze, unci bu:. ior a lew journalists wiio. waudeieU amazed and thrilled through rue liowmg streams of children, a wonderful cuapevr in the great Coronation book Would have parsed untold. To transport 100,000 ch.ldr.en without &n aci-juent. and w.thoiu any appreciable loss of t.aie, xo paiade ih-cm before their Majesties hi sudi a wuv that alt bad a glimpse of their Kf.yal lio-r, and to feed tnem w.th ions of cakes aud buns arid lemonade till every little appetite w:is satisfied wis a real trinmiih of generalship, of which oven a aamed miLtary organiser might be proud. ARTISTIC ORGANISATION. There is some g. ii_ius on the King's Committee who uuuerstauds how to rr.arsball similarly dieted schoolchildren in an artistic fashion, 'iiie scene in tile grounds a few minutes before the Royal Standard was unfurled was one of surprising beauty. It was not the natural beauty of trees' or flowers or sloping lawns, but the beauty of organised armies of boys and girls, sections of whom wc;e ■ wearing •the samei coloured caps cr tlie same shaped hats trimmed with muslin of the same hue. Wave npon wave of the ringing music of happy children's voices broke open tfe Sydenham slopes when the Tv J Ttr. and Queen drove in an open carriage into the grounds from the North Tower Gardens. Their Majesties' lore of little ones is well-known, and they brought with them three of their own children— trie Prince of Wales, who carriied a souvenir of the Garden Party under his arm, Princess Mary, who "had on a pint dress, and little Prince George, in a sailor suit, who seemed completely overawed by the

sight of so many children. so coles.-ul was the garden party that the quests hud to be drawn up in four gmantiv armies of 25.000 on tuo Empire Terraces, ou the Pageant ground, the si>orts ground, and the football ground. The K. ng and Queen stepped out of their carriage at the top of the Avenue of Empire steps, which served as a kind of Olapham Junction to all the four places, <ind started on a memorable progress through lane after lane of vocifVaroua children. Hosto and guests came' face to face in a delightfully informal way. There were no uniformed soldiers or sailors keeping the route, and no barriers, nlthouzh. was a population greater than that of a busy town. Just n few policomem. stationed in places where