LATE KING GEORGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20327, 28 January 1936, Page 12

LATE KING GEORGE

BOROUGH COUNCIL TRIBUTE MEETING ADJOURNED “That the Timaru Borough Council convey to his Excellency the Governor-General the deepest sympathy of the citizens of Timaru at the death of their beloved Sovereign, King George V., and their respectful sympathy with her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family in their bereavement. The citizens of Timaru affirm their loyalty to the Throne and trust that his Majesty King Edward VIII. may be spared to enjoy a long and happy reign.” In moving the above resolution at a meeting of the Timaru Borough Council last night, the Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite) said that the Council was meeting that night under the shadow of great national bereavement, and it was his sad duty to express the deep sorrow that they all felt at the death of the late beloved Sovereign King George V., a monarch who was held in the highest esteem, respect and affection by his subjects throughout the Empire. The simplicity of his life, the dignity and gentleness of his demeanour, the close interest and sympathy with all that affected the welfare of his subjects, the courage, wisdom and firmness with which he handled delicate affairs of State, and the splendid example he showed during the Great War in sharing the sacrifices met by the nation, showed him to be not only a great ruler, but one of whom it could be said more truly than had ever been said before, that he was the first gentleman in Europe. During his reign the Empire passed through serious vicissitudes, and its ruler was faced with the greatest crisis that had ever confronted a monarch or a nation, a crisis which only served to establish the Throne more deeply in the affection of the people. “That his thoughts were ever with the Empire was evinced by one of his last recorded utterances, when, on his death-bed, he inquired as to the welfare of the Empire,” said the Mayor. “Our heartfelt sympathies are with his gracious Consort, who, as Queen, wife and mother, has set a standard which can never be surpassed.” “Fought a Good Fight” The Deputy-Mayor (Cr. P. B. Foote), in seconding the motion, said that he could add but little to what had been said by the Mayor. They could say, however, that the King was a good soldier; he fought a good fight, and he had gone to his rest. Their sympathies were more with the living; with the Queen, who had undoubtedly borne her share during the heat and burden of what had been a terrible day. She was a worthy Consort of a worthy King, and the whole Empire sympathised with her in her loss. The new King, Edward VIII., was the son of a worthy King and Queen, and it was largely due to their kindly lives and training that they had handed on to the nation a new King who, they were satisfied, would carry on the traditions of the British Empire, the traditions of previous British Kings and, he might even say, the traditions of his illustrious parents. Humanitarian Characteristics Cr. A. S. Kinsman said that although he regretted the necessity of the resolution, he was glad to have the privilege of associating himself with it. To those who were privileged to look back over the last half century, and appreciate the marvellous humanitarian characteristics possessed by those monarchs who had occupied the Throne of Great Britain during those years, they could not wonder why tre present King Edward VIII inherited the necessary qualifications which would enable him to become a great and good King. Queen Victoria anounced to her people on her accession, “I’ll be good” a promise which was faithfully kept during her record reign. Then there was King Edward VII, who was rightly named “Edward the Peacemaker,” and although the reign of the late beloved King George V was associated with the tragedy of war and economic terror, it marked the greatest period of progress recorded in v’ie world’s history. King George was loved by his own people throughout the length and breadth of the British Commonwealth. He was the great central figure in the national brotherhood. He was spared to reach the allotted span, and he died at peace with the world, and a last anxious inquiry “How is it with the Empire?” All regretted his passing, but they realised that “the autumn leaves must fall” and they felt sure that the earnest prayer of the people of Timaru was that “He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb” would comfort and sustain the King, the Queen Mother, and all the Royal Family in the hours of extreme sorrow. The resolution was carried in s’lence, all members standing, and the Council then adjourned for two weeks as a-mark of respect to the memory of the late King.

RECOGNITION OF FUNERAL

TWO MINUTES SILENCE AT 11 AM. TO-DAY By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, January 27. In accordance with an announcement already made, recognition of the funeral of King George to-morrow will be confined to two minutes silence, which will be observed at 11 a.m. The Courts of Justice and Government offices will be open for business tomorrow. The hour at which the two minutes silence will begin will, in the main centres, be signalled by the b oming of a gun, and at the end of two i linutes another gun will sound. Immediately the period of silence ends bells will ring as at the first announcement of the King’s death in 70 one minute muffled peals. The Broadcast Board will announce the hour of 11 a.m. by the chiming of the foir quarters without the strokes cf the hour, and at the end of the two minutes silence Chopin’s “Funeral March” will be broadcast. Some curiosity has been expressed as to why 11 a.m. should be the hour at which the two minutes silence is to be observed in New Zealand to-morro v, as 1.30 p.m. is the hour fixed in Britain. It is explained that the ceremony of observing the two minutes silence at that time is one to which the community has become accustomed as a result of tl Armistice Day practice and, moreover, it is the hour at which the majority of people are able to honour a short period of silence adequately. The Wellington City Council, at a special meeting placed on record the deep regret of citizens at the death of King George V and profound sympathy with the Royal family. LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS At the request of the Prime Minister, and in accordance with the expressed desire of liis Majesty King

Edward VIII. a two minutes’ silence will be observed in Timaru at 11 o’clock this morning, to mark the burial of the late King George V. Precisely at 11 o’clock a fire siren will be sounded as a warning of the commencement of the silence, and at the conclusion of the two minutes a short blast of the siren will be sounded. Following this the main bell of the town clock will be tolled 70 times, each toll representing a year of the late King’s life.

TROTTING CLUB’S TRIBUTE

“You will agree with me that our club should join other Associations in expressing our sorrow at the death of our well-loved sovereign, George V.” said Mr John Hole, president of the Timaru Trotting Club at last night’s meeting of the committee. “Not only was he a father of his people and a good and wise King, but he was a good sportsman, he having owned and raced some fine horses,” added Mr Hole. “Our deepest sympathy goes out to our beloved Queen and the Royal family in their sad hour. We also wish to express our loyalty to his Majesty King Edward VIII. and hope he will long be spared to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious father. God Save the King.” The meeting stood in silence as a mark of respect.

A CROWDED CHURCH

MAYOR UNABLE TO FIND A SEAT By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, January 27. Because of the unexpectedly large congregation which attended the memorial service to King George in St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral on Sunday, the Mayor of Wellington (Mr T. C. A. Hislop) and Mrs Hislop did not find seats. Accordingly they left the church before the service began. Reference to the incident was made oy the Mayor at the conclusion of a special meeting of the City Council to-day. “I got to church ten minutes before the service was due to commence,’’ said Mr Hislop. “There was some difficulty about accommodation, and we were unable to get further than the door on account of the crowd. Other members of the city council were there also and, similarly, were unable to find seats. We were all anxious to pay our respects to the memory of the Fing, but could not get in. I had no course left but to go away." CHRISTIAN SCIENCE SERVICES At the Christian Science Church on Sunday the following cable message received from the Christian Science Board of Directors in Boston, was read: “King George V of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions beyond the seas, Emperor cf India, has passed away, greatly beloved of people of his Empire. When in 1901 our leader asked the first members of the Mother Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, to convene for the sacred purpose of expressing our deep sympathy with the bereaved Nation, its loss, and the world’s loss in the sudden departure of the late lamented Victoria, she spoke c' the Queen as ‘long honoured, revered, beloved.’ (Miscellany). How aptly her words apply to the Sovereign who has just passed away from the scene of his earthly labours. The love of every Christian Scientist goes out to his Queen greatly beloved as he himself was, to his family, and to the whole British people. And they pray for Edward, Prince of Wales, who now reigns in his father’s stead, that as King Edward VIII divine wisdom and love will pilgrimage with him and support him throughout all the years of his reign.”