A REMARKABLE SUNDAY.

Wairarapa Age, 7 May 1935, Page 3

A REMARKABLE SUNDAY.

JUBILEE PREPARATIONS IN LONDON. HUGE CROWDS ASSEMBLING. DISPLAYS BY EMPIRE OFFICES, LONDON, May 5. To-day is a brilliant midsummer day; The meteorologists still stick to their forecast of fine and warm weather for to-morrow. London was transformed to-day. It was not the least like a normal sabbath, when there is quiet between daylight and midnight. Every man, woman, and child resident in Greater London f s suburbs, reinforced by thousands of country cousins, poured into the area bounded by St. Paul’s Cathedral in the east, Hyde Park Corner in the west, the Marble Arch in the north, and Victoria Station in the south. There has been no Sunday like it in living memory. From dawn family parties in decorated cars began to arrive determined to see the whole of the central decorated area in the comparative peace. Thereafter every pavement became increasingly thronged. Every one of Britain’s many dialects was heard. It was a good-hutnoured, slow-moving crowd of family parties. To-morrow night the world’s greatest city will burst into full brilliance when 150 buildings will be flood-lit from 9.15 o’clock until midnight. The decorations have turned each roadway into a rainbow.

The Empire officers make notable displays. The New Zealand flag with the Southern Cross decorates the office of that Dominion surmounting two striking enlargements with the heads aslant of the greenstone Maori charm known as the tiki “Pounamu. ”

Trains and trams are arriving all today packed with sightseers. The concourse began to assemble at 6 a.m. at Buckingham Palace to witness the Welsh Guards '‘changing the Guard,” traditional with pomp and splendour. They were rewarded at & by a sight of the King as he passed on his way to breakfast an open window on the first floor. Soon the stream of cars along the Mall was brought to a standstill filling the stretch from Admiralty Arch to the Victoria Memorial with 3000 vehicles. The police therefore closed the Mall and Constitution Hill until after the Guard had been changed. PICNICS IN THE PARKS, The crowd of 50,000 people, after witnessing the changing of the Guard surged to St. James’s Park for an alfresco picnic. The routine within the Palace was continued undisturbed. Their Majesties attended service in the chapel. Later the Lord Chamberlain, equerries, other officials, finally conferred regarding the arrangements for tomorrow. London’s population became denser and denser as the day closed. His Majesty, learning of the immense crowd? in the streets, ordered that Hyde Park be left open all night for pedestrians; The Cenotaph was not forgotten, thousands passing in single file. As the day continued the crowd became denser and denser. Hawkers ii every street sold flags of red, white, and blue, button-holes, and favours, ice creams and soft drinks. Vehicular traffic was reduced to a walking pace, with many stops. Many folk brought sandwiches and thermos flasks with them, and picnicked in Hyde Park and St. James’s Park. LABOUR DEMONSTRATION. To add to the difficulties of the police, 40,000 Labour demonstrators march from north, south, east and west with bands to their assembly point in Hyde Park. Seven hundred foot, mounted, and motor cycle police shepherded them through the streets. The speakers used six lorries as platforms and passed a resolution in favour of international Socialism, disarmament, and Collective security. The only interruption was organised heckling by Communists.

The crowd outside Buckingham Palace to-night caught sight of their Majesties going to dinner. Later, when the King and Queen went out on the balcony they were greeted by tumultuous cheering. His Majesty to-night, learning that many people were proposing to spend the night in the streets, ordered that Hyde Park be kept open all night long in order to provide some place to rest. St. Paul’s Cathedral was beseiged with visitors all day long. Every seat was occupied at the three services, throughout which sightseers reverently moved around the building. Interest naturally centred in the special chairs their Majesties and other Royalties will use.

This morning the first ticket-holder in one of the stands along the route arrived to take her 6eat. She was a Birmingham woman, and went into her seat at 10 this morning, armed with provisions and prepared for a 24-hours wait. She says that the seat cost her ,a lot of thought, and she will not take fcny chances.