EVENTS WITHIN THE DOMINION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 813, 10 May 1910, Page 8

EVENTS WITHIN THE DOMINION.

TO-DAY'S CEREMONIES.

THE READING QF THE PROCLAMATION. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Citizens are invited to attend the reading, at Parliament .House at noon to-day, of the proclamation relating to the accession of King George V. Tho ceremony will take place from the steps of the old Parliament Building as it is better suited for the purpose than the steps of the new Parliament Building. His Excellency the Governor (Lord Plunkct) will not be well enough to attend. It is notified that the public are invited to observe a holiday to-day from 11 a.m. till 1 p.m. The proclamation, which will be read by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph' Ward), will be as under:— PLUNKET, Governor. , ORDER IN COUNCIL. At the Government Buildings, at Wellington, this ninth day of May, 1910. Present: The Right Hon: Sir J. G. Ward, K.C.M.G., presiding in. Council. His Excellency the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand, acting by and with tho advice of the Executive Council, doth hereby approve of tho Proclamation set out in the Schedule hereto with respect to the accession of His Majesty King George the' Fifth, and doth direct that the following formalities. be observed in connection therewith: — t (1.) That tho Proclamation be publicly road in the front of the Parliamentary Buildings at twelve noon To-day. (2.) That in the case of-public buildings all flags bo mastheaded from twelve until sunset To-day and thereafter be at halfmast until after the funeral of his late Majesty. (3.) That in tho case of ; other than public buildings, and of ships, the observance of the last preceding clause bo requested on the part of the public. (4.) That the public be requested to observe a holiday between the hours of eleven a.m. and one p.m. ' To-day. . SCHEDULE. A Proclamation. Whereas it has pleased Almighty. God to call to His'inercy our late Sovereign • rii King E dward tho Seventh, of blessed and glorious memory, by whose decease tne Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and all other his late Majesty's dominions is solely and rightfully come to the High and Mighty Prince George Frederick Ernest Albert: We, .therefore, William Lee, Baron rhmket, the Governor, of, tho.Dominion of New Zealand, Joseph Georgo Ward, a member of his late Majesty's Privy Council, 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 ministers of religion, mayors, chairmen and members of local bodies, aud numerous other representative European and . Maori citizens here present, do now hereby, with one full voice and consent of tongue and heart, publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Prince George Frederick Ernest Albert is now by the death of our late Sovereign of happy and glorious memory become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Georgo the Fifth, by the grace of God, King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, Supreme Lord in and over the Dominion of New Zealand and its dependencies,' to whom we do acknowledge all faith and constant obedienco with, all hearty and humble affectjon, beseeching God, by whom kings and queens do reign, to bless the Royal Prince George the Fifth with long and happy years to reign over us. Given at Wellington, in the Dominion of New Zealand, this tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ten, J. (t. WARD. J. F. ANDREWS, Clerk of the Executive Council. God Save tho Kingl Absence of the Governor. Referring to the fact that his Excellency the Governor would be unable to attend the ceremony the Prime Minister, speaking to a Dominion reporter last night, said he felt sure all would regret that such was the case. The function would ,bo to his Excellency one of great importance—it would have sad associations as well as happy ones. The replacement of King Edward. by his son to-day was a' history-making event. It was reassuring to know that his Excellency was improving in health, and ho was quite sure he had the best' wishes of tho whole country for his early restoration to robust health. To tho Mayors of all cities and boroughs, ' and the chairmen of all county councils, road boards and town boards, the Prime Minister telegraphed yesterday as follows:—, "I forward you herewith copy of Order-in-Council and also copy of a proclamation which is to be read on the steps of Parliament House at noon to-morrow (Tuesday). I shall bo glad if. you will fall in with the formalities to bo observed, and also if you will read tho proclamation to tho public in your town at tho samo hour as at. Wellington. (Signed) J. G. Ward." Had it been possible to have given longer notico regarding the proclamation it would have been done, but immediate action was taken on the receipt of the cable containing the proclamation from tho British Government, "The King Never Dies!" Touching upon the death of King Edward, tho Prime Minister remarked to a Dominion reporter as follows last night:—

"I would like to say that it strikes liome to all of us the saying that the King never dies when it comes to looking at tho position from the practical standpoint of the' carrying on of'tho great affairs of the British Empire, over which the monarch presides. When tho proclamation of tho accession of King Georgo V iB read to-morrow (Tuesday) in accordance with precedent, the flags which to-day are half-mast high out of rcspect to tho memory of tho lato King, will then bo hoisted to tho masthead and remain there till sunset, and on the following morning they will resume their position at half-mast. This gives a singular evidence of tho saying that in the midst of life we . are in death inasmuch as the living King is to-morrnw by this emblem civon full

recognition of the joy of the people at his accession, and when the day is over the loss in tho great dead is again affirmod by the same emblem being placed at a diiferent position on tho mast. So as I say wo have a practical demonstration of the' King living for ever) and the opportunity given to the people to pay respect and homage to the new monarch, and, so to speak, immediately afterwards join with their new King in the sadness occasioned by the death of his great predecessor in office —his father."

The Military Arrangements. All officers of the Garrison—of the Permanent Staff, volunteer units, and of the active list (unattached) —are requested to attend the. official proclamation ceremonial at Parliament Houso to-day. Officers will be in attendance at 11.45 a.m., and will wear full dress, with official mourning. The Royal New Zealand Artillery jvill furnish the guard, and also the firing party at the Pipitea Battery, whore a Royal salute of 21 guns will bo fired. Officers commanding the various units are requested to keep in touch with tho District Adjutant (Captain R. 0. Chesnoy) with regard to any instructions which may be required with regard to further ceremonials. District orders by Lieut.-Colonel A. Bauchop, C.M.G., Officer Commanding j P ls^ issued yesterday, announced tho observance to bo followed by the forces in connection with the period of official mourning for his lafe Majesty King Edward VII. These were published in The Dominion yesterday. A NAVAL CEREMONY. PROCLAMATION READ ON H.M.S. PIONEER. ■ (By Telcsraoh—Press Association.) Auckland, May 9. Whenever a British Sovereign ascends the throne the proclamation of the new monarch is read by tho commander of each of his Majesty's war vessels- which are all extra territorial and integral portions of the British Empire. In accordance with this custom Commander Blunt, of H.M.S. Pioneer, now: at Queen Street Wharf, this morning read the proclamation to the crow of the vessel. Meanwhile the 68 guns, as of res P ect <t*> tho memory of the dead Sovereign, were booming from the maini deck at minute intervals. A large number of people assembled at the wharf whilst the Mayor, the Hon. Geo. Fowlds, and Dr. Findlay, Mr. Justice towards, and several prominent citizens went on the vessel. Commander iMUnt having read the proclamation, the ship s flag was hoisted to the staffhead, /ii°- V" sounded the admiral's salute (this being in lieu of the first bars of the National v Anthem, no band being present), arms were presented, and a R<iyal salute of 21 guns firaJ. The admiral s salute was again sounded, ihe assembled sailors, troops, dignitaries, and citizens gave three rousing cheers for his Majesty King George V, and, the guests of the vessel adjourned the commander's cabin, cm™* 0 il r .' nls „ tllo time-honoured toast of "Tho King.