CORONATION DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1160, 22 June 1911, Page 4

CORONATION DAY.

TO-DAY'S CELEBRATIONS IN WELLINGTON. A" WET OR FINE" PROGRAMME. Rain or shine, the Wellington celebrations in honour of the Coronation of his Majesty King Georgo V will bo carried out to-day, alternative programmes having been drawn up to suit circumstances. The "fine weather" programme of events has already been published in detail in The Dominion". Briefly, it is as follows:— 0 a.m.: Votive Mass at the Basilica. 10 a.m.: Service at St. John's, Willis Street. 10.15 a.m.: Servico at St. Paul's ProCathedral, at which his Excellency the Governor will bo present. 10.45 a.m.: Procession (civil and military), marshalled outside the Basin Heserve. '11.30 a.m.: Troops drawn up in reviow order at Newtown Park. Noon: Inspection by his Excellency, march past, speeches, etc. 1.5 p.m.: Assemblage disperses. Afternoon: Free picture shows for the children. Evening: Free concert at the Town Hall, and torchlight procession and tattoo by the military at Athletic Park. The Torchlight Tattoo. The detailed arrangements in connection with the military display in the evening aro as follow:— The procession will start from Government Buildings, Lambton Quay, forming up in Whitmore Street at 7 p.m., when torchlights and coloured lights will lie issued. Captain A. J. Cowles will bo in complete chargo of the procession, which will march to Athletic Park, via Lambton Quay, Willis Street, Cuba Stret, Vivian Street, Kent Terrace, Adelaide Road, and Rintoul Street. On arrival at the Athletic Park tlio band and drums of the Fifth Regiment, accompanied by the Wellington Pipe Band, "B" Company of the Fifth Regiment, and other corps will tako up their position on the further side of the grand stand. The Tramways Band, accompanied by details from other companies and corps, will remain in tlio hollow behind the steps near the turnstiles. The signal for the commencement of the programme will be the firing of one rocket. A spectacular representation of the Battle of Waterloo will be given. At the. conclusion, tho Garrison buglers will line up facing tho stand and sound the "Last Post," All troops will then be formed up, facing tho grand stand, and will march past, headed by tho bands. After this the set-picco of their Majesties tho King and Queen will bo set off, and all remaining fireworks and blank ammunition expended. All present will then join in singing the National Anthem. The Alternative Programme. Should the weather bo unpropitious tho evening display will he postponed till Saturday, and tho mid-day ceremonies at the park will bo abandoned. The cadets, friendly societies, and members of tho general public as care to attend will assemble at the Town Hall, whore the speech-making will tako place. This wit) occupy a short period, after which the Vice-Kegal party, tho Acting-Primo Minister, and others will proceed to tho Garrison Hall, where similar speeches will be .delivered. In short, tho demonstration will be duplicated to meet the exigencies of the weather. In any event the church services will be held as arranged. Those who havo secured tickets for tho park enclosure will bo accordod similar privileges at-the-Garrison Hall and the Town Hall respectively. In the event of the renew and speecli'lii!iki'ng I !6t Nbwtfl'irt'Park being ed,'aiid'thoaltemalivo arrangements substituted, three guns will be fired from tho warships at 10 a.m., and a red flag flown at the Town.Hall. , The Decorations. So far as tho Government Buildings are concerned, tlio Government Insurance Buildings, the Public Trust Office, and a number of. post oilico buildings in tho country centres, the illuminations and decorations have been designed and carried out by the District Engineer's 6taff of the Public Works Department. In tho ease of the Railway Head Ollioes and tho General Post Office, tho illuminations and decorations havo been carried out by the staffs of theso two Departments. The decorations for the Government Buildings have been designed on an elaborate scale. Over the main vestibule there has been set up a large oil-painting of the King and Queen, tho product of the Public Works staff. On tho vestibule of tho left wing is displayed the national emblem of Ireland, while on the. right wing the Scottish flag is exhibited. The decorations have been supplemented by festooned standards erected all around the building. Along the whole front have been arranged several rows of white and coloured lights. Tho clock - and spandrils on the main pediment have also beem decorated and illuminated, .while tho Royal Arms havo been coloured and giltThe decorations on the. Public Trust Office of tho Government Lifo Office, generally speaking, partakes of tho characteristics of the buildings. That of tho Government Life Office is Gothic in style, and the Public Trust Office display is of the Italian Renaissance order. Tho Public Works Department has also been given tho task of illuminating and decorating tho main entrance of Government House. Hero and there in tho city business places have been decoratod in anticipation of to-day, and 60me illuminations will also add 'to (he general effect tonight. None of tho Government illuminations were shown last evening. A Word for the Boys. In view of tho recent wet weather, and tho certainty that tho ground at Newtown Park will be sodden, it is hoped that those in charge of to-day's ecremonjes will take steps to see that tho junior cadet battalions and boy scout troops are relieved as far as possible from the necessity of standing about on tlio wet grass for any length of timo. 'lhc wisdom of parading theso boys for such an occasion in the uncertain weather of midwinter has been questioned by a good many people. . Town Hall Concert. In the Town Hall this evening a concert has been arranged to take place, for which no charge will bo made for admission. The programme is published on the front page of this issue. Mr. Maughan Bavnett will conduct tho orchestra, and Messrs. R, Pnrkor, L. Watkins, and 11. limit will bo the choral conductors. Hie doors will open at 7.15 p.m. IN OTHER CENTRES. The Government will be represented at the Coronation celebrations in the different centres as tollows:-Wellingron, Sir James Carroll, the Hon. 1?. M Kcnzie, and the Hon. A. T. Ngata; Auckland, the Hon. G. Fowlds; Christchnrch, tho Hon. T. Mackenzie. , There will bo no Cabinet Minister at tho Dnnedin celebrations, as tho Hon. J. A. Millar, who was to have is indisposed. It is understood that the Hon. D. Buddo will Ijo at ICaiapoi. (By TclcEraph.-Specini Correspondents Wanganui, Juno 21. Largo numbers of people havo come into town from the country districts to view the Coronation eelobratiens, which will consist of religious services in the morning, parado by Territorials, and procession, followed by a demonstration in Cook's Gardens in tho afternoon, and a torchlight procession at night. Tho weather outlook is not very promising. (By Telegraph—Pres3 Association.) Gisborno, June 21. Extensive preparations aro being mado hero to celebrate tho Coronation.. Most of the shops and other buildings will bo illuminated and a monster procession, a fancy dress football match, and other festivities havo been arranged for. Auckland, Juno 21. , Auckland will present a gay appearance to-morrcw in celebration of tho Corona-

lion. A largo number of buildings in the principal streets aro nlrcad.v gaily decorated with greenery and bunting, and many are being festooned willi strings of electric lamps. _ Most of tho shops havo made special displays of goods, and the streets may l>e expected to present a brilliant appearance both by day and night. Tho day will bo observed as practically a close holiday, and nearly all business places, tho banks, Government and insurance offices will he"! closed. The troops of Auckland will parado at 9.-15 a.m., and will attend servico at various churches. Ailer service the troops will assemble in tho Domain, where they will be inspected by Colonel Wolfe, O.C.D. After a march past the troops will be addressed by tho Acting-Minister for Defence and the Mo.yor of Auckland. A muster of over 1000 "troops, including Territorials, Senior and Junior Cadets, and Boy Scouts, is expected. A royal salute of 101 guns will lx> fired at Albert Park at noon. The children of the city and suburban schools performed their part of tho Coronation celebrations this afternoon, and went through the ceremony of saluting the flag. In tho majority of cases tho Coronation medals issued by the Government. were subsequently distributed to tho children. The headmasters and members of school committees delivered appropriate addresses.