CORONATION PARTY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 28, 17 February 1937, Page 6

CORONATION PARTY

38 £x-Servicemen Nominated by H.B. BALLOT AT WELLINGTON The names of 38 ex-servicemen have been forwarde.d by the various E.S.A, branehes in Hawke's Bay for participation in the preliminary ballot to select the contingent of New Zealand exservicemen to represent the Dominion at the Coronation. The ballot, which is expected to take place at Wellington at the end of this week, is being conducted by the Dominion headquarters of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers ' Association in conjunetion with the Defenee and Pensions Departments. The Hawke's Bay quota of 38 is made up of 16 applicants put forward by the Hastings R.S.A., 10 by Napier, livo by Waipukurau, one by Taradale and six by Waipawa. Nominations closed yesterday throughout the province, it being necessary for the lists to reach Wellington first thing this morning for participation in the ballot. From the many hundreds of applicants — possibly the total will for the Dominion run into four figures — 10 civilian ex-servicemen, including one Maori and one South African Waf veteran, will be chosen to form part of the military contingent of 50 men, A further 15 ex-servicemen are being selected by the Defenee Department from those serving in the Territorial forces. A recent circular sent ont by the Dominion headquarters of the R.S.A. said that the first essential to -remember was that the contingent was to be the piek of New Zealand ex-servicemen and theref ora those selected had to be of tJ»e highest calibre in every possible way. For Great War ex-servicemen 55 years was the age limit eet, unless the applicant was of "outstanding physical merit. The age limlt pertaining to South African War veterans was ^ to be governed more by physical merit. It was stipulated also that ©very applicant had to be of good appearance and behaviour, Fear that ex-servicemen travelling overseas at their own expense to attend the Coronation will experience some difficulty in obtaining seating accommodation for the "ceremony ahd " procession is dispelled by an assurance from Dominion headquarters that a definite spaee has been obtained for New Zealand returned soldiers by the High Commissicner, Mr W. J. Jordan. The names of those who have applied for seats have been forwarded to Mr Jordan, and it is understood there will be ample accommodation. Assistance in obtaining boarding accommodation is being given by the British Empire Service League.