GIRL GUIDES PLAN MESSAGE OF LOYALTY FOR KING AND QUEEN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 29, 18 February 1937, Page 11

GIRL GUIDES PLAN MESSAGE OF LOYALTY FOR KING AND QUEEN

Girl Guides from all parts Of the Dominion are: to arrange for the circulation throughout New Zealand of a message of loyalty to be despatcEed to Their Majesties, King George VI. and Queen Elizabeth, in time for the Coronation in May. ' Discussing the propoisal the Auckland Provincial Commissioner, Mrs R. J. Coates, said the idea originated at ii conference of commissioners in Wellington last November. The organisation of the scheme was placed in the hands of the Nelson Provincial Commissioner, Miss E. Gray, and the text of the message Would be decided by the Chief Commissioner for New Zealand, Miss H. R. Herrick, of Napier, in conjunction with other high officials of the movement. A map of New Zealand marked with the route over which the message is to be taken was being prepared by the District Commissioner for Geraldine, Miss J. Orf ord. The scheme would probably be commenced from Government House, . in Wellington, by Her Excellency, Lady Galway, said Mrs Coates, and the message would then be conveyed throughout the North Island by individual guides. It was intended that as many guides as possible should handle the message, and it was hoped b'y this means to give them a personal interest in the expression of loyalty from New Zealand Girl Guides. The message would be conveyed from one centre to another by guides on foot, on bicycle and by private car. In country districts, it might even be conveyed from one eompany to another by guides on horseback. The message was due to reach Auckland on April 2, the commissioner continued, 'and every endeavour was being made to adhere stric,tly to the schedule. When the message arrives. in Auckland it will be conveyed throughout the subnrbs by girls on foot, each running a hundred yards or sn. Wherever there is a borough conncil, the mayor will be asked to afSx the mayoral seal, while the message also will be imprinted with the arms of each province.- It will'be rowed across the Manukau Harbour by sea rangers. When the message has been circulated in the North Island it will be conveyed across Cook Strait by air and will then be similarly distributed throughout the South Island. Eventually it will be returned to Government House for despatch to Their Majesties. Officials of the movement were leaving as much as possible to the guidea themselves, Mrs 'Coates concluded, and it had been decided that adults should take only a very minor part in the organisation of the scheme, the intention being to make the Coronation live long in the memories of the girls who had handled the mes'sage of lovalty.