'GAYEST CITY IN EUROPE'

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 96, 10 May 1937, Page 7

'GAYEST CITY IN EUROPE'

Thousands Throng Streets of London (Received 10. 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 9. While their Majesties have diosen tho quietude of the Royal Lodge for spending the last week before th3 Coronation amid beautiful gardens, the greatest public party the world has ever known has begun its neleoracions in London. Saturday saw the higge^ pre-Ooro-nation crush yet experienced. xn addition to shiploads of foreigneis and people from overseas, scores of tvains brougjht thousands of provincial day trippers besides 3000 motor coaches laden with family parties and iuore thousands of people from Lauoashire and Yorkshire to see the Rug'oy fnal, these filling in the time touring the Coronation route. West End was almost impassable in the, afternoon, the traffic being repeatedly brought to a standstill. The restaurants were packed, while thousands bought supplies and picnicked on the stands along the route. By nightfall it was estimated there were a million sightseers- There has been no scenes approaching these since the amazing demonstrations of loyalty at George Y's jubilee. Trafalgar Square and the surrounding streets were chocked at a iate hour with . the slow moving traffic. Special coustables patrolled the kerbs in an attempt to keep the crowds to the pavements. The river Thames also knew one of the busiest nights in its history. All the river steamers were packed with spectators seeing fche decorations along the waterway. When darkness fell the lights flashed and London became the gayest city in Europe.