QUEEN ALEXANDRA’S FUNERAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1925, Page 2

QUEEN ALEXANDRA’S FUNERAL.

[Aastralia &■ N.Z. Cable Association.] SCENES AT THE ABREY. EONDON November 27. The interior of Westminster Abbey presented a wonderful contrast with the wintry conditions outside. Hundreds of distinguished personages, including Cabinet Ministers and ex-Min-isters. diplomats and the High Commissioners, in full levee dress, entered covered in snow. Notwithstanding the brilliant uniforms, black was the dominant tone, the women wearing the deepest mourning. The chief centre of colour was the coffin, which was a mass of gold and crimson. The women’s weeping made a most affecting scene’, when the service opened with the singing of " 1 Am the Resurrection and the Lite. King Geoige was a lone, grave figure, standing beside the coffin.

A pathetic incident was the arrival of a number of blind soldiers fiom St. Dunstan’s.

There was a tragic sequel to the funeral of Queen Alexandra, Canon We.xtlake. Custodian of the Ahhev, who participated in the funeral service, (lied suddenly this evening at his residence within the Abbey precincts. Memorial services for Queen Alexandra were held in churches, schools, and hospitals throughout the Empire. Thousands of' people in the Mother Country were unable to leave their homes, but participated in a service broadcasted from Canterbury Cathedral. Business in the various exchanges anil a.t the law courts was at a standstill during the Abbey ceremony and many shops and business houses closed. Black hoards were prominent everywhere in l.ondon theatres, and dance halls were closed for the day. Farewell salutes were fired by gums at Slice mess. whose gnus were the first to salute the Queen oil her arrival in England as a Princess from Denmark.

So great a queue waited to file past the coffin that it is anticipated that the Abbey doors will remain open past the appointed hour of ten this oven-

Sir John Foster Fraser, describing the Westminster Ahhev scene, says he formerly saw Queen Alexandra smiling with grandmotherly delight at Princess Mary reading and he contrasted that scene with the one nov. of the King standing a little way from the other men. lint very near his mother. He never moved, or lifted his head ; he just stood, amid a mighty eoiigregiii ion a. nation in mourning—bidding the longest of farewells as though ail alone, and very lonely, whirl) indeed he was. The Prince of Wales stood in wistlul sadness behind bis father. Three Queens, meanwhile, stood within the altar rail-. Queen Mary was so heavily shrouded in mourning that lew recognised her when -be entered. The superb service was marked by many manifestations of emotion, but the whole congregation seemed most afleeted when the h\mn "On the Resurrection Morn,” chosen by the King himself was sung. Then all was over the King stood for a long innc beside the coffin before *he turned and joined his sons. Ihe crowd entered the abbey two abreast, and the time allowed was very short, a policeman's sharp "Hurry on. please!” being necessary in order to allow all to to enter. Often women wept as they bowed, and many dropped flowers beneath and in (he shadow of the coffin. Evensong was held in another part of the Abbey, the music adding reverence to the people's homage. At a Into hour it was arranged that the Ahhev be open until six o'clock on Saturday. Upon the Queen's own flag, bearing (fie anus ol England and Denmark rested blossoms ol oink and white, forming a cross, while almost covering the ' bam-cl rails wore wreaths Irom Europe'- sovereigns. There were great iiias-e- ol others, hut the tributes ml' the humble found a place also. The newspapers print messages of scenes of mourning throughout the world. Cities as far apart as Paris and Pekin joined with the Empire, constituting a girdle of grief around the whole earth.

Theatres, cinemas and principal resorts closed tor the day. while thousands of people stood shivering in the cold to catch a glimpse of the procession. Thousands listened to a special commemoration service hold at Canterburv and broadcasted throughout England.

An idea of the quantity of floral tributes is gained from a Baris message reporting an unprecedented shortage of loses, violets and carnations, whole train loads having been sont to England to meet the enormous demand. Those remaining in Paris are being retailed at fifty per cent above the usual prices.

The C rown Prince and Princess of Sweden, the Crown Prince of Roumania. the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, Princess Alary, and Viscount Lnscelles, dined with their Alajosties at Buckingham Palace lasi evening. QUEEN OF SONG’S TRIBUTE. LONDON. November 29. Almost every hamlet in Britain had •is special service simultaneously with the striking ceremony at the Abbey. Villagers at East Parish Church, Perth, were moved by a beautiful rendering of the “ Ave .Maria.” and they discovered that the singer was Aladnme Tetrazzini, the famous pritna donna, who was a warm friend of the Queen A [other. ft was noticed that the Admiralty flag in Whitehall alone was not halfmasted. and it was explained that this flag is governed by the same regulations as the Admiral’s flag at sea, and is never lowered day or night, except on the death of llm reigning monarch.

A BITTER COLD .MORNING. LONDON, November 29. London was already white with six--teen hours ol trust, and by nine o’clock the cloud-flecked sky hoca'me an a nitons grey, and from the dull canopy came m a thiekeiug fall a white mantle which gave a gorgeous touch to the loved Queen's lunerat lie cold literally gnawed into one’s hones; vet nobody abandoned a vantage point, and few even raised their umbrellas. The whole line of tlm procession was wedged between masses ol mourning public, who denied some warmth from the density of their packing. They at least, were at liberty to move their frozen ioet. but the less-fortunate troops stood like snow-shrouded statues. Quite a number of them tainted Lorn the sleet ami cold. It is reported that one hundred women were similarly affected. 1 iiis is not surprising, because crowds of them formed the first line ot the human avenue soon after dawn.

An imceabng vigil had been kept till night at St. James’s Palace by the Yeomen ol the Guard and the Geittle-inen-at-Arms. The atmosphere of the tiny chapel was heavy with the fragrance of white lilies and roses upon the altar. The coffin was borne to the gun-car-riage by a party of Grenadiers, and as they moved with slow, reverent step, the Bishop of London recited two short prayers. King George—sad-faced and careworn—with head bowed, walked immediately behind the casket, and as the coffin was placed on the gun carriage all the Royal mourners stood at

the salute. Then, along the snowcovered roads, Queen Alexandra was borne to the Abbey, the snow serving to muffle tlie sound of the footsteps.

SERVICES ON THE CONTINENT LONDON, November 28.

Reports from the Continent state that memorial services were held wherever there was a British community. One of tlie most touching remembrances on the Continent was a gathering in St. Alban’s Church, Copenhagen, where the Queen, the Crown Prime, Royal Family, Cabinet Ministers and diplomats were present after which a salute of sixty guns was fired. THE KING’S MESSAGE. LONDON, November 28. The King in a message “To my people.” says:—“ln my great sorrow, I am helped by the flood of sincere generous sympathy reaching me from every quarter of the British Empire, and indeed, from all parts of the world. ■While 1 am deeply grateful for these expressions of goodwill, T also rejoice that my beloved mother enjoyed the constant, warm affection of my people. It is such a proof of allegiance to mv TTi'rone and" family that has given me confidence and strength in any anxious day I have had to face in the past fifteen years.” A GREAT TRIBUTE. LONDON. Nov. 28. Queen Alexandra’s funeral, in its wav. despite the lack of ordered show, was a tribute of the common people. Perhaps the most abiding of to-day’s sad memories is that from daybreak in chilling winds, through a heavy snowstorm.' a hitter evening, and far into the night, the pilgrimage to the flowerdecked Ahhev shrine continued. A queue four abreast stretched for two miles away into the thick mist. Advancing step by step, many women were unable to endure the cold, and fainted. Ambulances were in attendance and were kept busy. More than three-quartore of the patient waiters were women. By midnight sixty thousand had passed the catafalque, of whom forty thousand were women, mostly middle-aged or elderly, many noorly dressed, and ill equipped to meet the rigors of the hitter weather. Canon Westlake arranged tlie allotting of 2000 seats in the Abbey, and narticipated in the service in the morning as well as in the evensong. He lied from a heart attack at his house in the cloisters. AT WINDSOR CASTLE. LONDON. Nov. 28. The arrival of a motor hearse with Queen Alexandra’s coffin at the Henry VIII Gate at Windsor at 8.30 this morning was witnessed by only a few passers-liy. the people thus .showing their regard for the King’s wish for privacy, and for a minimum interruption of business. Their Majesties motored from London, and they entered unobserved at the Old Windsor side of Hie castle, upon which the Union Jack Hew at the lop of the staff till, in accordance with custom, the Royal Standin! was substituted, to denote that the King had arrived. The coffin, still hearing the King’s wreath, was taken ito the Memorial Chapel, where, in the oresenee only of the Royal Family, and members of the. Household, the Dean if Windsor read the committal prayers. The choir sang the anthem, “How Blest Are They.” and the hymn “Now the Labourer’s Task is O’er.” Then the casket- was lowered into the Tomb House, where it will remain until the sarcophagus in St. George’s Chape) is ready to receive Queen Alex■Hidra's and King Edward’s coffins. SYDNEY. Nov. 28. Friday was observed throughout the Commonwealth as a day of mourning for Queen Alexandra. Memorial services were held in all capitals and country centres.