CANBERRA.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1927, Page 2

CANBERRA.

MONDAY'S CEREMONY. OPENING OF FEDERAL I’ARLIAAIENT On Alonday the Duke and Duchess of York’s tour of New Zealand and Australia will culminate in its main objective—the opening of the Australian Federal Parliament in its new and permanent home tit Canberra, the future capital of the Commonwealth. On May pth, 1901. another Duke ol York, now King George V., and father of the present Duke, opened the first Commonwealth Parliament in its temporary home in Melbourne. Exactly 26 years later his son performs a similar function at Canberra. The later function will he the more unique because it marks the inauguration of the world's youngest capital. '

Plans for the functions have taken many months to mature, hut now everything is ready. The Duke and Duchess of York will arrive at Canberra on Sunday, Alay Bth, and will proceed to the Governor-General’s residence, Yarralumla House, the famous and palatial homestead of the Campbell family, who were the owners of the lands on which the capital lias been built. That day will he ns private and as quiet for the Royal couple as human ingenuity can make it, for, it is recognised that the intense publicity and nerve-strain of the Alonday will tax their Royal Highnesses’ strength to the utmost. HISTORIC CEREMONY. The Duke and Duchess will leave Ynrrnlumln House at 11 o’clock on Alonday for the ceremony. They will proceed by open carriage to Parliament House, the massive front door of which the Duke will open with a golden key. The Duke and Duchess will then retire to the President of the Senate’s room. Tn what is known as King’s Hall in the Parliamentary buildings the Duke will perform the ceremony of unveiling the statue of King George, and after this has been completed the Royal couple will then retire with their suite to the Senate leader’s room.

There they will prepare for the great ordeal of the actual opening of Parliament in the Senate Chamber and the 300 espeeiall.v-invited guests will move to their places in the Chamber. This should present a memorable spectacle. Representatives of Britain and all the British Dominions, as well as the Con-suls-General of most countries of the world will he present, and there will he but a handful of prominent Australian citizens, outside the members of Parliament. Into tliis hushed assemblage tbe Duke and Duchess, robed in regal garments, will be conducted, and will proceed to golden chairs on a dais, whence, after prayers have been said, the Duke will read his Speech from the Throne. The whole ceremony will take hut a comparatively few minutes, but it will ho the most historic that has yet been held in Australia. HUGE CROWDS EXPECTED. Of this the huge assemblage of the general public that is expected at Canberra for the ceremony will see nothing. Official expectations of the attendance is between 50,000 and 100,000, and arrangements have been made to provide for the latter humber. Probably it is an over-estimate, for conditions generally are not inviting. As all hotel and hoarding-house accommodation has been secured for official guests, the general public has been provided for by

a canvas city. Tbe comfort of these temporary homes will depend upon the visitors themselves, hut as Canberra lias a nippy and uncertain Alay climate, they will need every comfort to make their short stay happy. They will catch glimpses of the Duke of York going to and from Parliament House. They will see the opening of the door from fairly distant vantage points, as the neighbourhood of the House of Parliament will he occupied by stands erected for the guests of the State Governments. Then there will be a wait until the celebrants emerge lroni the indoor ceremony. Although this will not he seen by the general public, the hitter will hear it, for a system of loud speakers will be devised by which every word will be carried to tbe wait-

ing thousands. MELBA TO SING. YY'hen the Royal party comes to the front of Parliament House after the ceremony indoors. Dame Nellie Melba., Australia’s most famous songster, will sing a national ode and the National Anthem, and these songs will also he carried to the public hy loud speakers. YYlien ' Melba has concluded the most, spectacular part of the programme will take place. This will he a review of 2000 military, naval, and Air Force troops representative of all States and of all units. During this review a score of defence aeroplanes will demonstrate overhead, while there are hound to he at least a dozen private and commercial aircraft aloft for some object or other. The Duke will take the salute from the marching troops. YY’itb the conclusion of this pageant, the official ceremonies, or, rather those in which the general public will participate, will conclude, although it lias been planned to hold a magnificent State banquet at night, which should he the most brilliant of its kind ever held in the Commonwealth.

INDIA’S REPRESEXTATIVE ARRIVES. (Australian Press Association «& Sun.) SYDNEY, May G. Dewan Bahadur Raugachariar, representative of the Indian Government at the Canberra ceremonies has arrived. In an interview, he said that India was proud to belong to the British Empire. Her aim is to be a self-governing unit in the commonwealth of nations, and it is for that she is working.

FINAL PREPARATIONS. SYDNEY, May fi. The weather which is cold, unsettled and showery is causing uneasiness about Monday’s Canlierra arrangements. Rain would greatly mar the many outdoor functions included in the programme. Roads to the Federal capital are reported to be in a bad condition, following the late heavy rains and motorists en route are having a difficult time. Canberra is steadily filling up with officials, troops and visitors and everything is in fever heat. To put on the final touches for the great event, to-morrow, there will lx> a full rehearsal of the whole programme. One feature of the ceremonies will he when the Royal Party mount, the platform at the Parliament House', Madame Melba will step forward to sing the National Anthem and the public will Ik* asked to repress the desire to join in the singing, so that the singer's voice may be clearly heard, but after Madame Melba sings each verse, the choir and public will repeat it.

M. BRIAXD’S GOOD YVISHHS. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.l PARIS, May 0. M. Briand cabled: “At the moment when, in the Duke of York’s presence, the new capital of the Commonwealth is being inaugurated, 1 take the opportunity of expressing France’s wishes for a happy development of the new Federal capital, and prosperity of the populace of Australia.