Her Majesty the Queen.

Manawatu Herald, 23 May 1895, Page 2

Her Majesty the Queen.

To morrow the loyal subjects of the Queen celebrate her birthday, not by our volunteers firing a usual volley, as our Defence Minister does not see his way to find either the travelling expenses of the men or the cost of the blank cartridges, but by making holiday and wishing our most noble Lady many happy returns of the day. On the 24th May, 1819, did Her Majesty first see the light of day ; she succeeded to the Throne on 20th June, 1837 ; and was crowned on the 28th June, 1838. On the 10th February, 1840, she married the Prince Consort, who died on the 14th December, 1861. Her Majesty traces her descent from George I, son of the Elector of Hanover. George II was the only son of George I, and the third George was the grandson of George 11, George IV was the eldest son of George 111, William IV was the third son of George 111, and Her Majesty is the daughter of Edward, the fourth son of George 111, so at one time her chances of succession to the throne were very doubtful. It is often thought that the Queen draws an immense sum from the State, though we have shown, before now, that she relinquished her control over property to the State, which would have now yielded her a larger sum than she receives altogether and for all purposes from the State. The sum appropriated year by year sounds large, being £885,000, but the Queen only gets for her Privy purse £60,000, whilst £181,260 is paid for salaries, and £172,500 for expenses of the Household, and a sum of £18,200 is allocated for Royal Bounty. No sovereign has ever seen such marvellous changes in Her dominions as Queen Victoria, nor has any sovereign reigned so justly and so in keeping with the rapidly moving age, and over that immense kingdom of which she is the Ruler, upon which the sum never sets, will rise, to-morrow, the heartfelt prayer " God save the Queen."