CORONATION CHEER. A Kingly Example.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 103, 21 June 1902, Page 8

CORONATION CHEER. A Kingly Example.

WELLINGTON has arranged foi a loyal display on Coronation Day It is to be a display calculated to please His Majesty the King and the King's subjects in this city. Immediately the number of the muster of people is known the cable will get to work to let the King know m wha. a splendid and spontaneous manner we rejoiced over his Coronati n. Have we, however, quite gauged what the King himself would have us do on that auspicious occasion 1 He lecently suggested that congratulatory cables be withheld at Coronation time, and the costs devoted to charitable purposes He evolved a scheme whereby 200,000 of London's poorest citizens might hold festival to mark the great event Their Majesties' idea of commemorating the Coronation worthily is to make their poorer subjects happy for at least one day of their lives. Queen Alexandra, the cables tell us, will entertain the maid-ser-vants of the metropolis • • * The Coronation is her great op portunity, as it is the King's, and she is taking advantage of it We are not going to suggest that somebody should entertain the maid-ser-vants of Wellington, because all the maid-servants in the city collected together would not make a crowd, and, besides, you might not be able to distinguish the guests from "Society " It is commonly supposed that there are no poor in Wellington Everybody is m such a thriving condition financially that there is "no need to talk of the "poor" * * * There is need for a Charitable Aid Board, and nobody wants chari cable aid unless he is poor. Why not delete some of the theatrical business at Coronation time, and go into the highways and by-ways and see how many poor there are m Wellington who would be glad of a Coronation feast? Surely, with such a magnificent example as that shown by the King, the Wellington Coronation Committee might very well include some cheer for the poor in their programme. The people

of New Zealand have feted and petted its Contmgenters, who could not have helped seizing the opportunity of going to South Africa, and no doubt they deserved it There aie indigent people in Wellington who are equally deserving of being banquetted as the most distinguished soldier of them all. It is not likely that the people of Wellington would be parsimonious if appealed to for money m support of so laudable an object It is easy to turn up at a parade, and be loyal, when the inner man has been satisfied There is nothing particularly original in marching through the streets with banners waving and bands playing because a gentleman who can t help it is to be crowned • m • Everybody will do that It is right and proper, seeing that all nartions have done this kind of thing throughout history. We are to parade, and be joyful, to please the King It will ■probably please him m a mild sort of way. He is used to it And, anyhow, it will give the people a holiday. We sincerely believe, however, if the poor cf Wellington were to be made the guests of the city for Coronation Day. that His Majesty would be more pleased at the consideration shown to them than he will be at all the pomp and adulation lavished on him