JUBILEE NOTES. Interesting Items About the Jubilee. London, June 24.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 215, 13 August 1887, Page 4

JUBILEE NOTES. Interesting Items About the Jubilee. London, June 24.

The distribution of seats within Westminster Abbey for Jubilee Day was (despite the care taken) not at all well managed, and led to any amount of polite envy, hatred, and malice. The preference given to Americans over Australians and AngloIndians more especially caused endless illfeeling. One fair Yankee — for the time being high in favour at Marlborough House - was able to boast the possession of no leas than three invitation cards, whilst numerous English peeresses were unable to secure even single tickets by hook or crook. " I wouldn't go to the Abbey if I were asked, 'quoth an unsuccessful applicant with whom the grapes were sour, to a more fortunate friend. " You know you are quite sure to be dynamited." " Nothing I should like better," replied the lucky lady, not the least disconcerted. " I have always had an ambition to be buried in West minster Abbey, and this seems to be my only chance of having my wish gratified." The catering for the children's fete in Hyde Pax k was undertaken by the famous Anglo-Australian firm— Spiers & Pond. The victuals included 60,000 buns, 30,000 meat pies, 30,000 cakes, 30,000 oranges, and 9,000 gallons of lemonade and ginger beer. An arithmetician present calculated that if the buns, pies, cakes and oranges could be placed in a line they would extend to a distance of nine miles and a half. The heroine of the children's fete in Hyde Park was a phenomenal infant named Frances Dunn, who has been a Board School pupil for seven long years without ever missing an attendance. In recognition of this good conduct the little yirl was selected by the authorities to receive from the Queen's own hand, on behalf of her companions - what think you ?— Why, a Jubilee mug ! The Prince of Wales himself goodnaturedly led up the trembling little one to Her Majesty, who kissed her and spoke a few kindly words of praise. The Crown Princess of Germany and Princess Beatrice likewise added their quota of compliment, so that altogether it was a great moment for Miss Dunn. She has barely turned thirteen, but one may safely (prophesy that she will never again rub sb©uldei\s with so many royalties at once. The King of Denmark and Greece were particularly interested in the proceedings, and asked numerous questions as to ihe meaning of the good-conduct medals which the child wore strung aci'oss her fetae blouse. The fete itself was from first to last a tremendous success, the dismal .prophecies of the " Pall Mall Gazette " beinsr conspicuously falsified- Tiie 30,000 children came and went in asondedy .and systematic a manner as an army -of soldiers, and so excellent were all the arrangements that beyond the trampled $ra«s the Park itself has not suffered ai, .all. Amongst the amusements supplied were 20 Punch and Judys, S Marionette theatres, 86 peep shows, 9 troops of performing dogs and monkeys, hundreds <sd Aunt Sallys and bouls, 1,000 skipping mopes .with Jubilee handles, 10.000 balloon and 42,000 small prizes in addition to the renowned Jubilee mugs. The Queen was taaucli .affected >the by tunspeakably genuine venthusiasm »of the vast crowds which greeted her at Hyde Park Corner, Trafalgar Square, .and Waterloo Place, and it was noticed >that the tears sprang to her c} r es again aad again. A correspondent iof the " .Evening News " says :: — ** It was noticed by many, although not recorded, titoat tears came to the Queen's eyes again .and again when *Jie cheers of the people burst forth fco welcome her ; but as Her JMajesty caaie into Dean's Yard before the Abbey one may well believe that her thoughts were carried back to the coremony which had taken place there fifty years before, for she did not attempt to restrain the tears of womanly feeling. "Again, in the Abbey, when Thanksgiving was over, .and the solemn organ tones stilled, and when, one after the other, the relatives and connections of the Royal House came up to salute the Queen, Her Majesty was evidentally affected. But when the turn came to the Grand Duke of Hesse, the husband of the lost daughter, Alice, for whom the Queen still cherishes the deepest love, Her Majesty broke down altogether. As he, bowing kissed her hand, and as her lips touched his cheek, the Queen was quite unable to control the passion of sorrow. Quietly afterwards she wiped the tears away and went on with the ceremonial which to her represented, no doubt, not only the fulfilment of many hopes, but also the realisation of many sorrows. While the Queen was weeping, the Royal princes, quite unconsciously as it seemed, bent their heads in unfeigned reverence. " One touch of nature makes the whole world kin !" It seems to me that this incident in yesterday's ceremonial deserves to be recorded. Let history deal with it as it will, I am ceitain thafc no ono who witnessed it, and no one who reads of it, can realise all it must have meant without feeling that in those tears lies the true significance of the poet's phrase, that the Royal lady who wears " the white Uower of a blameless life " must inevitably find that her Throne is, indeed, * broad based upon the people's will."

The Women's Jubilee Offering. The Women's Jubilee offering of L 75,000 was presented to Her Majesty by a representative body of 200 ladies on Wednesday afternoon. The Women's Jubilee present takes the form of an equestrian statue of the late Prince Consort, to be raised in Windsor Park, in the place known as Smith's Lawn. It will be a replica of the famous statue in Glasgow, and the Queen has expressed her desire that the foundation-stone of the monument shall be laid by herself on July 14. In addition to the statue, the funds will admit of a large amount being handed over to some charitable purpose, not yet decided upon. In all over L 75,000 nas been collected, and before the subscriptions close it is expected that the sum will amount to LBO,OOO. There was in all about three million subscribers, 1,600,414 in England contributing on the average 7^d per head ; 346,217 in Scotland, at sfd per head; 149,34G in Ireland, at s|d ; and 128,438 in Wales at 4Jd. Other parts of the Empire also contributed j 26,174 in Burmah sending 9,134 rupees. With the gift was presented a beautiful address on vellum, fringed in gold, and adorned with the Royal Arms, the dates 1837-1887, and the arms of London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Dublin. Most of the crack London clubs presented their servants with a year's wages, in honour of the Jubilee. The town of Chipping-Sodbury, in Gloucestershire, can boast the possession of a genuine Jubilee virgin of ninety-five years of age, who is hale and hearty, and can vividly recall the rejoicings in honour of the 60th anniversary of George llT.'s reign. Mistress Jane Woodward — for sueli is her name- I—was1 — was then a damsel of sweet seventeen. She took part in the local festivities

of Tuesday last, and created an immense sensation by wearing the very same coalscuttle bonnet she wore in 1809. The old lady had carefully preserved it, " laid up in lavender," for eeventy-eighb years. Amongst the edible presents accepted by the Queen may be mentioned a mammoth Royal sturgeon from the Volga, a Jubilee cucumber of leviathan proportions, and a monster afternoon tea caKe, weighing over a quarter of a ton and standing ten feet high. The latter was the humblo offering of Gunter and Co., the renowned Beriieley Square confecticnors. It took two months to make, and cost L2OO. Most of the London Theatres were closed on Jubilee night. Those that remained open started their performance between 4 and 6 in the afternoon so that the audiences got out in plenty of time for the illuminations. The most popular of Jubilee engagements is unquestionably that of the fair Mary Anderson to her handsome jeune premier, Forbes Robertson. Young Robertson, who is Mrs Kendal's brother and a son of the famous dramatist, T. W. Robertson, first made his name as amember of the Bancroft's company at the Haymarket. He has for some years past shared with Harry Conway and Terris the reputation of being the mo&fc " mashed " man on the stage. His fascinations must indeed be irresistible, since the icy Mimi has succumbed to them. The Jubilee has been a profitable business for the gas companies and litters and timber merchants. Carpenters and decorators, too, have made " pots " of money out of it. The cost of erecting stands on the line of the proces&ion alone is (allowing for wood that can be used again) estimated at more than L 20,000.