CORONATION CEREMONY

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 73, 10 June 1953, Page 1

CORONATION CEREMONY

CELEBRATION AT TAUPO The ofheial service held at the Town Board Buildings, Taupo, on at 11 a.m. Coronation Day, June 2nd., 1953, was attended by «a representative gatheiring. The buildings had been effectively drap.ed with flags and a flagstaff erected in front. The offieial party were grouped on the enfe rance porch, and loud speakers ensur.ed that all present could follow the service with ease, while the open space, with its surrounding tr.ees, lent itself admirably to the occasion. At "10.45 a.m., there was a parade at the Post Office of ex-servicemen and women, St. John Ambulance Brigade, with Cadets and Nursing Division, th.e Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and the Girls5 Life Brigade, which mSi^ched to the Toivn Board Buildings under command of Col. J. D. Swan, O.B.E., President of the Taupo R.S.A. The service began with the singing of the hymn "All People that on earth do dwell/ followed by a short introductary address by Mr J. E. Story, Town Board Ohairman, and an Old Testament reading and a praver by the Rev A. J. E. Grange. The Eev W. H. Nicholas then read a passage from the New Testament, this being followed by an addiress deiivered by the Rev C. G. G. Salt. Mr Salt pictured the young Queeig ser.ene and gracious, confident in God, reliant in th.e freely given service of her many people, going to her cirowning through a world sadly torn by many troubles and conflicting passions. Her example was a call to us all to dedicate ourselves to the service of our God, our Queen and our fellow men. At the invitation of the Ohairman, three cheers were then given for her Majestyfi followed by the singing of "God D.efend New Zealand" and the National Anthem. The Rev W. H, Nicholas then led the gatherlng in a prayer of dedication, followed by the Benediction. The various units eomprising the parade then moved off, saluting the flag as they marched past, and, as the gathering dispersed, the feeling of joyous celebration was mtensified as the news of the conquest of Mt. Everest, unknown till then by the majority of those present, spread irapidly through the crowd.