CORONATION RISKS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 401, 7 April 1937, Page 2

CORONATION RISKS.

INSURANCE POLICIES Preparations in London Considering how brief is the interval that separates us from the du.e of the Coronation, the premium* that are b ing asked to cover the risk of a pos .ponement are really astonishingly high, says a London writer. It has been suggested that the brokers who handle business of this kind are seeking to recoup themselves for the losses they sustained over the abdication of King Edward VIII. Euit these losses were spr-ad over such a big number of firms that it is hard to believe the city was as hard hit as hat been suggested. Anything from 12 guineas to 15 guineas per cent .is now being asked for even a qualified insurance.—insurance, that is to say, not against the risk of the mere postponement of tthe Coronation for a few days. That, of course, is a fairly substantial risk, because if King George suffered a short temporary illness the ceremony might have to be postponed for a week or two. In most cases business' firms who have laid out money on Coronation prt parations would suffer no very substantial loss by a brief postponement of this character. They are content to ask, therefore, for policies covering the risk of a much longer postponement, but even for (these the lowest quotation obtainable it 12 guineas per cent. For policies covering postponement “'to any other day in 1937” the rate varies from 15 guineas to 18 guineas per cent. Heavy Wor*. Concern is expressed at the heavy work the King is imposing on himself since he came back to London. Everyone appreciates the concern ha shows to give his patronage to different activities. But he is not a strong man and people are apt |to forget, when they read of his public am p: arances, that these have to be li erally v,edged in between enormoui masses of official work which neces_ sarily devolve' upon (the Sovereign. King G orge was at the British Industries Fair more than once, and anyone who hat been the round of the stalls at Olympia knows how tiring khat ordeal may be. It was felt that the King’s presence might w 11 have been excused, especially as there was a whole galaxy of Royalties pr sent —Queen Mary, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Queen Elizabeth herself. Queen Ellzabe h, by the way, was wearing as a corsage bouquet’ a glorious little cluster of roses in different shades. Coronation interest. One frequently hears it said that recent dramatic ev nts have robbed the Coronation of some at least of Its public inter >-t. I have never heard r:ny satisfactory reason alleged why this should be. so, and, remembering v. hat a popular item the then Duke and Duchess of York with their two little Princesses were in King George V.'s Silver Jubil e procession, I have doubted it. This unbelief seems mo-re than Justified by all accounts as to the booking of seats and hotels for the Corona ion occasion. "There may be seats to be had for less, but at present the minimum for good ones Is about £5, and there are quite a lot being spld at between £2O and £3O each. The tendency, moreover, is for prices to harden rather than slump. r It is just Ithe same story when the hotels are canvassed. Already all the best and most of the second-best hotels are booked right up to the attics. There are no signs of any lack of public interest in King George Vl.’s Coronation. Coronation Coacnes. In one res ped t Coronation Day will differ rather markedly from the Coro nation day of George the Fifth. More and more peers will, it is expected, proceed to the Abbey in motor-cars instead of bringing out their family coaches. During the last quarter of a century these coaches have come to be regarded at relics of a former age. Horses have been disposed of and • stiables con verted into garag s. Even where coaches, are used, the horses in most instances will be hired from livery stables, while the coachm r n may be expected to lack something of *he aura of old family retainers. The City Corporation is now almost the only institution which has refused to substitute motor-cars for its gilded coaches and high-stepping horses.

Royal Representatives. Those vlio set store by Royal visits will have plenty to interest th ent when th- Coronation repre sen a es b-gin o arrive in London. The names of the various Royalties and deputies for Royalties which are beginning to be announc'd suggest that, although :he assembly may not in the matter of rank resemble that which gathered for the respective Coronations of King Edward VII. and Bis son; King George, it will be an

extremely interesting one. Admirers of Princess Ingrid—now the Crown Princess of Denmark—are hoping rha- she and her husband may represent the Danish King and Queen, especially as It it already known that her father and stepmother, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Sweden, will be here to take the place of King Gustav. Princess Juliana, who is to attend with her hut-band, will be another guest of particular interest. Coronation Dances. Two years ago, when the Silver Jubilee of the late King George and of Queen Mary was being celebrated, rvery dance was a jubilee ball. As was to be expected, every dance this summer will be called a Coronation ball. Something like 50 of them have been arranged to far, the list beginning with charity affairs to be held in London in aid of national causes and ending with quite small 5/- parties 'that will take place in the suburbs. The evenings of May and June are literally packed with dance dates and hostesses who neglected to arrange their parties at the end of last year are now finding it very difficult to fit them in, especially if they want to hold them at -a West End hotel. Queen Mary has had an end of May dance named after her. It is- to take place on her birthday evening and she gave permission for it to be called the Queen Mary Ball.