FINAL CORONATION REHEARSAL

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 429, 10 May 1937, Page 5

FINAL CORONATION REHEARSAL

THOUSANDS EARLY ASTIR HUGE LONDON CROWDS Imposing Procession Held Yesterday In Rain Press Association —Copyright. (Received 11 .m.) London., May 91 Thousands slept ouit in order to see this morning’s, final Coronation rehearsal. They had spent the evening seeing the decorations; finally they went to the dtands in Pall Mall and camped on them for the night. By 5.3 G a-m. to-day, every seat in the stands facing Buckingham Palace along the Mall was occupied, while masses' flocked down Constitutional Hill, up Birdcage Walk, and along Buckingham Palace Road. In many places the people stood eight to ten deep.

The dawn revealed a cloudy sky, but soon came a' drizzle, developing into real rain. Special trains brought additional thousands 'tO"the scene. Three cheers were given when the mounted escorts rode down Constitutional Hill, these including representatives from the New Zealand and Australian conftingents. They escorted the eleven carriages which will carry the Dominion representatives to the Abbey, and were part of a quite imposing procession, which included the gold coach drawn by the eigb|S Windsor Greys. A. tall sergeant-major of the Guards constituted) himself “Officer Cornfounding Cheers,” and shonteu to the crowds in the stands: “At the word Of command, cheer!” Then when the gold coach wae passing the crowd cheered, but not loud enough to satisfy the sergeant-major, who shouted): “Let’s have it properly nexjt time.” The crowd cheered again more loudly, and broke up immediately after the procession. Many were soaked to the skin.

THE LAST WEEK-END KING AND QUEEN AT WINDSOR London Uncomfortably Crowded Press Association—Copyright. London, May 9. While Their Majes.ies have chosen the quietude of the Royal Lodge at Windsor for spending the last week before the Coronation amid the beautiful gardens, the greatest public party the world has ever known has begun. London on Saturday saw the biggest pre-Coronation crush yet. In addition to ship loads of foreigners and people fro.a overseas, scores of trains brought thousands opf privincial day trippers ard SV'O motor-coaches were laden with family parties More thousands of people came fr>n Lancashire and Yorkshire to see the Rugby Cup final and filled in the time touring the Ccroration route. The West Frd was almost hnpass. ible in the afteiuconj traffic h■> og repeatedlly brought to a standstill. Res. taurants were parked aid thousands brought supplies to picnic on the stands along the route By nighitfall it was estima’ed that a million sightseers had visited the capital. There have been no scenes approaching these since the amazing demonstrations of loyalty at George v”s jubilee. Trafalgar Square and surrounding streets were choked at a late hour with slow.moving traffic. Special constables patrolled the kerbs' in an attempt to keep the crowds no the pavement.

The river Thames also knew one of rthe busiest nights in its history. All river steamers were packed with spectators, seeing the demonstrations along the waterway. When darkness fell the lights were Hashed on and London became the gayest city of Europe.

IMPORTANT VISITORS General Pershing To Represent U.S.A. (British Official Wireless.) London, May 8. Yes’erday’s arrivals in London for the Coronation included General Pershing, who will represent the United States. He was welcomed by the American Ambassador and representatives of the Foreign Office. The Maharajah of Mysore and the

Shah Vali Khan, an uncle of the King Of Afghanistan, who is Afghan. Minister of Paris, also arrived. King Ferouk, of Egypt, who has been at London for some time, will leave to.day for Paris. He will be represented at the Coronation by his cousin, Prince Mohammed Ali. The Archbishop, of Canterbury and York, officers of State end some of the Dominion Prime Ministers were 1 mong those who attended a full rehearsal of the Coronation at Westminster Abbey this morning. The following foreign royal persons will be guests of the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace for the Coronation:—.Prince and PrinceEs Faul of Yugoslavia, Princess Juliana and Princess Lippe, Prince Frederick of Prussia, Prince Paul of Greece, Prince of Preslav, brother of the King of Bulgaria, the Comte de Flanders, the Crown Prince of Rumania, Ithe Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Sweden, Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover a.nd the Crown Prince hnd Crown Princess of Norway.