THE KING'S PLANS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 301, 15 May 1911, Page 6

THE KING'S PLANS.

STRENUOUS PROGRAMME FOR CORO- ! NATION YEAR. PROBLEMS OF MLXUTE& .. Court officials, those connected with the College of Heralds, and special committees in London, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, are now planning, down to. the most minute details, the programme to be followed by the King and Queen during the greater part of the year. So closely has the time to be considered that in the end it will be calculated' to niinutes. Only in this way can. undue strain on even his Majesty's vigorous constitution be avoided.. Throughout April their Majesties would be occupied in considering and approving the arrangements being made for the Coronation ceremonies, for the investiture of the Prince of Wales at Carnarvon, and for the visits to Ireland, Scotland, Wale* and India. During May courts will be held, and by the end of the month his Majesty will almost every day be receiving distinguished visitors. The Dominion Premiers will have arrived and the granting of audiences will involve exact planning of hi 3 Majesty's engagements days ahead. Juno will see the Imperial Conference in full swing, with the Coronation in immediate prospect. There is to be a reception of the ' delegates by their Majesties, and a num- ' ber of ceremonies are already being dis- ' cussed by those at Court on whom the 1 dutv falls of arranging these matters. His Majesty's engagements for June are such that he will be occupied every ' minute of the long royal working day. • He is to attend the Horse Show, receive 1 representatives of foreign states attend- " ing the coronation, unveil the Queen Vic- > toria memorial in the Mall, be crowned, ' make a royal progress through London, ■ receive the gifts of the Georges of the ! realm, attend gala performances at the ; Opera and His 'Majesty's Theatre, visit • the Royal Agricultural Show at Norwich, -\ hold a royal review at Aldershot and a !•' naval review at Spithcad. I July will see an equally exacting nro1. gramme. It may easily be more fatigu- ■ ing. for it involves journeys to Ireland 1 and.Scotland. His Majesty is likely to 1 use the royal yacht extensively, as each 5 day at sea means a day's rest or cnange. ' No real rest will be possible till Cowes ' week, when tdeir Majesties will spend an ' interesting period in the Solent. Arrangements for attending any of the' - great race meetings are not noted here, • but their Majesties will certainly find • time to see tiie Derby and to attend AsI cot races.

The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland has received intimation tlisi* i'"' King will hold a review ii I'lio'-nW Pirk, Dunlin, uuring the roval visit in Julv.

A ?]:ci'iiil race meeting is being arranged at l.copardstown, p"°v Dublin, in connection with the King's visit. The Kintf. on the occasion of his visit to India in December and January next, to hold the Coronation Durbar at Delhi, hopes to lie able to have some shooting in Nepal (extreme north of India).

It is understood that the Coronation Durbar will be held on the same site as llie Durbars of 1897 and 1.003, and not at the Fort. This will probably involve the erection of a large amphitheatre. The troops to be mobilised number 80.000 to 00.000 men, comprising five divisions of infantry, two divisions of eavaliv. and a quota of Imperial service troops. It is understood that Lord Crewe, Secretary of State for India, will accompany the King and Queen to Delhi.

It is now certain that the eastern end of the Mall will be opened out by June in such a wav as will permit of the archway being used for the coronation procession. That will not be the final stage of the improvement, but it will suffice to show the hitherto neglected possibilities of Trafalgar Square, and to hasten such further transformation of "the finest site in Europe" as to make it worthy of the description. The King, it is stated, has decided to wear at bis Coronation the Imperial mantle worn by King George IV, which has been offered by a private owner as an act of homage to his Majesty, who has graciously accepted the gift. The subject of the seating of the great congregation at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation is now engaging the attention of the Coronation Committee and the Dean and Chapter. Temporary stands have been erected in the nave and in Poets' corner in order to test the question whether an improvement can be made upon the arrangements which obtained at the Coronation of King Edward VII. and the accommodation thereby increased.