ROYAL WEDDING.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1922, Page 5

ROYAL WEDDING.

HUGE CROWDS ASSEMBLE. SUNSHINE AFTER RAIN. SCENES IN LONDON., By Telegraph.—Press Association. London, Feb. 27. Vast crowds are visiting the scenes o-f to-morrow’s ceremonials, watching the eleventh hour preparations. They besieged the palace precincts in the hope of seeing Princess Mary. After a long wait Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles emerged in a motor-car. The crowd broke the ranks and surrounded the car, which was brought to a standstill amid a sea of waving hats, handkerchiefs and muffs. Mounted police eventually cleared the way, allowing the car to proceed. The couple had a foretaste of the popular enthusiasm when they motored the length of the Mall, bowing and smiling through an avenue of gratified spectators. Thousands are perambulating the entire route, watching the finishing touches being put on the decorations, and the erection of stands. The majority of shop windows along the route have been lifted out to provide an uninterrupted view. Though no scheme of decorations had been adopted, flags and festoons already made a gay spectacle. Again at night crowds viewed the illuminations being tested. Trains from all parts of England start to-night, bringing provincial people to the city. Rain fell in the afternoon. The official prediction states that the weather will be unsettled to-mor-row.

GREAT CROWD ASSEMBLES. LONDON FULL OF VISITORS. Received Feb. 28, 7.15 p.m. London, Feb. 27. The King and Queen gave a final prewedding party. The guests included tenant farmers on the King’s estate and the Lascelles family estates. The weather forecast is for occasional brief interludes of sunshine and some showers. There is a great pilgrimage from the provinces, and all the West End hotels are full. Later. Rain and drizzle are falling. A crowd is assembling in great numbers in the vicinity of the Abbey.

CROWDS ASSEMBLE EARLY. ALL NIGHT IN RAIN. ROUTE PACKED BY DAWN. Received Feb. 28, 9.55 p.m. London, Feb. 28. Amongst the guests invited to the Abbey is Robert Benstead, formerly of the Grenadier Guards. When Viscount Lascelles was wounded Benstead rescued him, dressed his wounds and conveyed him to a place of safety. Showers and a drizzle fell throughout the night, sadly verifying the official forecast, but this did ndt prevent crowds wending their way to Westminster. The people began to assemble at one or two o’clock in the morning at Charing Cross and in Trafalgar Square, but principally in the vicinity of the Abbey, where hawkers of flowers and wedding favors did considerable business. It is obvious many of the early comers were from theatreland, determined to spend the night in wet and discomfort rather than risk the uncertainties of transport traffic later. The crowds steadily increased towards dawn, the people streaming eagerly from all directions to advantageous positions. Many arrived during the night by motor cars, in which they slept until the police cleared the roads. The entire vicinity of the Abbey was brilliantly lit, resembling midday. Brief changes for the better in the weather occasionally flattered the hope of an improvement, but frequent showers and a heavy, overcast sky were too ominous.

The newspapers devote many columns of appreciations to Pririfeess Mary and Viscount Lascelles, paying tribute to the former’s simplicity and the latter’s fine character as a man and a soldier. The illustrated papers all issued special wedding numbers, with pages of pictures of the bride and gridegroom and other notabilities. The Morning Post happily summarises the popular sentiment as follows: “There are troubles about us; anxieties and much fearful looking forward to ills we know not yet; but we will drop all these to-day. Times must be a deal harder than they are that the Princess should wed the man of her choice and England not rejoice.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

CHANGE IN WEATHER. BRIGHT SUNSHINE FOR WEDDING. Received March 1, 12.5 a.m. London, Feb. 28. There is bright sunshine and great crowds to witness the wedding.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GIFTS FOR THE PRINCESS. PRESENTS FROM NEW ZEALAND. THREE SEPARATE FUNDS. Wellington, Last NightThree wedding gifts for Princess Mary were contributed to by the women of New Zealand—one by the Marys of the Dominion, in whieh there has been association with the Marys of the Empire; the second by V.A.D.’s and Red Cross workers; and the third by the women of New Zealand. The first two were in the hands of Her Excellency Lady Jellicoe, and a cablegram has been dispatched by the Internal Affairs Department on Her Excellency’s behalf instructing the High Commissioner to pay to the Hon. Mrs. Morley’s Marys of the Empire fund, £57 15s, and to Lady Amphill’s V.A.D. and Red Cross workers’ fund £B9 12s.

To-day the 'following cable was received from the High Commissioner: — “The Marys of the Empire fund totals over £BOOO and a gift is being made of a rope of pearls. The Princess is devoting the greater portion, of the amount collected to fund a training I home bearing her name in connection with girl guides movement. The

V.A.D. and Red Gross workers’ gift is a diamond emerald tiara. The number of subscribers is over 50,000.” Tn regard to the gift from the women of New Zealand, limited to shilling subscriptions, a cable has been dispatched to the Secretary of State for the Colonies asking that information should be conveyed to Her Royal Highness that it is desired that the present should be of New Zealand workmanship, and it would be sent forward as early as pos* sible. NEW ZEALANDERS ATTEND. A NUMBER INVITED. Received Feb. 28, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 27. New Zealanders invited to the Abbey in connection with the marriage of Princess Mary are: The Hon. Arthur Myers and Mrs. Myers, Colonel Studholme and Mrs. Studholme, Dr. Irving and Mrs. Irving, Sir John Salmond, Mesdames McEwan, Rolleston, Montgomery, Bernard Myers, Riddiford, and Misses Allen and Burt. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AMERICA INTERESTED. New York, Feb. 27. The American Press all over the country is 2evoting columns to Princess Mary’s wedding, which is regarded with the deepest interest.