CORONATION ROBES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1938, Page 6

CORONATION ROBES

NOT COMING TO MASTERTON. POSSIBLE EXCURSION TO WELLINGTON. Owing to the shortness of the time for which they will be available for display in New Zealand, the Coronation robes, which are attracting a great deal of attention elsewhere in the Dominion, will not be seen in Masterton. Representations to the Undersecretary of Internal Affairs (Mr J. W. Heenan) to have Masterton included in the towns to be visited, were made recently by the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan. In reply, Mr Heenan expressed regret that, time did not permit the robes to be displayed in Masterton. An endeavour was, however, being made, said Mr Heenan, to arrange for a cheap railway excursion to Wellington to give Wairarapa residents an opportunity of seeing the robes when they are displayed there. An additional difficulty lies in the factjhat it takes several hours to unpack and load the robes and regalia, and arrange them for the display. The exhibits, which are valued at £50,000, are being conveyed through the Dominion in a large two-ton vehicle, fitted with a heavy trailer. In Auckland 60,000 adults and 10,000 children viewed the display, while in Hamilton the attendance was 18,000, in New Plymouth 24,000 and in Wanganui, 10,000.