West Coast civic tributes

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

West Coast Civic leaders moved to pay tribute yesterday as flags were lowered to half mast and the country moved to an official mourning period of 14 days for New Zealand's longest serving Sovereign.

Condolence books were placed at all four West Coast council offices, including the Westland District Council chambers in Hokitika, the West Coast Regional Council at Paroa, and at the Grey District Council chambers, for the public to pay tribute.

For Buller, a condolence book was placed at the council's Westport Brougham House and at its Inangahua Service Centre in Reefton. Flowers could also be left at the Gates of Remembrance in Westport.

The mayors of Westland, Grey, and Buller all paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth's strong example of unstinting public service over 70 years in the Commonwealth, ahead of anticipated public memorial services in the region and nationally.

All mayors and chairs are expected to attend the state memorial when it is announced.

West Coast Regional Council chairman Allan Birchfield said he would definitely be attending and said the Queen's example of "a moral compass" was admirable to him.

"I was always a bit of a royalist... She's held the royal family's moral compass all the way through."

He suspected her passing would bring unprecedented change to the institution in terms of her successor and wondered if it might be "the beginning of the end".

In a statement, the Department of Internal Affairs advised that on the death of the Queen, Prince Charles immediately became His Majesty King Charles III.

"The death of the Queen has the effect of transferring all the functions, duties, powers to the new King, but otherwise has no effect in law for any purpose (Constitution Act 1986, section 5(1))."

Various branches of Government had been making "discrete preparations" towards the day on which the Queen died.

"Planning is underway to ensure the delivery of events that will mark the Queen's passing, acknowledge the change of Head of State and allow New Zealanders to mourn."

At a national level, condolence books were being made available for the public to sign and people could leave messages at condolences@dia.govt.nz

DIA said a State Memorial Service would be held after the official service in London.

"We expect all mayors and regional council chairs will be invited. A brief ceremony, the Proclamation of Ascension, will be held in the next few days to officially declare the new sovereign as New Zealand's Head of State."