"MEW ZEALAND BATTLEFIELDS."

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 296, 13 December 1892, Page 2

"MEW ZEALAND BATTLEFIELDS."

Last evening Mr 0. 0. Montroso, who is on a visit to New Zealand from Victoria as manager for Miss Alice Burvett, gave an interesting lecture in the City Hall entitled, "Lights and Shadows of New Zealand Battlefields." The audience, unfortunately, was not large, owing to the numerous counter attractions, but those who were present heard much that waa interesting in ': connection witli the exneriences of settlers and soldiers in the troublous times of New Zealand. Mr Montrose served in H.M. 40th Regiment during tha Taranaki and Waikato campaigns. He recently visited the principal scenes of former Rtrife on<the Wesb Goast, and it* hisl lecture'he fought his battles o'er again in a manner fraught with interest. Commencing with a graphic description of the " Gore and glory " of war, he briefly alluded to the enthusiasm, "pomp and circumstance," which surrounded martial strife, and then epoke of the horror of the battlefield and the sad consequences of warfare. He related many humorous and tragic incidents connected with the Taranaki and Waikato Wars, dealing with the disastrous engagement at Puketakauere, the progress of the Taranaki war, the Waikato campaign, and the successive engagements at Koheroa,. Meremere, Rangiriri, Paterangi, and Orakau. The incidents of foraging and sentry work, of Maori daring and of the colonial forces were well told. At an interval in the lecture Miss Alice Sydney Burvett, who is shortly to open in Auckland in a Beries of pianoforte recitals, was introduced by Mr Montrose and played a number of piano selections remarkably well. Her instrumental nnmbers comprised five items by Beethoven, Mozart, and other composers, Miss Burvett played each number in finished style, and was on each occasion applauded for her able interpretation of the selections made. Miss Burvett's performances fully bore out the opinions expressed by the Southern press in praise of her playing.