VOLUNTEER BAZAAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 118, 16 May 1895, Page 7

VOLUNTEER BAZAAR.

A SPLENDID DISPLAY

Tbo bazaar and " Amazon " fair held in the Volunteer Drill-shed in Wellesleystreeet in aid of the funda for improving bhab building, was opened on April 25 wibh great eclat. A largo assemblage gathered ab half-paeb sovon p.m., when His Excellency the Governor formally opened the chow. Lord Glasgow and the Countess of Glasgow were received by Colonel Goring, Major Morrow, Major Suiuner end a number of the staff, bhe Ponsonby Navals forming the guard of honour. Tho Governmenb House party werefully represented. Among bhose presenb ab the opening were Mra Holland (the Mayoress), Miss Holland, Sir Henry Ogle (11.M.5. Rapid), Bishop Cowie «nd Mrs Cowie, Mr and Mra Alison (Mayor and Mayoress of Devonport), and others.

Lord Glasgow in oponing the bazaar mado a spoech as follows :—"I am extremely glad that I have beon asked bo open thia bazaar, because I am anxious to show my appreciation of theservicea of bhevolunboers of Now Zealand. Thoy ■ are the worthy successors of tho colonial forces which did such gallant service in bho native war, where they brought to a successful conclusion a series of campaigns in tho bush, obstinately contested againsb the mosb gallanb nativo race we have ever encountered, and I am sure that they possess as much zeal ond patriotism as those who have gone before them. Tho volnnbeers deserve all tho encouragement and support which bhe people of this colony can give them, because bhey, together with our email but excellent Permanenb Artillery, constitute tho v> hole of bho land forces on which wo can count in time of necessity. In Groat Bribain tho land forces couaiat of bho Army, the Militia and the Volunteers— and tho last named have tho advantage of having tho regular broops alwayß before thorn as a pabtern ; thoy are occasionally brigaded with bhem, their officers have, some of them, eervod in tbe Array, and the others havo tho opportunity of being attached bo regiments of bhe lino for bhe purpose of learning their duties. Here, the Volunteers possess none of theao advantages, and I therefore think that they deserve ad the more honour and supporb lor coming forward in such a patriotic spirib to form tho defence force of tho colony. Ib ia the fashion among some to laugh ab the idea that bhe timo may come when our volunteers may ovor be called oub on active service. It lias even been said, I believe, by otbora, who can hardly have considered bhe ellecb of what they wero saying, bhat bhe money annually voted by Parliament for the defences would bo better pperit in making roads and otherwise developing the colony. All I cim say is thab such is nob bho opinion of statesmen ab Home who have made bhe foreign relations of the Empire their life-long study, nor of our military scientists, whose whole timo ia spenb in the consideration of the military problems of the day. I admit bhab ib is perhaps natural thab the inhabitants of these greab Ausbralasian colonies, which have pracbically sprung into being since our lasb greab naval war, should be engrossed with the facb of their wonderful growth and progress, and should think that there is libble chance of anobher war, and thus over-rate their own security. The wore -.specially |j it) pafcural,

as on this Bide of the world the bulk of tbe people do not, as a rule, study bhose Home papers which give tbe mosb information on our relations wibh foreign powers ; bub the facb that it is now eighty years since thab great Btruggle for our maritime supremacy, which ceased in " 1815, is no reason, unfortunately, that we should always enjoy the blessings of peace, and the old proverb still holds good, which dates from the day of Julius Ccesar, If you wish for peace, prepare for war. In 1 this connection, if 1 am not taking up too much of your time, I would wish, before performing the pleasing task for which I am here, to adverb to some re.marks labely made in Adelaide by Admiral, Bridge, now Naval Commander-in"Chief in. Ausbralasia, on this subject. Admiral Bridge ia well-known aa a very able officer. He has jußt completed a term of service as Director of Naval Intelligence, in which capacity he had a seat on bhe Imperial Defence Commibtee. Those remarks, coming from so diebinguiahed an officer, wibh snob facilities for knowing the lasb and most matured opinions on the subject of defence, bear a significance which I am sure will be recognised by the colony. I will now read a parb of his ababement:— Admiral Bridge said that enthusiasts, during what might be termed the naval boom, allowed themselves to go so far as to say that defence rnijjht rest with the navy alone. That, certainly, was not" a conviction which he had arrived at after many years' study of naval and strategic problems. He would, however, go so far aa to aay that a powerful navy alone would prevent conquest or invasion on a great scale. It might be taken as practically certain that, so long as the British navy retained predominance, neither conquest nor invasion coming from across the sea need be feared in any portion ot the British Umpire, but he held' the view that neither the British navy as it is nor raised to a considerably greater strength, than at present, would be able to give that perfect security against isolated raids which all parts of the Umpire ought to enjoy. The only thing to give that security was to convince the, would-be raider that if he sueeeded in slipping through the British covering fleet his difficulties would have by no m cans ended. Asfar as he could see, there was no other way of enforcing this conviction than by letting him know there was a suitably organised, force ready, to meet him. Admiral Bridge went on to say: * It ia difficult to escape from the conclusion that those who know what tlie temper of foreign nations is, are couvinced that the defensive force of the Empire should he strong. There is little doubt the people of the Australasian colonies will recognise before long the importance of the new Eastern question, which has recently opened many degrees further east than Constantinople, and they will most likely come to the conclusion that the eyes of modern statesmen are directed much more anxiously towards the Yellow bea than the Black Sea or the Bosphorua. " Now, having myaelf always taken a keen intereab in such questions, I have no hesitation in saying that I entirely agree with every word which the Admiral has said, and I think the colony will recognise bhe truth of bis remarks when he says thab although the firsb line of our defence is the navy, it ia necessary to have a suitably organised force ready to meet, as he says, any would-bo raider who manages to evade Her Majesty's ships. The colony is forbunate in the possession of powerful fortifications for the defence of our great ports. The question tbe colony has to consider ia, if the forces detailed for the defence ol our harbours are sufficient. It is a question for the people of this greab self-governing colony to consider whether they are so or nob. I hope that nothing thab I have Baid will be bhoughb bo encourage a scare—on the contrary, I believe thab making all possible preparation in time of peace is bhe only way to inspire the public wibh confidence, and to avoid a repetition of whab is known as bhe Russian scare. I am no alarmist, and I have every feeling of trust in bhe fighting qualities of our race —if bheir leaders do justice to our troops by seeing to their efficiency and organisation, and making certain bhab our defence forces are as near perfection as possible. lam afraid that I have detained you too long; I will therefore only add thab I am pleased bo learn bhab considerable intereab has been already baken in this bazaar. I earnestly hope thab when ib closes the results will be such as bo fulfil the hopes of its promoters. I wish it every success, and wibhoub any furbher remarks I declare this bazaar open." Tho bazaar was laid out in the shape of an encampment, ab which thero were different marked-off tents as follows: — No. 1. Apron Tent.—The Amazon officers in charge wero: Mrs Major Skinner, Mrs Captain O'Brien, Mrs Lieutenanb Cowan. Aide-de-camp, MrsMouzer. No. 2. Book Tent.—Amazon officer in charge : Miss Cave. Aides-de-camp : Miss Ethel Cave, Miss Edith Armstrong. No. 3. Produce Tent.—Amazon officer in charge, Mrs Colonel Goring. Aides-dc-Camp : Miss Hilda Cave, Miss Hilda Gudgeon, Miss Muriel Nation. No. 4. Flower Tent.—Amazon officer in charge, Mrs H. H. Greenway. Aides-de-camp : Mrs Dr. Hainea, Misses C. Firth, E. Firth, Wilkins, Blanche Davis and Edith Isaacs. No. 5. Tea and Refreshment Tent.— Amazon officer in charge : Mrs Moss Davis. Aides-de-camp : Mesdames Dr. Lewis, W. R. Bioomfield, George Bloomfield, Misses Rookea, Moss Davis and Sybil Moss Davis. No. 6. Children's Underclothing and Fancy Goods Tent.—Amazon officers in charge: Mrs Captain Libble, Mrs Capbain Oakea, Mra Dr. Walker. Aides-de-camp: Mra Parriah, Miasea Dulce Dunningham, May Walker, Ebhel Dawson and Dormer. No. 7. Fruit and Vegetable Tent.— Amazon officer in charge: Mrs Kilgour. Aides-de-camp: Mrs Rathbone, Misses Emily Reeve and May White. No. 8. Advertisement Tent.—Amazon officer in charge: Mrs Lieutenanb Birch. Aide-do-camp : Miss Amy Bates. No. 9, Fish Pond.—Amazon officer in charge... Miss Kilgour. Adea-de-camp: Mißseß Ansley, Wabkisa and Whistler. There was also a parcel tent in charge of Miss Wilkins, besides many other attractions. Tlie telegraph office, in charge of Messrs G. 0. Stephenson and Geo. Woods, formed one of these. , The bazaar proved even more successful than its promoters anticipated. The total takings amounted to £193 15s 4d, made up as follows: Firsb day's proceeds, £49 93 2d; second day's proceeds, £29 18s 6d; third day's proceeds, £61 4s 3d ; advertisements in handbook, £7 10a ; last night's auction and stall sales, £20 9s 9d; private donations, £9 3s 66 : total, £193 15s 4d. The expensea, roughly estimated, will amount to aboub £60, so that bhe Drill-shed fund will benefib to bhe extent of at least £130 clear, irrespective of assistance which is expected from the Government. For the satisfactory result of the bazaar and military iair, special credit is due to Lieut.-Col- and' Mrs Goring, Mr John Birch (Hon. Secretaryand Treasurer), and the ladiea who worked laard to ensure the financial succesa of the aifair.