HONOUR FOR N.Z. FORCES

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 102, 29 April 1912, Page 6

HONOUR FOR N.Z. FORCES

I FROM HIS MAJESTY THE KING. ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNOR. The announcement that His Majesty Ihe King had been graciously pleaded to confer a high honour upon, the Territorial forces at the Dominion was made at • eminent House this morning by his Kxielleney the Governor, Lord Islington, in the presence of a number of the officers of one of the regiments sing-led mil lor distinction. In addition to his Kx-ceilcncy and Lady Islington, these present included the Defence Minister (the lion. A. -M. Myers), (ieneral Codley, (.'eiieral Officer Commanding the Forces; Major ISraithwaite and Captain. Matthews, representing the staff of the Auckland district in the unavoidable absence of Col. Wolfe; Colonel Ilolsute. coinmanding tin- Auckland .Mounted Rifles I'rigade. formerly commanding the 3rd lAuvkland) .Mounted Rifles Kegimcnt: Lt.-Col. Bloomfield. now commanding the Regiment ; Rev. W. C. Mont-kton. charilain; find the following regimental olli-cer.-i: Major vVynyard, Captains Knutsford. lolly, Potter! Schofield. Lieutenants Koilcii. Al.kinson. Carter. Wilkinson, and Wood*. The /act that our Territorial'" lire a. purely citizen army wus emphasised by I he presence of hi* Worship the Mayor i Mr. C. .J. I'arr). There were a number of ladies present, inrlnding Mmd atrip* Myers, <iodlev. I'arr. BraitWaite, Matthew's. donate! Knutsford. Jolly. Hollelt. Atkinson. Woods-, and Wilkinson. Address-ing the gal'uering from the terrace in front "i (iovernnienl llou-e. hi- Kxcellem-y s-.id: "J lime invited you to assemble '.lii.i morning at Covernmeiit ! 1 .iii.-i- to afford mc the agreeable "iiuiity of making a pu'bli- anniiiilii ement which I know will lie regarded liv the regiments concerned, and indeed by the whole Territorial army iH New Zealand, as an honour and compliment of high anil lasting .significance. Through the usual official medium 1 ha\e been instructed by tut" Secretary ' of State for I be Colonies to make public] Ihe decision Hint His Majesty has grsi-iiou.-l\ consented to identify himself with the Territorial army erf New Zealand by assuming the position of Colonel-J in-Chief of the :ird (Auckland I Mounter! Rifles and the l<t (< 'anterbury) Regiment n: Infantry. 1 would have liked to be :iJ!ile to convey this important, in formation to each regiment respectively on parade, but as that for various rea- j "on.- was impracticable, I have been obliged to confine myself to the present. I occasion as being the best available for' the p-.irpo-e of enabling all ran k> of thetwo regiments to become in due course i

iiiiurnifii oi mc iiwiuii'lion conlerrcd upon them. It will be i.bserved that in this nplei-tion by His Majesty a. hiirli honour lias boon confcrrid on both branches of the service— mounted and infantry—a.-, al-o on each island of the Dominion. |>otli North an 1 South. I would also like to take this favourable invasion vi making the further gratifyins announcement that His Majesty has signified hi.- approval o-f the. Jud i Wellington West .(((a_-t) Mounted Jiilli's enjoying tin- designation .if •■yup.'ii Alexandra's -2nd Mounted Killc-." the senior squadron of that rrjrimont having originally -been called after the Queen-Dow-ager when she was Princes? of Wales. I feel assured that tin- fnrpgoin;* announcement, which 1 have the privilege of making to-day m representative of til- Crown, will be received throughout New Zealand, with acclamation by all rank- .if th,. army, and with a uniform loyal sentiment of appreciation by the citizens of the Dominion. As it has fallen to my lot in be the first to make this communication, I should now like, In .lie the lir>t to olTer my conjrnitillations to the regiments referred to—of' which your-. fv,| on ,.] Uloimifiohl. is tin-' only one represented hero to-day — on this signal mark of honour conferred In Hi- Majesty the Kin;;. Such an honour will. 1 know, be prized by all rank, in these regiments, and' will i pneourajfi? and stimulate them now and I hereafter to live up to the high military standard such a distinction entails, whilst this personal connection of the l Crown with the New Zealand Forces will still further strengthen those tips which already hold -o closely 11,p heart ami I interests of the people of this country! within the circle of [lie British Empire.'*' | After the officers ],;,,1 he,-!) pr ...,ontoil ! to his K\eellei)oy. and their wives had! been present";! to Ijarly Islington, tht, ' guest? were otitertainctf to morning toa. GEN'ER.VI, (iDDLKVS APPRRTI.vnox i <;eneral (;o,ljpy. when seen l,v a "Star"' reporter this niornin?. said he was urn ! he voiced the feeling of the whole army! of New Zealand in savin" , how much ' they all ppprecia toil i hi- ~ijrnal honour; conferred upon the military forces of the minion by Hi.- Majesty's act.' "'lt v. ill be a jjTo.it incentive' to us all." said the (leneral. -'to make (he New Zealand Citizen Army worthy of such a mark of distinction .-.- Hi- Majesty has I so graciously conferred." ' I In connection with famou- name- as-1 soi-iated with Mie Dominion forrr*. it! is perhaps not -jeneraliv known or nppre-i ciated by the public that Lords Roberts' and Kitchener have since the inception of Hie new scheme become Colonels-in-1 Chief of the Royal New Zealand Artillery and all New Zealand Artillery. and of the corps of New Zealand Enjineors re.-pectively. Mr. .1. H. <iun?on, chairman of the Auckland Harbour Hoard, who has beeii siibjei-tcd to considerable pre.ssnirc by the whole of the. me.niliers of the. Board."wit?i j the object, of inducing him to reconsider his decision not to consent to re-nomina-tion for a further term of oilice. had not come to a decision in the matter up to the time of >roin<r to press. Mr. Gnnson informed a "Star" reporter that he will jrivin? the question consideration, / an I «mi|.| perlinj« have an announce-, mom to make to the Board by to-mor- ! vow. The members of B Company. .°.rd i (Auckland) Regiment Infantry, "enter- | tamed Lieutenants L. (i. A.ihton and O. .]. Rn--t. at W. Buchanan's cafe, New- | ton. on Friday evening last, the Tunction ■ ! taking the form of a farewell to Mr. Ashton, who is leaving for Australia, and welcome to Mr. Rust, the incoming lieutenant, Items. which were enthusiastically encored, were given by Captain Dawson. I/ieutejiant Cairns, -Mr" Richards i Private-; McCabe. Alexander Baile>-' ] Ross. <;. Stewart, Spagrar. and Derrick." i Major I\ay, Major Plupjp. Major Cum- ( minp. and Captain Dawson referred in i eulogistic terms i,, both the officers 1 .-npa.bihtic*. The proceedings terminal- 1 i ,;l with the company's j-ar cry ■riven , with enihiioiasm an! the sinsinir'nf ="•( ;o«l ; v .ive the Km;." |_ s i .K. Di>,i corset No. 1V27. Low l»u.«t. j e\icniied hip*. «tr<in 2 coutil. two front % s:i-|ieni|i'is. for full !i<rurp. white or jtcv = only li 11 pair.—Sole agents, Join Court! t Ltd., Queen-street.— [Ad.l |(