"GENTLEMEN, THE KING."

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 129, 3 June 1927, Page 5

"GENTLEMEN, THE KING."

TWENTY-ONE GUNS FROM NORTH HEAD. THE NAVY DRESSES SHIP. Twenty-one guns from Fort Cautley, and the dressing of warships in port were the.only indications of the birthday of the reigning sovereign. King George is 62 years of age to-day. In the old days of Queen Victoria the sovereign's birthday was a great event. It fell on May 24, and the almost invariably fine weather in which the day was celebrated, led to the coining of the expression of the phrase "Queen's weather." Even at a later date the event was marked by the holding of a parade of the volunteers, and later of territorials, but that has now fallen into desuetude. To-day was observed as a general holiday in Auckland and several out-door gatherings were held, but the chief event was the autumn meeting of the Auckland Racing Club at Ellerslie, to which spot the brilliant weather, plus the hurdling, attracted a great crowd of people.

About the only outward sign of the day was the dressing of the ships from the men-of-war downwards. Precisely to the tick of eight o'clock the Diomede and the Philomel burst into lines of flags. As most people -are aware there are only special days upon which warships indulge in this sign of jubilation, and most of them are connected with the Royal Family. The City of Khartoum, which played an important part in the Great War, under the name of Karroo, was the next to show colour, and the Canadian Pioneer lost no time in dressing immediately after she arrived in port. The Autonia at the Western wharf, and the Mineric at King's wharf ' followed suit, and these craft made a bright spot on the harbour.