THE NEW ZEALAND NATIVES' ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10481, 20 October 1899, Page 6

THE NEW ZEALAND NATIVES' ASSOCIATION.

A PATRIOTIC DEMONSTRATION. As —*as fitting, the New Zealand Natives' 'Association did not let the occasion of their first public performance since the outbreak of the war, pass last night without a suitdble demonstT-tion of their loyalty and patriotism. At the concnnion of the second j •ct of "Rip Van Winkle" a tall grenadier j ■tapped before the footlights and asked the aadknoe to keep their seats at the conclusion j «| <2m perfotina-ce. When the curtain fell j on tbe hat act it was kamediately raised again, and the whole of the performers sang ; "God Save the Queen," the audience stand- \ log, While it was being sung, what is - known in atage ptiraseojogy as the back cloth warn polled up and revealed the tableau of "Brita-fda." Mr W. Recce, the president of the Association, -hen stepped on the stage, and, adiln>— _iH_ the a_c_e_ce, said they could not allow the opportunity of the first public appearance of the Association to pass without showing; their loyalty to their Queen and country in the struggle which waa now taking place. (Applause.) It waa a very lad state of thing, that the nations of the earth could not settle their differences without flying to the resort of arms, but they knew t-_o that in the present case the Mother Country had tried every argument in vain to obtain justice for her children, and they knew that now she had put her hand to the work the sons of the Empire would rally round the old flag. (Applause.) I Colonists had been charged with being un- j Satriotic to tbe country of their adoption,, at no one would charge them with being. disloyal to the flag of the Empire. They : couM not do much in the colony, but what' they (had done would do> more to tighten j the bonds between them and the old land! than anything else. He felt sure that the faave men who were leaving the colony to J «iak their lives in Africa would do credit j to themselves and the colony from which, they sprang, and he could only express the j Imps that they would be spared to receive j such a welcome on their return aa had been _np_ralk>led in our history. (Loud appiause). The male members of the company, dressed in uniform, then marched on the stage headed by Mr P. Hockley, who sang "Soldiers of the Queen" in a most spirited | Style. At its conclusion cheers for the! Queen were given, and then the audience dispersed.