LADY PLUNKET ENTERTAINED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12933, 12 October 1907, Page 9

LADY PLUNKET ENTERTAINED.

THE QUESTION OF UNIVERSAL SERVICE. After the review her Exoollency was entertained at luncheon by tho, regimental mess, Colonel Chaffey presiding. This function was held in the Arauri drill hall ; and was attended not only by the vi&iting officers and officers of the squadrons, but also by a luree number of ladies and gentloinon who wore .interested in tbo .visit of her Excellency. Tlio largo hall was very nicely decorated, and the tables to which tho guests were invitod wore admirably furnished. The toast of "The King" having been honoured, Lieutenant-Colonel Chnffoy proposed tho health of "Our llou. Colonel, Lady Plunket." Ho said that thie occasion was unique in the history of Now Zealand if not tho British limpiro. Never before had any Regiment in New Zealand had the honour of having the Governor's wife as an officer. The Regiment was proud of the honour done it—(applause)—and this day would always bo roinumbered a« a red letter day in its history. They we.ro exceedingly pleased, to see her ladyship amongst them, and to see her tako her place at tho head of tho regiment (Applause). For years ho had been advoca,tin ß that the ladies should take a more active interest in volunteering than they had done. Ho had been slaving away at volunteering for tho past thirty years, but the. position was not much better now than when lie started. (Laughter.) He thought that tho ladies had something to do with it,, oven though they had been extremely kind. They should lot their husbands sweethearts, and eons join tho volunteers. (Applause.) As a British commnnity they did not want conscription, j>lll unless something -was done, more sorioujily than in tho past, conscription would surely come on them. New Zeuland was "tho rich, ripe plum cf the Southern Ocean," and if tho British Empiro did got -mixed up with other nations, it was certain that an attempt would be mado to knock the plum off the Empire tree. Tho volunteers . or New Zealand had to defend their country, and the ladies could help them more than anyone else iv the whole

Dominion. Hβ had to thank Ladyi f l PlunkH publicly for the honour she had #f done the llegiment, and for the lead *'' sho had given to tbe ladioe of the • v Dominion in regard to the matter of volunteering. (Applause.) The toast wee drunk -nitii musical honours and cheering. , On bolialf of her Lscollency, Colonel ' Davios, Inspector-General, replied. Hβ * said that he had been commanded by hor Ladyship to thank the Regiment > and others for what sho tiae pleased to > call the lionour done hor, hut »vhat ho considered wee tho honour done by her to the Regiment, (Applauao Colonel Chaffey had stated that the . occasion was unique, and bo it "Wai. Iα his opinion her Excellency* action would have a more fur-roiicluug effect than many people thought it could have—people who did not load, think, or »co what the Ihitish Empire was. Every notion in tho world, except Britain and Amonca, had Homo form of universal •emeo. It meant that the flower of a nation, the brightest a:id best, would be it« soldiers, not the Hoods. It waa not ' conscription, which meant that every* body drew lots, and only the unlucky tnrvcd. Universal eorvioe meant that * tho fittest and best nero picked, and that it wns «, mis/fortune or dlsgrape to bo refused ifor sorvioa. Her Exoellency had, «t groat personal inconvenience, visited Culverden, to do the regiment an -.honour, and to liclp the caueo of defence. Hor vinit, however, meant a good deal more than that. If one part of tho Empire rooogniM>d that it was not slavish for ntou to learn to protect their homoe, wives, and chil* dren, all tho drivel that was talked about "Britons, never shall be Blare*, , ' in regard to universal eervioo, would not apply, as the sentiment in favour of it would spread over the tihole Empire. Her ladyship had taken this lead in « country that had foraalo frnnohise, and ho recognised that to » large extent it rested with the ladies what happened to tho country. They should remember that nnxveml •orrico did not moan war. It meant peace, for an absolute certainty. (Applauae)t If women know what war meant to the women of a country they would take stops to secure pekoe, and the ewtfy way to secure thu end wai by being v ready for war. The ladiea could aeouro this by themselves—by sentiment, not ' by politics. If a man would dot render himself fit to protect tit country / and womonkind, ho should not have < tho greatest of man's reward*—t9va esteem, respect, and lore of ft good woman. The thing could be very * easily aocomipliehed—it retted entirely , ; • with the ladies. On behalf o< her ft** * celloncy he asked the ladici of this die- ; trict to start this spirit, and Mc if , ) they could not make it spread 6*»r the wfcolo of ,, tho country. If it apreod A' over New Zealand, it would spread *{■'„ over tlio Empire They did not want "\. tho patriotism, ns one epeake* pat It, "that effervesces in music hall conge end ' r \§ drunkenness, «nd cheer* when othM 'v men go forth to fight," but the petri'o*? otism of a man who was willing ,tft sacrifice tv week or two in order to C* mak© himself efficient. If , a man ■•id"* ,' that lie would bo ready when wanted f ; # they could tell,him that if he did not' ,| train beforehand no was wnm thaev *£ useless—he was a , danger; 1 he Bed to , i>j\ ho fed end oartod about; «• «M ah j#i encumbrance. A man *nly ftt wft to sit behind a rock and ft* a rffe&S was worse than ueeteea. TM appealed to the ladiea of *• dtatrfat f & for their aesistanoe *Ul and concinded by tMwoajf'H* *J%,*g pany for the tray her Exoeaieney v e health ?W \ami§% honoured. ■ ■■ »\- . tilLAtO This concludea the ■•neiMWJHSjs'iß and the party .returned *• WJWg'i ground in order to witnee tM fft^M mental sport*. -i J? x % 4 f,'f*§£ REGIMENTAL 6PORT&\' * The eporte oommeuead; o'clock, by which tin» w»t» W»» HfMH 1000 people prwi?et. jft**if&jS££jM under th,e >up«rintend«h«» who jrne mental. and •Uβ; epecta-tora ■•'■. WdJ, '^^'■ r^!ra.^i Bert jumper over —Trooper 1 Pettigiw■ OvwO ¥****Q£ W Or*mpton ([AmuTi) *. t .. ...\i,^.tWJ Loyd lindjwy (ttW coant O«iT*n'» team, Mffi* Curran, Ciorporal V***b tigrew - and CreJnptoliJf *■} "'^T'f^SU^ r V4ot«?a triea)— Trooper ■ : Trooper Oramptpp <Aff»rjj> 1. Half Sectione owr >Hiwlg'' gyjWiiyS Ourraft (Anwn) lj Titi»pir i jJ»>yy<p.»»j^| Her Excellency I*dy Flttalm ,W&M\ petition, footing off bwwtaekvw* ■JM-μ Duncan ww s *giMj a Kaiapoi nig, drwr,2B ,«S^!>e_ a #li six oolook there w«» etill compete and the balance of tee tition wae hold over tiU .tt» B*dUjßj|lM ' SHOOWNO MATCH, The shooting m«*oh,' which ftSKSg in the morning, r«»ulted in a. *WM?f» win for the Chrisiohuron T*hmm Olub Team. The «t*>n* £lf' nil I prevailed «ay» oonjpetitom!l'#| I amount of troubled the WW ditione woro aevon shot* each at 7WBJ g and £00 yarda, team* ofs foa ?^ l ! l ?*<6i CJold modale were preeented te the **»•'« nera by Lieutenant Buchanan, O.YtV^'rlg Tho following were the •cowai— %$$

• CHBISTOBtfBCH DBFEKCB VORM £,J| . : ■ CLUB. .■■.'.;'•->/.■ ". J? iffifl . . ■;.•■■■:•: -•- ■■ -yd«.?-rl*t^t§ Rifleman I*my. •#...•.JJ:,Vr J* ffiraMj Rifleman Morrow ... 38 >J0 W*%M Riflemen Reynolds i,. ;W W gffl Captain. Gunderan \ . »•■ •' •♦-, : ; : ;" „ «P ' '•• ■' •' ■' ■■'"' ■■ •'■''■'''"■■■ W* T SCARGILL DEPENCT WFWBCLtffl/{« Rifleman ' F. Robert*' .. ' ' «'i W » t m Rifleman W. Banki ■■',.... * -■,. 85 U«M Rifleman J. Camerom .. *J •■*• HI fj$ Rifleman T. Roberte .« ' W-; W W^*; 1 ? AMTJRI MOUNTED BIF&ES, Trooper Hamilton ; ., J} - g* *f ,M Sergeant Young „. 81 ; 9J « V Troopor Jones •• .• ' ... '{»,,-;;." JZ\ k ' ■ ' ■• ,; - , ■* ji'J N.O. MOUKIED BIFLE8. * Q.M.-SerRt. Rowe .. « ,81 4T T Eieut. Fanthom .. 37 » Jβ I Tyler .... »..,■• Jl «i * Sorgt. Jiehrtent ** » U <« , '> •■■■■■'" ' m\ \f WAITOHI DEFENCE EIFLB C]LP1B» > |14 Rifleman J. Dron .. »„''» <• Rifleman A. Beaven * .. 37 Jβ «,..]...! Rifleman McDonald 87 1* « Kiflrman Dalilel .. Sβ Xi J» ' < ■ »74 '• ' CUST MOUNTED RIFLEJ3. . . '., Trooper Gordon ..91 29 « » ■ Latfce-Corp. F«ary ,. 39 / J« « ', ' Trooper Grant .. 2S Jβ Bβ , ■ Lieut. Chapman .. 23 « Jl - ;