ARMY VEHICLE CONVOY

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25422, 19 February 1948, Page 3

ARMY VEHICLE CONVOY

DEPARTURE TO DAY FOR DUNEDIN CENTENNIAL PAGEANT A large convoy of vehicles will leave Burnham military camp this morqing for Dunedin. The convoy will include 10 jeeps, six five-ton flat top trucks, two tractors for field artillery (known to soldiers as “quads”), one Bren carrier, one scout car. one breakdown truck, and six searchlights. The convoy will go to Dunedin in one day.' ’ Last Thursday another convoy left Burnham military camp for Dunedin. It was made up of two tank transporters, one Valentine tank, one Stuart tank, a tractor for hauling heavy anti-aircraft artillery, a 3.7 antiaircraft gun. a five-ton truck, and a mobile crane.

This convoy was three days on the trip to Dunedin. The tank transporters could not be taken across the Waitaki bridge because the tyres would have been ruined, and the convoy had to travel by way of Kurow. A 25-pounder gun, an 18-pounder, a six-pounder, and a Hotchkiss gun were sent to Dunedin some time ago. Some of the vehicles and all the guns will be used in the centennial special pageant at Dunedin next week. Desert uniforms, sets of battledress, jungle uniforms, and sets of 1914 uniforms also have been sent to Dunedin. The military pageant will represent Roughriders of the South African war, men of the 1914-18 war, and men and equipment of the Second World War. Some of the jeeps and the trucks will be fitted with floats for the centennial procession. Enough drivers have been sent to Dunedin to drive all the vehicles.

BLOOMS FOR OTAGO CENTENNIAL

APPEAL TO GROWERS IN CHRISTCHURCH

In response to a request from the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr D. C. Cameron). thousands of blooms will be sent from Christchurch to Dunedin on Sunday. The blooms will be used in floral floats in the Otago centennial procession on Tuesday. Mr Cameron asked for 58,000 blooms. Mr M. J. Barnett, superintendent of the city reserves, said last evening that his department would be able to provide between 40,000 and 50,000 blooms, and he was relying on private growers in Christchurch to provide the remainder. White and blue asters are the blooms most urgently wanted. “When the scheme was first mooted, Mr W. Toon, of Wilson’s road, courteously offered a piece of his land, and on it we have grown some thousands of asters,” said Mr Barnett. Mr Toorx hks also'placed his premises at our disposal and will help with the packing of the blooms.” Mr Barnett asks that growers leave their gifts of blooms at- the Botanic Gardens, at the reserves depot behind the City Council Chambers, or the municipal nursery beside Linwood Park on Friday afternoon,' if possible, or on Saturday morning at the latest.