25 YEARS AGO

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 229, 24 June 1936, Page 8

25 YEARS AGO

• Military Fiasco

(From ‘•■The Dominion,” Juno 26, 1011.) Not to put too fine a point on it, the Fifth Regiment’s military torchlight procession and tattoo at Athletic Park on Saturday night—postponed from Coronation night (Thursday) on account of the we t—was rather a fiasco. A great crowd collected at the Government Buildings and along the route of the.procession. At the Government Buildings the crowd was ten deep at least. But though the public was there the regiment was nor —only a depressing fragment of it. Summed tin, the procession consisted of a band, the regimental drummer, four or five officers, small detachments from certain of the companies, some senior cadets, junior cadets and boy scouts. As it proceeded along the main thoroughfares rockets? were sent up at intervals, and these with the torchlights made a rather festive scene, but the poor muster detracted from the dignity of the column. At Athletic Park, where there were about 2000 people, an untoward event effected a premature dispersal of the public. The final se-. piece on the programme was to he a brilliant display of the words “God Save the King,” but a spark from the adjoining piece fired “God Save the King” too soon. The patriotic design blazed up in fine style and a great number of the people accepted the hint and took their departure. •* * «

The outstanding feature of yesterday’s programme in connection with the Coronation festivities in England was the naval pageant, at Spithead, when his Majesty the King reviewed the fleet. It was a most impressive spectacle, and enabled the great company of visitors from all parts of the world to form some idea of the naval resources of the British Empire. Admiral Sir Arthur William Moore, K.C.8., K.C.V.0., C.M.G.. was in supreme command of the fleet which consisted of the following warships: Battleships, 32; armoured cruisers, 25; protected cruisers, 9; depot ships of destroyers,-12; torpedo craft, 89. Total, 167. In addition to the British warships eighteen foreign men-of-war were present.

Inspector Ellison has received a message from the Lower Hutt Police Station stating that Mr. George Hepple and his two sons, who left Petone on Thursday morning on a fishing expedition in the harbour, had not since been heard of. Mr. Hepple is the proprietor of a drapery shop on the Hutt Road, opposite the Lower Hutt railway station, and his two sons, Norman and George, are aged 15 and 17 years respectively. They were seen to go out past Somes Island, but lifter that nothing certain is known of their movements. Search parties n ude inspections of the beach along the harbour and of Somes Island without discovering any sign of the boat or crew.