EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATION

Evening Star, Issue 23865, 21 April 1941, Page 6

EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATION

CIVIC AND MILITARY ARMS 11,500 IN PARADE [Per United Press Association,] WELLINGTON, April 20. Thu preparedness of Wellington to meet any emergency that miglit arise was amply demonstrated yesterday, when the biggest iparade in the history of the city took place alon" the main waterfront thoroughfare. The display was originally arranged by the Central Military District authorities, but later it was made a Government ceremony, and members of tho armed forces and of all branches of the civil defence organisations, numbering ]!,- 500, took part. Tho iparade was watched by a large number of people. Excellent work had been clone by the traffic authorities, detours having been arranged so as to leave all approaches to the aterfront clear. The salute was taken from the small reserve opposite the old fire station by tho Chief of the General Staff, Majorgeneral Sir John Duigan, and national and civic dignitaries were also represented. The military units gave the salute by platoons and the civil groups by equivalent units. One of the most interesting features of the display was the first public appearance of a New Zealand-built tank, but among the marching units, great attention was claimed by the Women’s War Service Auxiliary, which was seen for the first time in the uniforms which were issued earlier in the week. The interest shown in the Women’s Auxiliary was perfectly understandable, for though such service uniforms were c.mmon in England in the last war. they had never before been seen in New Zealand.