KING'S BIRTHDAY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 143, 3 June 1912, Page 4

KING'S BIRTHDAY.

PARADE OF TERRITORIALS

REVIEW AT WELLINGTON

Wellington, June 3.

The weather is fine bin cold for the hohdaj. The chief attraction is the military icvieyy in Newton Park. The Governor is unable io be present owing to a severe cold and the salute was uiken bv Major-General God lev.

The morning broke bright and clear and gave every promise of favourable weather conditions for the parade of Napier military forces in honour of the King’s Birthday. A fair crowd gathered to watch the mustering of the troops at Napier. At 10.30 a.m. the High School Naval Cadets arrived on the scene under the command of Captain Andrews, the lads presenting a fine smart appearance in their naval uniforms. A large number cf spectators lined the parade and watched the troops as they marched towards the Cathedral. THE CHURCH PARADHT

The weather was splendid for the ceremony and a very large number of people concregated along the route from the Garrison Hall to the Cathedral to witness the procession. The street in front of the “Tribune" office was packed with people and the artillery drawn up in Herschel! street presented quite an imposing appearance. The march from the Garrison Hall to the Cathedral was hcaddedbythe oYaMa yKnh was headed by the F Battery followed by the Regimental Band. Behind the Band was a company of veterans about a dozen strong, and the appearance of these old warriors attracted much attention from, the spectators. Behind this last mentioned small body came the Territorials, the High School Naval Cadets, No. 3 Company Cadets, and Technical School Cadets. Altogether the men as they marched past presented a fine soldier-like array.

DEPOSITING THE COLOURS. In the Cathedral a large congregation gathered to witness the ceremony of depositing the colours of the 9th Mounted Rifles. Canon Main officiated at the service and proceedings opened with the hymn “Fight the Good Fight." Major Sandtmann then placed the colours in the hands of Canon Main, who on ’ behalf of the Cathedral authorities accepted charge of them.

Canon Tuke in the course of a short sermon said the colours had been presented by the late King Edward VII. as a grateful recognition of the devotion shown- by members of the regiment who had takeh part in the South African War. Since then an order had been issued by the Army authorities prohibiting the carrying of colours by the Mounted Rifles, and it was fitting that they should be deposited in the Cathedral. They would hang there a silent witness to the devotion shovhfi by those members of the regiment to their God, King and country. The troops then filed out of church and marched back to the Marine Parade, where they were inspected by the Senior Officer present. NO SALUTE.

Contrary to anticipations there was no firing cf a royal salute, and this robbed the parade of its chief spectacular feature, but it was understood by the public that in the untrained condition of the troops it was unwise to take any license with firearms. Even the “feu de joie" was dispensed with, but the Band tuned up for the National Anthem, and the waiting crowd listened with bared heads as the well-known strain rose in the quiet morning air. The men, headed by the regimental officers, then marched along the parade around the Band Rotunda and back through Hcrscheil street to the Garrison Hall, where they were dismissed. The muster of troops was not a large one, only some 300 all told being present, the counter attraction of hockey, football, etc., accounting for the absence of many young men.

Amongst thofee present at the ceremony were His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. Vigor Brown) and Mrs. Brown, Chaplain Mayne, Capt. Surgeon Bernau, and cx-volunteer officers.

The F Battery went out to Papakura this afternoon for gun practice.

AT HASTINGS

The B and E Companies of the territorial forces and the Hawke’s Bay Mounted Rifles paraded at the Hastings drill shed this morning under Captain Holdenicss, and inarched to Victoria Square, where they came to the “present,” and sang one verse of the National Anthem in honour of the birthday of King George the Fifth.