THE VETERANS HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12279, 25 May 1903, Page 5

THE VETERANS HOME.

Xp-DAY'S CEREMONY.

The foundation stone of the Veterans' Home will be laid by His Excellency the Governor (Loitl R-aufurly) at noon to-day on the site at the " Three Kings Enrm." The veterans and volunteers will be in attendance, and bands will also attend and play selections prior to the ceremony. Those who intend being present, can go out by electric car to the Royal Oak, from whence a walk of a mile wit! take them to the site; or they can proceed direct by special 'buses leaving the A.M.P. corner in Queen-street at a-quarter to ten a.m. Children from the Mount Roskill and other schools will sing the National Anthem on the Governor 3 arrival. His ■ Excellency will at once proceed to present two D.S.O. medals won in South Africa to Colonel Abbott and Captain Stevenson. The Governor will then step on to the platform and lay the foundation stone of the home. After the ceremony the children will sing a verse of "Rule Britannia," and this will be fallowed by the Governors speech, and those of General Babington and the Hon. J as. Carroll. There will be 110 other speakers. Bands will play selections between eleven and twelve o'clock.

After the ceremony the Governor will return to Government House, where he will entertain the veterans who have received invitations. The ceremony is likely to last till one o'clock, and the veterans' dinner is expected to commence not later than two o'clock. A long programme of music and song, which will occupy the afternoon, has been arranged. Owing to the lack of sufficient accommodation, it has been found possible to ask only a few South African veterans to attend the luncheon.