FIFTY YEARS AGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 4

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

DEBARKATION OF TR(J 0 8 ; : REINFORCEMENTS ARRIV& V ' 'From the HERALD of January U. 2651 ><' It is as singular a, it is unfortunate that when troops arrive in the harbour ft! ' weather long before charmingly „£ frequently becomes wet and wintry Such ' war the case on Friday and siturf,, when the Australian and Chariot of a i' brought us reinforcement*, from India J from England of some 850 bayoncfc The former landed on Friday afternoon" th<» latter on Saturday morning J2 coaveyed from the ship to the .shore bv the cutters and launches of Curacoa , i Esk. It was some time before 510 men J*k. It was some time before 510 men could be thi- assembled on the qJ Street Wharf, where. ,„ expectation 0 { seeing them played into barrack* thwas a considerable gathering of 'the j.' habitants. The detachments as «Z landed, fell in according to the senior*! of their several corps-Royal Engine.? 18th. 40th. 50th. 5 ! 7u,, 65th, and SS regiments. Shortly before one o'clock 25 debarkation having been effected, the'*!! were marched off, not "to the melodv3 music 8 notes, ' for there was no band but to the martial tramp of their 0 S Quick step, and as *„ glanced at their proud array we could not but conm™ late the general and the colony on th> seasonable accession of so fine 'a forcT On reaching St. Paul's Church they w erfi met by the band of the 60th Regiment which fortw.th headed the advance column, playing it into the Albert Barrack Square, where tents had been pitched for its reception, to th<> popular melody of " Ben Bolt." The troops are in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Young, of the 65th Raiment, an officer who rendered good ami faithful sen-ice in the Taranaki conflict, and whose leave of abfeuce in England has been cut exceedingly short hi consequence of the- exigencies of th« occasion. We have also to welcome back two old and esteemed " Tigers," in tha persons of Captains Blewett and Higgi a .