MILITARY PAGEANT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19391, 28 July 1926, Page 15

MILITARY PAGEANT.

GREAT DISPLAY PLANNED. SETTINGS FROM WEMBLEY. MILITARY FORCES ENTERPRISE. Auckland is to have a military pageant early next year which will far outshadow anything c>t the kind previously seen in the city it' plans which are at present being prepared bear fruit, as the organisers hope. The pageant is to be a repetition on a spectacular scale of much of the great Empire pageant held at the Wembley Exhibition. The size of the display may be judged from the fact that settings and effects used at Wembley are being brought out to New Zealand at a cost of £3000; and the fireworks display, which is to be given nightly, is expected to cost approximately £350 each evening. Thousands of troops will participate, and it is calculated that the pageant will be four or five times as large as that held in Auckland two years ago.

The plans for the pageant were outlined last evening to a gathering of officers of the territorial force and senior cadets of the No. 1 Regimental District by Colonel H. E. Potter, Commandant of the Northern Command.

Colonel Potter said the pageant held two years ago was a great success except from the financial point of view, but it was run by only a small portion of the forces. This time he wanted every unit to take its full share in the task, as the proceeds would benefit all units. If it was to be a success every one must put his shoulder to the wheel.

Objects of the Scheme. The objects of the pageant were to show the people of the city as much as possible of the great Wembley pageant, augment the funds of the Auckland Military Sports Association, and create a fund for the benefit of the territorial forces. The Military Sports Association was doing splendid work, and this would give members of the forces an opportunity to repay it.

The work of the different arms of the service would be seen, and there would be a massed display by senior cadets of both secondary school and artisan units. There would be great scope for band music, and special items would be introduced for the bands. A large maypole would be plaited, and it was hoped that the plaiting would be carried out on horseback with lady members of the Pakuranga .Hunt Club participating. There would be a spectacular musical drive by the permanent artillery, who were already practising for the pageant. Another spectacular feature would be a fanfare of searchlights and displays of coloured lights on a huge scale. A special fireworks display was being arranged and the fireworks would be brought out from England. An officer was at present in England obtaining instruction in the control of the firewo-rks, so that there should be no difficulties in this connection. He would also act as pageant master, as he had had the benefit of seeing the- Wembley display. A further striking display would be a representation of the army throughout the ages from the days of King Alfred, and there would also be a display of men's and women's fashions through the ages. Other Attractions Arranged.

. In conjunction with the pageant, but commencing some months in advance, said Colonel Potter, a queen carnival would be held, with a queen for each unit. This would not only prove a profitable source of revenue, but would also be an excellent advertising medium. Strong committees would be needed for this carnival, and civilians should be included among the members. On the Saturday preceding the commencement of the pageant a military sports gymkhana would be held on the Epsom Showgrounds, the chief participants- being the mounted rifles and artillery. This would be more of a display than a sports meeting. The pageant of two years ago, stated Colonel Potter, was staged hurriedly after only about one month's notice, but much longer preparations were to ,be made this time. The training of the senior cadets of both secondary school and artisan units would commence next month, and territorial trainees would devote two nights weekly to their training, commencing in the first week of October. The territorial participants would go into camp from January 8 to 15 at Narrow Neck. This training, together with the annual musketry practice, would count as the annual military training for the year for those taking part. Distribution of the Profit 3. Regarding the distribution of the profits from the pageant Colonel Potter said that half would go to the Auckland Military Sports Association, which would be responsible for the hulk of the organisation, 40 per cent, would be given to the. territorial and senior cadet units, and the remaining 10 per cent, to the regimental and senior cadet bands. The share of the territorials and senior cadets would be divided among , the different units in proportion to the amounts raised by them in connection with the queen carnivals. For the purposes of the queen carnival the senior cadets would be divided into two battalions by a line drawn north and south along Svmonds Street.

Colonel Potter stated that the date of the pageant had been provisionally fixed for January 18 to 22. 1927. The City Council hhd granted the use of the Domain. There would be one afternoon performance and five evening performances. The pageant would be staged first in Auckland and later in the other three chief centres of the Dominion.