TROOPS ON PARADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20272, 4 June 1929, Page 11

TROOPS ON PARADE.

;great review held. :

SPECTACLE IN THE DOMAIN.

TOTAL MUSTER OF OVER 6000,

No love of show, but a deep and very real patriotism inspired the great concourse of people in the Auckland Domain yesterday morning, when the GovernorGeneral, Sir Charles Fergusson, reviewed a naval and military parade over 6000 strong, in honour of the King's Birthday* Tho spectators, who numbered many thousands more, crowded the grassy slopes overlooking the parade ground.

An inspiring spectacle, the gained further attractiveness from the beauty of tho green, tree-girt arena in which it was staged. Lacking the brilliance of full dress tho parado in its khaki and blue yet looked truly' impressive. Few who saw battalion after battalion of cadets march past could have failed to receive a thrill of pride and of confidence in the Dominion's future. The actual ceremonial lasted just one hour, and was carried through, without a single hitch. That such a large body of troop®, including thousands of young cadets, was handled without mistakes or the slightest confusion reflects very great credit indeed on all ranks.

Territorial and cadet units began quite early to march on to the field from their appointed assembly grounds, with colours flying and headed by bands playing gay airs. This entertained a steadily growing crowd. The naval division drew all eyes when it emerged through tho northern gate, headed by its band, a company of white-helmeted marines bringing up the rear, and formed up on the right of the parade. The Royal Salute. A liLtlo before 10 o'clock Her Excellency Lady Alice Fergiisson arrived and was escorted to the grandstand, which was filled with invited guests, including many naval officers. Punctually at the hour His Excellency, in the full-dress uniform of a general, drove up, attended by Captain E. P. O. Boyle, military secretary, and Captain E. L. Orr-Ewing, A.D.C., both also in scarlet. Immediately the Union Jack was broken out on the flagstaff by a naval petty officer, and His Excellency, advancing to the saluting base, took the general salute, the whole parade presenting arms, while the massed bands in the rear played the National Anthem. Almost before the last strains had died away the first gun of 21 boomed out from a battery stationed on the hill in the outer domain, white smoke soon filled the background. . '

With His Excellency were Commodore G. T. C. P. Swabey, commanding the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy; Major-General R. Young, general officer commanding the New Zealand Military Forces; Captain L. V. Wells, R.N., of H.M.S. Diomede; Lieut.-Colonel J. E. Duigan and Major H. C. Glendining, of the Northern Command staff; and Colonel R. Tracy Inglis, Director of Medical Services.

Members cf the Auckland Consular Corps, headed by the dean," M. Paul Serre, were provided with seats in the rear of the saluting base. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, and members of the Cabinet would have been present, but for the late arrival of their train. Marines' Superb Drill,

After the salute His Excellency advanced and passed along the front rank, from right to left, accompanied by Colonel J. N. McCarroll, First Mounted Rifle Brigade, who commanded the j parade. Returning, he greeted the foreign Consuls and inspected a muster'of returned soldiers drawn up behind the saluting base. ;>rf . Then came the march-past, headed by the naval contingent. The bluejackets, six companies of them, inarched admirably in the traditional servico 'fashionperfect dressing aud...an easy swinging step. Three companies of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve followed. The marines, being regular soldiers, headed the military portion of the parade, a' hundred yards or more in the rear. Loud applause greeted them as, moving like one man, they gave "oyes right" and passed the flag. It was marching such as is now rarely seen. The Artillery came next, and then in order, the Engineers, Signallers, Infantry, Army Service Corps and Medical Corps. King's College headed the march past of the three senior cadet brigades, in all nearly 5000 strong. With heads erect and arms swinging, this company was heartily; applauded. Dressed in ■ their every-day blue school uniforms, companies from the various grammar schools and the Technical College came by, to a succession of martial tunes played by the bands in' turn. As always, the small detachment from the St. Stephen's Maori School bore itself splendidly, and well deserved the volley of hand-clapping which greeted its appearance. Details of the Muster. Artillery and infantry cadets from ail parts of Auckland brought up the rear of the parade, and gave a good account of themselves, as the schools had done.: The lads' marching throughout was most' creditable, considering the handicap of soft, moist turf, instead of the hard surface of a parade ground. As soon as the parade had reformed His Excellency moved forward with his staff, and at his call all ranks gave three cheers for His Majesty the King. The National Anthem brought the parade to a close. Colonel MeCarroll's staff consisted of the following:—Brigado major, Major W. : C. Finnis; staff captain, Captain G. Dittmer; orderly officer, Lieutenant E. Tingey. The parade consisted of 146 , ofiicers and 6275 other ranks, "made up as follows: —Naval Division, 17 officers and 429 other ranks; Artillery, 22 and 493; Engineers, 7 and 116; Corps of Sig, rials, 4 and 81; 3rd (Auckland) Regiment, 25 and 180: A Company, 15th (North Auckland) Regiment, 4 and 91; Army Service Corps, 3 and 120; Medical Corps, 7 and 65; Ist Cadet Brigade, 38 and 2160; 2nd Brigade, 11 and 1495; 3rd Brigade, 8 and 1145.