OLD COLOURS PARADED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 12

OLD COLOURS PARADED.

HAURAKI REGIMENT,

CEREMONY AT PAEROA. [ey telegraph.—own correspondent.] PAEROA, Friday. The old colours of the Hauraki Regiment were paraded for the last time this morning by the first battalion of the regiment, in the course of a route march from the camp at the racecourse to the Paeroa Borough Council Chambers. The battalion was halted and drawn np in a three-sided square. Colonel F. Prideaux, addressing the Mayor and councillors, said the flags had been in tlio possession of the regiment for 20 years, and it was felt that there was no better repository for them than in the Council Chambers. Tho flags were associated with many incidents in the life of the regiment, and were now emblazoned with battle honours ■won in the South African and Great Wars. An unrecorded incident in their official history was tho fact that when the flags were first trooped, 20 years ago, they were borno by Lieutenant E. A. Porritt and Lieutenant W. C. Sumner, then the junior subalterns of tho regiment. Today, as Major Porritt and Major Sumner, they were the senior majors of tha regiment. It was particularly fitting, therefore, that these two officers should be the last to handle the old colours, and that they should present them to the Mayor for safe keeping. Tho Mayor, Mr. W. Marshall, said ho was proud, on behalf of tho people of Paeroa, to take over the colours, which would be treasured. He regarded it as a distinct privilege to have them handed to the borough for safe keeping. They would bo prized as a great heritage, and preserved for posterity. Ml*. Marshall congratulated tho officers and men on the magnificent success achioved at yesterday's trooping of tho colours. He said it proved that the spirit of tho troops was unsurpassed, and while the young men remained in possession of that quality they need haw no fear of tlio future of New Zealand or of the British Empire. Tho ceremony wis concluded with tho playing of " Auld Lang Syno" by tho regimental band, with the battalion standing at the salute.