TROOPS'IN KILTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23227, 22 December 1938, Page 13

TROOPS'IN KILTS

CHOICE OF A TARTAN NEW DESIGN SUGGESTED CORRESPONDENT'S VIEWS The statement by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, that in the event of the Cabinet approving of the establishment of a Highland battalion the troops would probably bo attired in kilts made from the Black Watch tartan has evoked considerable interest among Scottish societies in the Auckland district. Individual members of the community of Scottish descent are also enthusiastic over the project to recruit fi company of the unit in the Auckland district. While there is general approval of the proposed selection of the tartan of the famous Highland regiment, the Black Watch, a suggestion has been advanced by a New Zealand Scot in Auckland that a special tartan should bo designed for the kilts of the troops. He also suggests that the native greenstone should be adopted in place of the traditional cairngorm. " The following suggestion," he writes, "should unite all New Zealand Scots and make the unit truly representative and appeal to the people as n whole." The tartan, he submits, be based on the green and crimson colours of the pokutukawa, the native Christmas tree. The plaid brooch should be of greenstone with the silver fern and the thistle entwined. The headdress is suggested as a Balmoral with green and crimson band. The badge on the head-dress could be shaped from greenstone surmounted with the tailfeather of some native bird—a black feather with whit© tip in imitation of the huia as used by the old Maori warriors would bo ideal, suggests the correspondent. The sporran should be of deerskin; hose to match the colours of the kilt and to be worn without spats. The shoes of the pipers only should be adorned with buckles inset with greenstone. The correspondent states he feels confident that a tartan of this description could be made in New Zealand.