THE IMPERIAL TROOPS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4262, 23 January 1901, Page 5

THE IMPERIAL TROOPS.

PEES 3 ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, January 22. The Hon J. G. AVard told a deputation including the Mayor, Colonel AV'ebb and others that ho thinks the Imperial troops will come to New Zealand. Military etiquette was for them to come in cases of the kind, but under the circumstances all big functions would be avoided. The present intention was for the troops to stay at Invercargill three hours, leaving there at noon on the 2nd, staying an hour at Gore, and arriving at Dunedin at seven o’clock on Saturday night. The troops are to be entertained by the citizens in the Agricultural Hall, with a big church parade on Sunday on the old asylum grounds ou the town Lclt. Ihe troops will leave hero by special train at 7.30 on the morning ot the 4th, staying an hour at Oamaru and Timaru, and probably at Ashburton. .

NEAA’ PLYMOUTH, January 22. At a representative meeting convened by the Mayor, it was unanimously decided to ask the Government to arrange for the Imperial troops or a portion to visit here. If sanction is given a strong committee will "arrange to give the men a handsome reception. ‘•'TOMMY’S A 7 ISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. Mr J. Hartnoll writes ;—I have read with some interest the series of proposals made by a correspondent to entertain the Imperial troops when they arrive in New Zealand. As one visiting this colony from the Old Country, and nob unacquainted with “Tommv’s” style for over thirty years in London, 1 do not think the proposal to take him through tho agricultural districts would be at all to his tastes. A large proportion of them have "come from the grass” and seen enough of that, kind of things—on the same principle that 1 have seen enough “bricks and mortar,” and am delighted to revel among wooden houses with corrugated iron roofs. “Tommy” is a man who fancies himself when m uniform, and the only place he can show off to perfection is in towns where there axe plenty of people and pretty girls. In railway travelling Thomas wants to be on a flying machine—not stuck up at a N railway station —as I was—where it took longer to get a horse aboard the train than run tho Derby twice over. The trip to the Hoi Lakes district would be just the thing for the officers only—a place they could enjoy and have to themselves, not only for its selectness, but also helpful to them in comparing it with the wonders of other parts of the world they may have visited, quite beyond the vision of Atkins,” who would much prefer taking his “Eaehel” some where else. By all means take him to the bigger towns, where he can be admired after drill hours, by the fair sex of New Zealand ; not to neighbourhcods where he would) be dwarfed—practically snuffed out—with trimmings of charred trees,, and stunted grass. The best torm of entertainment for.‘‘Tommy” is to show him the people, not brimstone ana hot water. ■