MILITARY DEMONSTRATION ON ANNIVVERSARY DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2504, 19 March 1902, Page 30

MILITARY DEMONSTRATION ON ANNIVVERSARY DAY.

On Mo'idny. the 24th of this month, the day tot tpait foi the Anniversary h"lid?y, the voluntion of Otapjo intpnd giving a. demonstration which, in rcgurfl to uniqueness of display, is hkely to be one that will e\cel anything of the sort hitherto given iv the colony. The object of the demonstration is to put the companies of the No. 1 Battalion on such a footing as wili enable the men to take the field at any time and fully equipped in every resptct. At the present time everybody is interested in. matters appertaining to modern warfare, but with comparatively few exceptions th£> public have not the opportunity of seeing: how war under modern conditions is carried out. The display which the volunteer? propose to give on Anniversary Day will, however, give a moft realistic idea of what the actual thing is. They will hold a- mimio battle at Forbury Park. Defending and attacking forces will be the former taking up a position which the latter will be required to take. Mounted infantry will act a*i i-eouts and find the enemy. Then the artillery will come into action. After a shell duel, the attacking infantry, covered by tho artillery fire, will advance in waves of skirmishers. The defenders will send forward an armoured tiain, but the attacking body will cau.-c this to bo blown up, ?nd they will al=o take aud burn a farmhouse and a, blockhouse erected for their opponents, securing prisoners of uar. The battla will be followed by a march— -past, brigade drill, and a number of other military display*. As was said at the outset, the whole will foim a spectacular demonstration such, 0.3 has never been seen in tins colony. Apart from itt> attractiveness as a display the tournament should have an t r ';ir ational effect of great value not only to ■ volunteers themselves, but to all who \i ltness it. In order to give country people an opportunity of seeing the display, excursion trains all over the Otago district will be run. It ia anticipated that these visitors fr.im the country, along with the residents, will form one of the largest gatherings e\er .seen, at I'orbury Park.