THE AFTERNOON'S PROCEEDINGS. THE PROCESSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 29

THE AFTERNOON'S PROCEEDINGS. THE PROCESSION.

His Worship the Mayor had announcer! that a procession would start fioin the Triangle at 2.30, but long before that hour people were streaming bark to town again from north and south — the mother, the father, the brother, the sifter, the baby, and even, the household dog, mostly on foot, but nevertheless many a well-filled family conveyance rolled merrily centrewards. bunting on the old horse's ears and bunting on the tailboard, and sublime indifference to the future leflf-etcd on the faces of theoccupants, who-e one desire is to see and hear all that is to be spen and heard. Unfortunately rain had now startpd to fall, and though not heavy is it bteady enough — not nearly such a steady stream, however, as the steady stream of humanity flowing up Princes street. "Ah ! put away your fine feathers. SaJly,"' calls an always-with-us Mrs Gummidge to the pretty girl with the picture hat standing at a doorway looking ruefully at the weather. " Oh, why do these silly volunteers fire fho«* horrid puns — they always brinp: down the rain," replico Sally, but her hesitation is already over, and the feathers will soon lend their bravery to the general effect up town. "A fight! a fitfht!" is the cry next moment, and the rush of boys and uniforms lends colour to the suggestion. It is nothing of the kind, it is only a little bit of i football rush coming up the street, and it is not true that anybody " is looking for bother." "Here you are, flags, sixpence and a shilling each," shouts a small boy at £V£nr oorner. An/i with a rush of heated air

from a baT-room comes a chorus of roystefr ing patriotism. But on the whole every* thing is very quiet, very cheerful, and very orderly. The volunteers in uniform are all making now for Dowling street^ and "the windows and verandahs commanding a view of the route of the' procession are already . occupied, and mainly by the fair sex, whose dress in many instances has been made to - befit the occasion. A pretty effect of colour is lent by the ruddy faces, the hats trimmed in many cases with, red, or with the red, white, and blue, and the predominance ot the red colouring from the windows and in the streets is very noticeable, making it a pleasure to look upwards and quote, as one looked at he waiting watchers, — You would have thought the very windows spake, „ _ So many eager looks of old and young <. Through casements darted their desiring /yea Every building almost, every shop, and every vehicle, not excluding tramcars, ha< by this time been set off with flags of all shapes, sizes, aud description, and the wind that has brought the rain has at least flung out proudly the hitherto sluggish folds ol the Union Jack waving from the Town Hall, and as the other flag 3 follow " suit, the effect is more animated and striking than before." Dowling street is reached, and is already found to be crowded with .volunteers, over whosa heads the bunting of tho shipping at the wharves can be seen. TKe - public are all agog for the least sensation. A black-faced gentleman in xiniform "prance's ' up the street, exchanging cheers with^ an— imposing Highlander in' resplendent .kiltsv followed by a small crowd of admiring boys, who worship some things. *" Don't Toby look all right to-day ! " cries one urchin enthusiastically. His conipanions' feelings are too deep for intelligibility. " Flags ! flags ! Sixpence and a shilling each," shriek the small boys. Do they ever sell- any?