HISTORICAL COLOURS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 40

HISTORICAL COLOURS.

(Fitou Od-r Own Correspondent?) j AUCKLAND, January 11. '' A function wluch revived msuny memories of the pact took place in Auckland yester- i day afternoon, when the colours of the , 58th Regiment, which have reposed in the Supreme Oourt for over 40 years, were removed therefrom to the Free Library. There was assembled a crowd of many | hundreds, and the scene before the pro- j cf-ssion movod off was an impressive one. , 1 In the midst of the gathering, inside the ! gates, there stood, the cynosure of all eyes, little groups of men. bent, reared, j and white of hair, who represented in ' j themselves the survivors of th-d famous ' regiment to whom this province owed so ; , much in the euily days of its existence. , There were 10 of them in all — Sergeant J (or by virture of his cubsequent Volunteer j ' rank, captain) J. H. Mitchell, Seigeaut i j Jesse Sage, and Privates H. GiUan. R. 1 Skinner, Murphy. J. Cutler. J. Halloran. I T. Sowell, and K. and A. Scott. Of these Sergeant Sage and Piivate Gillan were the only two who landed in New Zea- , land with the first 200 men of the regi- | ment, under Major Bridge. Private Spicer . | Rout, who belonged to the 58th in the Old Country, and Lieutenant -colonel J. Pirie, V.D., attached for instruction to 'the 58th (retired), were also piesexit. A score or so of descendants of members of i the regiment Avere in attendance, and theje | included a number of ladies, amongst whom was Mrs Healy, formerly Miss Gallagher, whose father served in the* 58th. She herself was bern and reared and married from the regiment to one of its sergeants. Upwards of 100 members of the Empire Veterans' Association turned up to act a* j escort, as well as a brake load of residents from the Veterans' Home, under Captain Goodwyn Archer. When Major Morrow made his exit from the oourt, bearing in either hand one of the flags which were the occasion of the historic gathering, he was eageily surrounded, and there ensued quite a feverish argument amongst the survivors of the old regiment as to which of them should have tho honour of carrying them. When the procession started 'it was headed by the veterans on foot, then came the brake containing the galla,nt 10, with Sergeant Sage and Private Halloran on the box seat. proudly clasping the beloved flags. Immediately in the wake of this vehicle marched the descendants of the regiment, followed by the veterans, some contingenters, and several traps and cairiages. A jwlice escort (mounted and afoot)) Mas also provided. A lengthy procession of Volunteers followed, and' the route was lined by Volunteeis.