COMMONWEALTH CELEBRATIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9037, 4 January 1901, Page 1

COMMONWEALTH CELEBRATIONS.

REVIEW OF THE TRODPS. A GREAT MARCH PAST. A CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL.

Kleoteic Telegraph Copyright—United Piesß Association. SYDNEY, Jan. 3. To-day was almost generally observed as a holiday. It is beautiful weather," the heat being tempered by a fine breeze. Tho pressure on the leading hostelries is now relaxing. To-day was the great military fixture, and from an early hour every kind of conveyance was requisitioned to carry the populace to Centennial Park. The trams were crowded, and busses obtained high fares, while nothing short of gold could induce a cab to take passengers to the field of action', where the army of the Empire displayed itself m all its glory. At the saluting/base were gathered the fashionables of Sydney society and distinguished guests. Messrs Seddon and Carroll occupied seats amongst others on the special platform. The troops lined up ,the first line of infantry m a line of a quarter column, while the second line consisted of engineers and departmental, the third line ' the mounted brigade and field artillery. Other branches of the service, such as naval forces, garrison artillelry, army service corps, medical staff corps, were ! paraded as infantry. Regimental bands brought up the rear of the respective regiments. v Lord Hopetoun -received a great ova- < tion on reaching the parade; ground. He was received by a general salute, and then proceeded down the cavalry line from the right and up the infantry line from the left, the bands playing a slow march The mounted brigade moved to the saluting base during the inspection of the' infantry. N I Lord Hopetoun was mounted, and was attired m a general* undress uniform, being accompanied by two- aides. As soon as the Governor had finished the I inspection, he returned to the saluting point, and the march past- was commenced. The Royal Horse Artillery came first, followed by the Life Guards, an I was an imposing f'pectacle, the sunlight glancing on the brilliant uniforms, Mid tlle Imperials' shining accoutrements made up ' the dazzling ■ scene. The cavalry passed m , dashing style, but the Indian cavalry displayed a finer control over their horses, and their three solid columns moved like clockwork. The men sat their horese like statues of bronze I and received a magnificent reception, and probably raised greater enthusiasm than any other force. The marching of the Imperials was something to be remembered, the Grenadiers and the Rifle Brigade ] dividing honors m this respect. The colonial forces have not yet reached the English standard m this respect ; there is not the same clockwork precision.' The | marines from the navy, together with the tailors, marched splendidly, arousing the ei>:th.-Dsi3sm oi the 160,000 spectators. • The Queensland and Tasmanian con- ■ tingeois, the latter being led by the redoubtable Major Cameron, of South ■ African fame, raised enthusiasm to a high pitch, and a similar effect was pro- . duced as the New Zealanders marched l past. The New South Wales Lancers ' made a brave show, and while not having ( the stateliness of the English cavalry • they display the abandon individually which marked their comrades on the African veldt. The actual number of troops on parade ' was 9679, and the march took an hour to pass the Governor. The streets were crowded with visitors and general sightseers all day long. Variety was lent to the decorations by changes m the colors of the decorations, wrought over night. To-day Martin Place, m front of the Post Office, is festboned ?wita green paper streamers, which, m the genial breeze, swell like a sea, promising a beautiful effect when the , electric lights are turnedon to-night. All day loDg the military bands were playing from the bandstands erected every few hundred yards apart m the streets. A beautiful sight was a great display ax- the cricket ground by children df ht« public schools. Upwards of ten thousand children took part, 'm thepresence of thirty thousand spectators The children were dressed m white, each school being distinguished by a particular colored fib- ( bon ol» tie. Tho girls performed a pretty • flag march, describing circles, triangles, and other geometrical figures, with excellent precision. The boys displayed , ability m dumb-bell and single-stick ex- < ercises. Thc Governor-General visited the ground during the afternoon, the children cheering and singing. A commercial demonstration took the shape of a luncheon to commemorate the Commonwealth inauguration and welcome Lord Hopetoun. Over a thousand • guesta were present. The Governor did not appear .apologising for his absence on the ground of being tired after the military function of the morning. ( Mr Barton, the Federal Premier, re- • ceived a good reception, but that accorded Mr Reid overshadowed all. For fully five minutes peal on peal of cheers rang out, showing that the leader ol < freetrader was amongt his own m the commercial community. Mr Kingston, who made his fist speech as Federal Minister of Trade and Cus- ( toms, made an appeal for the burial of State jealousies, and said that he would endeavor, m his important department,, to administer m the Dest interests of the nation. . A toast to the memory of the late bir i Henry Parkes was drunk m solemn silence. To-night there is plenty of amusement m the shape of fireworks, a concert, cycling carnival, and command night at the theatres. The Union Steamship Company placed the fine steamer Mokoia at the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon's disposal to view the fireworks to-morrow night. A large fashionable audience has been invited, including the New Zealand contingents. Captain Edie, shipping master of Sydney, haa placed a steamer at the disposal of the Maori chiefs during their stay, to view the harbor. ' : ,

Recognising the advantages of the colonies for obtaining supplies for th© navy, the Lords of the Ao^nuralty have decided upon an important change m connection with the victualling of the British war-; ships elsewhere, and. Sydney will m the near futura be the headquarters for the: supplying of the Cape, North Pacific, and Eastern Squadrons. For some time past the Uni«Sd States Government have been obtaining supplies for the Philippines at Sydney, add the neighboring colonies, thre* transport* being regularly employed carrying frozen meat, vegetables, and other necessaries from Australia to the' American fleet m Eastern waters. The Dunedin Star complains editorially of the compositibn of the Federation Com-; mission. \Phile admitting that a fair attempt has been made to give representation to the various interests m the colony, it deprecates the action of the Government m practically prejudicing the issue by appointing men who, for the most part, are known to be antagonistic to the Federation project so far as New Zealand is concerned. It has.no hesitation m saying that the strong anti-Federation element m the; Commission practically makes the whole business a fiasco and a foregone conclusioiHrom the start. Even apart fromthis aspect, the constitution of the Commisssion is weak and unsatisfactory. It contains very few men with real power of intellectual grip, men capable «5f grappling with a great and complicated subject, and thoroughly apprehending the import of its various branches and bearings. While recognising Messrs Bowen, Roberts, and Leys as. men of practical ability and broad views, it^fegards Parliamentarians with closed minds as a serious blot, and thinks that the omission to include a highly-traiiied actuary is a great mistake. From the Commission, constituted as it now is, it expects nothing of a substantial value, and fears that the result can only be to postpone the^desirable and surelydestined hour of New Zealand's entry into tha Commonwealth on equitable terms.