CELEBRATIONS AT TAPAWERA.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13143, 27 June 1911, Page 2

CELEBRATIONS AT TAPAWERA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Tho Coronation parade of the Tapawera Mounted Rifles was postponed until Friday, owing to the inclement weather. Several of the mm came on Thursday, some travelling 20 or more miles to'attend, and having to return the same day. As many of them live in parts remote from telegraph and telephone, with mountains and rivers to cross no word could bo sent them, and, the muster was, in consequence, small; but they made up for it in enthusiasm. Acting-Captain H. Faulkner and Lieut. D. Forsyth soon put things in order and on the arrival of Lieut, llutherfurd, a.l proceeded to the school ground, where the schoo children from Tapawera, Tadmor, Motupiko and Stanley Brook together with their respective teachers, and a large number of the residents were assembled. Having been formed up, the, Chaplain (Oaptain O. R. Hewlett) with Surgeon-Major Hudson and Captain F. B. Peart assisting, presented the Coronation medals to the school children, this being followed by saluting the flag and giving three cheers for King George V. Lieutenant Rutherfurd addressed those present, more especially the troopers. He said 1)( wished them to clearly understand when saluting the flag that they wen in reality sa'.uting the King. No om present returned or accepted their sn-

lute, and the space around the flag if reserved as the place the King would occupy were ho present. The trooper; wore no longer volunteers, but belong ed to tile Territorial forces of Now

Zealand. Some of them who had long distances to travel had felt more

or loss alarmed at the prospect of 30 parades a year, but this alarm will vanish when they realized that General God'.ey had so arranged matters that they could group those parados in such a way as to make it as easy a? possible. To those civilians who were present with them, he said, "Do not grudge giving your sons a chance o! fitting themselves to defend theii country, especially when you realiz< that it will make them better citizens, and if they use their opportunities aright, better men physically, mental ly and morally." The message as lip read it, from England tn New Zealand was, "You arc of age, learn to defend yourselves." They had powerful nations at their door, there might corma time when possibly they may have their hands full, therefore, ho said, "Learn to rely more on yourselves and take your part in the defence of this, your corner, of the Empire." Loyalty was a great and wonderful cementing power. Without loyalty to each otiiet. a home was merely a collection of disoordant'nersons, under the roof, without loyalty, a nation became a nation of sand drifted about by every wind that blew, and finally crumbled away altogether. Turning to the Mounted Rifles, ho snid. "You are now to be ca'lod B snuadron of the 10th Regiment, and in order to impress on your memory what I am going to say, I will make use of the letter B, and ask you to Be manly men, Be smart at your work, Bo not only straight shots, but straight men, Be loyal to your squadron, to your country, to your Empire, to vmir Kinc, and to your God." All then dispersed for dinner and nf 2.30 a ceremonial parade with a Royal Salute took place on the fipld prepared by Lieuts. Faulkner and Forsyth. The troops marchp-d past, first in column, in fours, and in single file. Th<r> schools a'so had a march past. The staff ;cre represented by Surgeon-Major Hudson fVpt-am O. R. Hewlett, Chanlain. and Captain F. B. Peart, S.C., while lie.ut ■RutVifirfurd took command, assisted by his officers The bugler blew the tfnnd R!>ltit<\ All now marched to the i-Mi/'M o-r-^unri. vhprf> » sol"' yin relii?ious service was performed by the .rflismim'ti. pII nre.sp"+ boartiJv i<vi->cr nation hymns, which were played by Mr. Rogers, school master. 'Vfotiinik/i. I

I The day was perfect ai"l t.ho vl"i> : <wren«onv will not hp forcrot+pn hv I tl>o«« whd tdcfe part, efstwaftlljl tb»