OUR ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE CORONATION IN NAPIER. Nowhere in New Zealand was the Coronation of Edward VII. as enthusiastically celebrated as in Napier. Favoureu with one of Napier’s usual sunny, happy days, it only required the abundantly decorated streets and the gaily-dressed and jubilant crowds who thronged the streets, and jammed themselves into every nook and cranny along the route of procession, to show the stranger that when Napier does a thing she does it with all her heart. Arriving on the Marine Parade at 9 u.m., camera in hand, I soon found myself very busy snapping off the many capital tableaux arranged there ready for the procession. It was difficult to decide which of these was the best, for each one showed great care and artistic arrangement. So I started by snapping the 11.M.5. Zealandia, a large model man-o’-war, manned by sailor boys in costume, from which bristled some half-dozen nasty-looking guns, which went off just when you least expected it, and made you think of Russians. This piece of work was turned out by the Spit, and every credit is due to them for the way in which they united and turned out their novel exhibit, and I sincerely hope that all the little boys who manned her have quite got over their headaches long before this. The next thing to attract my attention was a large Maori war canoe, filled with some 35 or 30 powerful, ferocious-looking Maoris, all in their war paint, too, so I snapped them off and then ran, but I hadn't gone far when “Listening to the News” drew my attention, nor could I pass it without first turning my camera on to this pretty tableau, contributed by the Napier District School. The angel who held the cross was a very pretty girl, and must have been awfully tired, and I know that she got very sunburnt be-, fore the day was over. I think I would have given this exhibit first prize. There were so many tableaux that to detail each one would take up several pages, so I’ll just give you the names of some of the tableaux represented: “Relief of Ladysmith,” railway workshops; figurehead of the Northumberland, Mr. A. Martin; Ancient Order of Foresters, with banner; “Britannia and Dependencies,” Spit School; “H.M.s. Zealandia,” Spit Committee; “Darktown Fire Brigade,” Spit Fire Brigade; Napier Fire Brigade’s engine and manual; Maori war canoe, Noteo natives; “Britannia and Sons,” Marist Bros.’ School; “The Gentleman that Pays the Rent,” Mr. White, Taradale; “Mr. Bigger,” mammoth bottle and “Long Tom,” Robjohns & Sons; “Britannia and Her Children,” Spit School; “Under the Union Jack,” Taradale Committee; “Listening to the News,” Napier District School; war canoe and pataka, Kawera natives; Druids; decorated vehicle, Blythe <fc Co.; decorated vehicle, Conroy & Co.; Cape cart, drawn by a buliock, Mr. North; Napier Salvage Corps; ambulance waggon. Napier Hospital; decorated vehicle, S. Kirkpatrick; the Mayor’s carriage. The marshals were Messrs. F. G. Smith, J. Henderson, J. Burtenshaw and R. J. Neagle, junr. (Taradale). Leaving the tableaux I made my way to the Drill Shed, here I found everything ready for an immediate start.
The parade, state (specially taken by Quartermaster Fox, for transmission through the Governor to the Secretary of State for the Colonies) was as follows:—Napier Guards 49, Napier Rifles 46, Ranfurly Rifles 46, City Cadets 51, High School Cadets 39, Napier School Cadets (No. 1 Company) 39, No. 2 Company 53, No. 3 Company 45, Port School Cadets 40, Marist Brothers’ Cadets 45, St. Augustine’s Lads’ Brigade 21, Imperial veterans 15, colonial veterans 15, returned soldiers 10, battalion band 25, staff 7, permanent staff 1. Major Chicken was in command as brigadier, having with him the Hon. Major Blythe, Captain Hislop as adjutant, and Lieutenant Bennett, of the Ahuriri Mounted Rifles. The veterans included men who had seen service in
the Indian Mutiny, Crimea, Burmah, and New Zealand 1846-66). The procession lined out as follows:—• Ahuriri Mounted Rifles Battalion Band Veterans Returned Troopers Napier Guards City Cadets High School Cadets Kanfurly Rifles Napier Rifles Napier District School Cadets Spit School Cadets Marist Bros’. School Cadets - Church Lads’ Brigade Napier District School Cadets City Band The Tableaux School Children
The first portion of the prog.umme was taken up by a united religious service, held at the Marine Parade Rotunda, here a large crowd assembled and presented a never-to-be-forgotten sight, along' the seaward side of the parade the 535 volunteers and cadets were drawn up, while every inch of available space within hearing distance of the rotunda was occupied by the congregation. Almost without exception every Christian denomination in the town had one or more representatives of its clergy in the rotunda, which was also occupied by the Mayor and members of the Borough Council, and several ladies. A rostrum was erected to the southward, and beneath it were the City Band and a fairly strong choir, with Mr W. T. Sharp as conductor. Among the crowd were Maori and European school children, in charge of their teachers. During the progress of the service there came up, drawn by eight strong horses, a large lorry, on which the younger of the Port Ahuriri State school were artistically grouped under festdons of greenery. The Bishop of Waiapu (Anglican) presided over the service, which opened with the singing of the “Te Deum” to a festival setting. The Old Hundredth hymn, “All people that on earth do dwell,” was clearly better known to the bulk of the people, and they joined in singing it with much heartiness. As a Scripture lesson, the Rev. C E. Beecroft (Wesleyan) read the first seven verses of Psalm 21, opening, “The King shall joy in Thy strength, O Lord.” Next was sung the ancient hymn, “Come, Holy Ghost, cur souls inspire.”
At the conclusion of .the religious service ’he volunteers, under Mijjr Chicken, formed into marching order, and headed the largest procession that has ever wended its way through the streets of Napier. Closely following the volunteers and cadets came the Ladysmith garrison tableaux, who were followed up by the long list of tableaux previously given. After marching through all the principal streets, the procession headed for the Recreation Grounds, which it entered at 11.30 a.m., bringing in its wake apparently all Napier. Never in the history of Napier has such a large crowd assembled in the Recreation Ground as assembled on this auspicious occasion. The presentation of medals to the Hawke’s Bay members of the Seventh Contingent was first attended to. The following are. the returned troopers who received medals from the Mayor (Mr F. W, Williams): T. C. Boyle, E. Cornford, E. J. Lowe, J. P. McKay, E. W. Merritt, S. Brownette. T. Butler, E. Murphy, G. Darling. A. Leyland. W. Falvey. This concluded, the most interesting ceremony of trooping the colours was gone through for the first time in New Zealand, and was loudly applauded by the thousands of spectators who witnessed it. The ceremony was performed by the volunteers. under Major Chicken, assisted by Captain Kettle. The stands were reserved for the school children, comprising many hundreds of young, fresh voices, who sang “God Save the King” with great spirit, under the baton of Mr W. T. Sharp.
In the afternoon the City Band occupied the Marine Parade rotunda, I where they played a choice programme of selections before a large concourse of people. The hakas by the Maoris also served to pleasantly
fill in the time. The torchlight, procession in the evening was another interesting portion of the day’s functions. The whole town, hills and flats alike, was resplendent in a flood of varied-coloured lights. Huge bonfires were lit on the Bluff Hill and on the beach, and a pyrotechnic exhibition on the Marine Parade was watched by thousands of enthusiastic spectators. “Well done, Napier,” was the unanimous verdict at the finish.
The following is a list of the members of the Cadet Corps whose photos, appear on page 483. The names are to be read in conjunction with the photos, from left to right: — No. 1 Company, Captain Hislop.— Rear rank: Pte. Thayer, Sergt. Gardiner, Ptes. Olliver, Napier, Lieut. Hartley, Ptes. Pirie, Anderson, Corp!. Simpson, Pte. Murtagh, Otton, Dr. C’ranby, -Pte. Nelson, Bugler Stevens (Capt. Hislop), Pte. Exeter, ColourSergt. Holder, Pte. Goldsmith, Bugler Waters, Pte. Gumbley, Stevens, Weaver, Corpl. Spence, Lieut. Natusch, Ptes. R. Bell, Pearson, L. Simpson, Sergt. Shirley, Corpl. Miller, Ptes. Blair and Ashton. Front rank: Ptes. Nicholson, Badley, Poole, Cook, Edmundson, Wug, King, Arnold, Miller, Tucker, Ashworth, Martin, J. Beach, Campbell, C. Beach, Griffin, Burnett, Northe, Scoble, Balfour, Beaumont. No. 2 Company, under- Capt. Hudson.—Rear rank: Pte. Johnson. Corpl. Bell, Ptes. Byford, Thomson, Yates, Lieut. Riggir, Ptes. Taylor, Widerstrom, Bugler Colwill, 'pte. Evans (Capt. Hudson), Pte. Duncan, Dr. Denholm, Pte. Paton, Corpl. Ayling. Ptes. Knock, Balfour, Lieut. Dennison, Lance-Corpl. Stevens, Pte. Scofield, Sergt. Brown, Ptes. Anderson, Scorgie. Front rank: Ptes. Cottrell, MeKnjofht, Williamson, Burridge, F. Williams, King, Davis, Coker, Alexander, Hargreaves, Fountain, McCartney, Robinson, McKennie, Glenny, G. Williams.
No. 3 Company, Captain Soundy.— Rear rank: Pte. Milgrew, Col.-Sergt. Thayer, Pte. Edwards, Corpl. Spence, Ptes. Sweetapple, Asher, L. Younghusband, Watts, Lieut. Horsefield, Ptes. Gumbley, Fraser, Israel, Bugler Holder, B. Watts, Campbell, Sergt. Bourgeois, Ptes. M. Hale, A. Younghusband, Williams, Gilmore, Sergt. Riggir, Corpl. Benson, Ptes. Ashton, Bland. Front rank: Ptes. Edmundson, Cook, Constable, Ashworth, Jenkins, Y'ounghusband, Bower, Robinson, Corpl. Ayling, Ptes. Storkey, Winduss, 11. Enor, R. Hale, Croucher, Lance-Corpl. Bishop, Corpl. McLernon, Ptes. Gardiner, Lascelles, Forrest. Hay. SUNDAY. TIIANKSGIYING SER VIC ES. NAPIER CATHEDRAL. The wild, stormy weather considerably lessened the attendance at the Cathedral and other places of worship in Napier yesterday, when special services of thanksgiving were held in connection with the Coronation of the King. The Cathedral had been most artistically decorated with flags by Mr. Walter Slater, and looked exceedingly bright and handsome. At the entrance to the chancel a richlydraped pedestal was placed, upon which a crimson velvet cushion supported a fac-simile of the Royal crown. The latter had been made with infinite pains by Mr. Slater for the occasion, and .reflected much credit upon his artistic skill. The members of the choir and Cathedral officials wore rosettes of the national colours. A church parade having been called, a fair number of members of the several garrison corps were present, considering the miserable weather, the officers turning out in force, under the command of Major Chicken. The Mayor and Councillors sat in the front seat on the north side of the nave. The musical portion of the services, both morning and evening, under the direction of Mr. W. T. Sharp, Cathedral choirmaster, was well rendered. The whole of it had been carefully selected for the occasion. Special psalms, hymns and lessons were used, the latter being read by Mr. E. W. Andrews, of
the Napier High School. The Bishop of Waiapu said the special litany appointed for the Coronation, and pronounced the Benediction at the end of the morning service. The preacher at 11 o’clock was the Dean of Waiapu, who, before commencing his sermon, read a telegram he had just received from the Acting-Premier, announcing the fact that the Coronation had actually taken place. He then took for his text the words, “And all the people shouted and said, ‘God Save the King’ ” (I. Samuel, x. 24). INTERESTING MAORI RELICS. (Continued from page 474.) wene, where the carvings were on exhibition at the house of Mr. Menzies, of the Lands Department. It is proposed to secure these inflfresting remains for the Auckland Museum. The carvings are really coffins, being hollow on the side next the wall, and were apparently used by the Maoris of a long past generation for interment purposes. The style of work, as well as the condition of the coffins, indicates that they belong to a time before the advent of the pakeha to New Zealand. They are probably 200 or 250 years old. The Maoris now in the district have no claim to the discovered articles, as they are not the descendants of the tribe by whom the cave was used, that hapu having been swept away. The lizard-shaped coffin, which appears in our picture, was placed at the mouth of the cave, and acted as a most effectual barrier against intruders, for he would have been an impious and foolhardy man indeed who would have ventured to disregard it.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue VIII, 23 August 1902, Page 490
Word Count
2,057OUR ILLUSTRATIONS. New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue VIII, 23 August 1902, Page 490
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Acknowledgements
This material was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries. You can find high resolution images on Kura Heritage Collections Online.