VOLUNTEERS AT PLAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 909, 31 August 1910, Page 6

VOLUNTEERS AT PLAY.

PRESENTATIONS TO OFFICERS. There was a large muster of officers of the Wellington Garrisob at the Drill Hall, Buckle Street, last night, when Colonel W. G. Duthie, Major Mackintosh, Captain. iMabin, and Captain Cowles—officers of the staff—were the guests of the First Wellington Rifle Battalion at a social entertainment, in which cards, music,; and an excellent. 6upper formed leading items, and' were afterwards .the recipients of appropriate presentations of a highly humorous character. ' The hosts availed themselves of the occasion to crack an excellent, practical, and at the 6ame time acceptable joke at the expense of the four guests of honour, the gifts, while ornate, being so designed so as to commemorate some grievance, hobby, or foiblo of the recipient in relation to the volunteer service. For this..reason Colonel Duthie—who has feeling recollections of some of the mounts provided for him by the Government when absent from Wellington at held operations—had given him a neat equestrian mantel ornament, embleinatio of a Basuto chief mounted on a bob-tailed horse. Major Mackintosh's objection to volunteers competing for a cup presented ov the Licensed' Victuallers was commemorated by a serviceable suitablyinscribed pewter surmounted by a gong with a very tiny soldier in the foreground. Captain Cowles—who entertains Bomewhat similar feelings towards the Boy Scout as Bishop Julius is credited with in the case of juvenile missionaries—was rewarded with a figure of a. youth in thp unforgettable paraphernalia; while Captain. Mabin, as a quartermaster of pronounced_ views on commissariat affairs, was given a symbolic tiii of bully beef. , The nature of the gifts was kept a profound secret until after supper, when, after, the usual loyal toasts had . been given by Brigadier Davis and duly honoured. Major Courtenay introduced the business part of. the functions m_ a witty and felicitous speech, embracing the duties • and pecadillot-s ot the different branches of the service. He was followed by Captain Turner, who, in making the presentations, said it had been felt by the officers of ; the battalion that the time had arrived when some tangible proof of their sentiments , towards the staff should be afforded. His remarks were punctuated with roars of laughter, as the different trophies were disgorged from tho recess of a large hamper. , Colonel Duthie, in ..acknowledging the presentation, gave an amusing recital or some of his equestrian exnenenoes during the Johnsonville manoeuyr.o,' and on other occasions. He incidentally mentioned that whenever a. decent horse was available the Artillery were sure to capture it. It was .the. duty of the Infantry to present a good front, and they could not expect any man to.have depth if lie had front. (Laughter.) He was quite sur e nobody could accuse any oincers of the battalion of having depth, and he was quite convinced they had all got front enough to eec them through.. (Loud laughter.) Ho thanked the officers of the battalion for their gift, which would have ail honoured place on,, thejnantelpiece in his room at homo, underneath a photo presented to him by 1 the City Rifles. " Captain Cowles, and Ca'ptain Mabin also responded m suitable A musical programme was contributed to by Messrs. E. ,T. Hill, Parkes, Fletcher, Newton, and Parsons.