SOLDIERS AT PLAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1014, 2 January 1911, Page 6

SOLDIERS AT PLAY.

THE PALMERSTON TOURNAMENT. MILITARY POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE. . ; (By Telegraph—Special Reporter.) Palmerston N., December 31. Palmerston, much to the satisfaction of its enterprising tradespeople, is subject to periodical invasions. The great spring carnival of the Manawalu Agricultural and Pastoral Associationwitnesses an invasion of farmers. This, however, is a comparatively peaceful affair, possessing nothing of the pomp and circumstanco which attends the invasion of the military on the occasion of the annual tournament and assault-at-arms, which gives to the big agricultural and pastoral centre all the appearance of a garrison town. In former years the , tournament was held on thp birthday of his late Majesty King Edward VII, but I since that date has now ceased to be observed as a public holiday the Tournament Committee has this year transferred the fixture to what is really a more congenial season—New Year holiday time, and from all appearances the big tourney which opened to-day promises to be a great success. Year by year this event is assuming the importance of f'. national military carnival, which is a' very good thing indeed for the fostering -of that spirit of healthy rivalry and keen competition' which is an. important factor in the strengthening of the true military esprit-de-corps. This year's tournament is conspicuous from the fact that for the first time since its inception competitors from over the water have come to itrv' conclusions with our own men. The First Australian field Battery—the Tasmanian Field Artillery, a crack corps, and the oldest volunteer m the Commonwealth Forces —has sent picked team of repretsentatives to compete. Some idea of the representative' character of the tournament may be gaiherec: from the -following competing corps , Artillery. —Australian Field Artillery (No. 1 Tasmanian Battery), Royal hew Zealand Artillery, B Battery Field 'Artillery (Dunedin),'D. Battery iield Artillery (Wellington), Wellington Division N;Z. Garrison Artillery (Wellington isavals), and the Electric Light Section. Engineer corps- from Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington, are also present. Of the mounted men there are No. 1 Tasraanians, Wauiku Mounted Rifles, Manawatu Mounted. Rifles, Hunterville Mounted.Rifles, Feilding Mounted Rifles, Waimarino Mounted Rifles, Eketahuna Mounted Rifles. - Heretaunga Mounted Rifles, Scddon Horse, Waikato Mounted Rifles, Dominion' Scouts, South Canterbury Mounted Rifles. . i ' Infantry.—Gordon Rifles (Auckland), Hutt' Valley -Rifles, Zealandia Rifles (Wei-"' ■ lington), Wellington Guards, College , Rifles (Auckland), College' Rifles- (Wel- ■ lington), Wellington P. and T. Rifles, ' Greytown Rifles' .(Greytown),- Wellington Highland Rifles, Palmerston North Rifles, Taranaki Guards, Wanganui Highland . Rifles',' Ashburton Rifles,- Tepiuka- Rifles ; (South Canterbury), Wellington City Rifles (Wellington), -Wanganui Guards, Awarua Rifles (Invercargill).

Tho field ambulance corps are represented bv No. 5 Company (Wellington) and the Second Battalion W-R-T. (Band). Cadets units competing . include the District High' School (Petone), Boys' Institute Cadets (Wellington), Central Troop, Boys' Scouts (Palmerston North), Campbell ' Street' School (Palmerston North), Technical School Cadets (Palmerston North), St. Anne's Cadets (Wellington), Napier. City Cadets, Foxton School (Foxton). : The proceedings to-day were concerned chiefly with preliminary heats in various events, and cadet .competitions. ■ A. smart and interesting display was tho tent-pitching and striking competition. for senior cadets, the result being ia [win for the Wellington Boj's' Institute j 'squad with a total of 6G points—a point 'ahead of the Palrnersto'n Technical School detachment, which came- sccond. The Fietone District High School came third, netting 63 points. - Napier ' City" Cadets were fourth with GO points, Petone District High School (No. 2 team) fifth with 51 points, Palmerston Technical' School (No. 2 team) sixth with 44 points, and St. Anne's'. Cadets, Wellington, seventh '.with 40 points. The most popular event of tho afternoon was the preliminary round of. the wrestling on horseback—a 'Contest in which those participating rely chiefly on their ability to cling to their bare-backed steeds (and any' portion of the said equinos may apparently serve, .so long as the riders do not touch the ground), their "collaring" powers, and- tho stoutness of their clothing—tho last-named essential being disclosed by unexpected disasters in former competitions, wherein shirts were torn to ribbons or 'pulled clean off the . unyielding. ■This ■ year - football jerseys _ are in popular favour among the sportive equestrians, and the- popular encouragement from the grandstand reminded one of the lino "barrack" ;at a Eugby . match. The lion among the combatants was a tough-looking son of the Maori race, who had a facility for sticking to his mount, and an equally marvellous ,dexterity of inducing his opponents to leave theirs. His feats earned him a round of applause from ■the grandstand. ,\ • ; A big event is the route march of seven miles over difficult country, including a' chilly river-fording, breast high, for the adult- corps. The contesting squads are keen to win, and at least one of them— the College Eifles—lias been putting in some solid training beforehand. The artillery contests will also furnish much interest for the spectators, while not the least important (as. setting forth all the militarv pomp and circumstances of the ■occasion) will be the" musical ride of the Manawatu Mounted Eiiles. "and the grand march past of all competitors. Lemoncutting, tent-pegging, - the popular LloydLindsay competition, tug-of-war on horseback, piercing- the dummy, and,.a'costume race figure among the remaining attractions of the day. , In the evening there will be a brilliant displav under electric arc lights and searchlights'. Included on the . programme also is a march past of regimental representation of British Dominions, with; the regimental pets, a figure marching display by the cadets, "Ye Old English Jouste," a brief episode of knight errantry, wherein is set forth an elopement, a rescue," a jouste, and the vanquishing of villinhry and the triumph of virtue."; The displav "is to conclude with a realistic representation •' of tho Battle of ' Eorke's Drift. , . This morning detachments from the various, corps represented at the tournament paraded for church, and attended d'vinc service in thi Square. MajorGoneral A. F.Godley, 0.8., Commandant of tho'Forces, Colonel A. W. Robin,-C.8., Adjutant and Quartermaster-General, Colonel E. G. Heard, Director of Military Education and -Training, and other members of the-General Staff Headquarters, together with the AVellington district and garrison staffs, will be present at the tournament to-morrow. The following officers are in charge of the proceedings:— - ' Executive Committee—Lieu't.-Col. -D. Pringle, Captains C. W. Peach, H. Palmer,"Lieuts. W. G. C. Smith, and S. S.M. Committee—Capt. Peach (chairman). C'apt. Jickell, Capt. Warden, Capt. Wliallv, Capt, Feote, Licuts. Batchelar, I Smith,' Cleveley, Buick, Allan, Willoughhv 'S. S.M. Dovey, E.Q.M.b. Baker, Sergts. Jickell, Tucker, Etbert, Naylor, Pringle, Stock. Honorary Secretary.—Capt. Harry Pal"supervisor and Adjutant.—Major- Mac"Supei'visor's Stewards. — Staff-Sergts.-Major Burr and M'Christell. Timekeeper and St.-.-rter.—Major C. Dunk, Liout. D. Buick. Judges.—Artillery': Cant. Spencer Smith, R.F.A.. and Caj)t. G. S. Richardson (Wellington). Engineers: StaV.Sergt-Majors Meikle (Auckland), Browning (Wellington). Mounted events: Major Dunk (Palmerston North), Major Sandtmann (Napie), Lieut. Stevens (Wellington); Infantry. Staff Sergts.-Majors Attwell (Auckland), -Peacock (Wangauui), Eose and Henderson (Wellington). Signalling and sketching:. Stafl'-Sergt.-Majors Meikle (Auckland), Browning (Wellington), Sergt. Peterson (Wellington). Ambulance: Colonel Purdy (Wellington), Surgeon-Major O'Brien (Palmerston North), and Capt. Cook (Mastcrton); ; Judges' and Press Steward.—Capt. J. Mounsey. Competitors' Steward: Lieut. ICells. Honorary Marking Steward: R.Q.M.S. Baker,