PARADE OF TROOPS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2385, 15 February 1915, Page 6

PARADE OF TROOPS.

IN NEWTOWN PARK

REINFORCEMENTS & THE , MAORI "SEVENTY"

INSPECTION BY THE GOVERNOR

The Third 1 Reinforcements along with the Maori Contingent were paraded iu Newtown Park on Saturday afternoon for inspection by His Exoellency the Governor. None of these troops have ever marched through the city ..streets before, 1 and- the interest of the civil population in the soldiers was shown by the crowds of people who lined the route of the march and who visited the park to 3ce the inspection. The crowd actually •' within the gates must have numbered 8000, and quite as many more saw the march through the city.

The officers and men all looked remarkably, .fit and well, sun-tanned and robust, the result no doubt of the openair life of the camp. The drill and general demeanour of all the troops-was uxcellent. - The Maoris claimed by far the most attention from the spectators, not only because this was the first occasion on which the people had ever seen Maori -troops, but because by their soldierly bearing, their fine physique, and smart appearance they deserved ad.miration. Especially do they deserve commendation. for their rock-steadiness on parade.- It. "was possible to look along all their lines and see not the slightest restless movement. .Of course, the Maoris have had longer 'training than their pakeha brothers, and. it may be assumed that on this, their first march out) they were doing their best. For the whites the experience was a more ordinary one. Much of the good appearance of.the Natives was due to their uniforms.- They wear a helmet of; smart design, with a red and black badge, their regimental colours, on the. left side of it, a - jacket of khaki drill for tropical, service, shorts leaving the knees bare, and puttees.

Badge of the Brave. On the front of the Maoris' helmets i-5 a- little bronze badge, with an inscription of rather interesting legendary ■significance, ■ "Te Hoko Whitu a. Tu," which means "Tho Seventy of-the God of War." ' Long ago, far beyond the memory of any living Maori, when the tribes fought one another, it was the custom to choose seventy men, noted for their valour, for any desperate feat of arms. Seventy was always the number, but the origin of this custom of choosing, that number is lost .in antiquity. . . Ths.lnspection. The Third Reinforcements were tinder the command of Major W. R. Pinwill, and the Maori Contingent was commanded by Major H. Peacock. Tlie Earl of Liverpool wore the ordinary khaki uniform of the New Zealand Staff Corps, a variation from his usual custom— which is to wear the uniform' of his old regiment, the Rifle Brigade. He was accompanied on his tour of inspection of the lines bv Colonel Robin (Officer Commanding the Now Zealand Forces), Lieutenant-Colonel Gibbon (Chief of the General Staff), and by the Right Hon. W. F- "Ma'ssey (Prime Minister), the Hon. Colonel Allen (Minister of Defence), and Mr. J. P. Luke (Mayor of Wellington)! Other officers of the Headquarters and District. Staffs present } were Lieutenant-Colonel Pilkington. (Ad-jutant-General), and Colonel Tato (Offii cer Commanding tlie • Wellington trict).'Soldiers' Privilege to Grumble. His Excellency addressed the troops briefly after the inspection. After congratulating them on their fine appearance, he remarked upon the fact that Europeans; and Nativos were on this oceation to fight together, whereas a little more than a generation ago British soldiers had had to come to New Zealand to fight the Native race! Tho Maoris on parades were a very fine body of men, and when they ivont to Egypt he had no doubt that they would uphold tho honour .of tho flag , and - carry out 1 their duties to their King and country. He spoke in terms of the highest commendation also of the magnificent loyalty of other native races; the peoples of the. Indian .Empire. "One thuig I wish to say to you as a soldier," he, said. "It -is the license of every one. of us soldiers to grouse ainongst ourselves as much as we like, but wis want you to do this j for the credit of all New Zealanders — I keep your grouse in your camp. We want .to hear what you are doing, but we don't: want to hear any potty non-sense-about petty grievances. . . .- You will have difficulties, of course. I have been on service myself, and I know exactly what' difficulties .you will have to contend with. I know, no one in this world is perfect—officer, non-commission-ed officer, or man. I know also that there is no perfect statesman. No such monster ever existed, and I am sure I am just as. right in saying that no such monster as i perfect soldier ever existed."Good Wishes from Ministers. Tho Prime' Minister spoke his congratulations and -good wishes to the officers and men. Every right-thinking patriotic citizen, he said, must he proud of the willingness and earnestness with which the young men of our country had offered their.services for King and' Empire. Referring to the Maoris, he said that he -,vas sure they would do credit to'tho warrior ancestors from whom'they had sprung. The people of New Zealand would be just as_ interested in the Maori soldiers, and just as proud of them, as of those of their own race. The Hon. Colonel Allen after congratu. lations and good wishes urged the men to foster a healthy spirit of rivalry among tho units and among themselves, the sort of feeling that would prevent a man from • going wrong, and make a man do his duty to himself and his country.. ■ ' Mr. J. P. Luke (Mayor) also addressed ; tho parade. f Native Chiefs Exhort their own people. ■ After tho white "chiefs" had spoken, two Maori chiefs, Te Heu Heu, head of the Taupo Maoris, and Kingi Topia, of the Wanganui. tribes, spoke words of exhortation to the Maoris in their own tongue, with characteristic gesture and dramatic fire. They told their young men to be strong- and of good courage, to face the foe without flinching, and to ■uphold tho mana of the Great.' Whito King whom they had sworn to servo. Before tho troops marched off the parade ground a short religious service was conducted by the Rev. W. Shirer, the Rev. G. S. Cook, and the Rev. A. M. Johnson.