KING'S BIRTHDAY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2479, 4 June 1915, Page 8

KING'S BIRTHDAY

A MAGNIFICENT CELEBRATION UNCERTAIN WEATHER BUT UNSOUNDED ENTHUSIASM. Good weather alone was needed to make tho celebration of tho King's Birthday in Wellington the greatest that the city had ever seen, probably the greatest it is likely to see in many years. Perhaps it is too much to say that good weather was needed, becauso events have proved that nothing short of very bad weather would have spoiled the show. The sun was shy for much of the day, the wind was keen for the whole of the day, and there were several light showers at intervals, but tho great programme for the day was carried through as if the season were midsummer, and tho weather without fault. All other shows wore crowded out of mind by the Carnival, the Carnival which is only beginning, but which has already been the greatest Carnival Wellington has ever seen. Already there have been preliminary demonstrations to givo a foretaste of tho popular enthusiasm, but that enthusiasm gave itself full expression yesterday. Never has tho city been so bedecked before. Flags flow everywhere. (Every flagpole sported tho blue ensign of New Zealand, or some ler British flag, and from innumet--ablo strings crossing the streets or hanging from big buildings, from every available point, as it seemed, flew thousands of flags, the Hags of Britain and her brave Allies. It was an amazing show, most amazing of all to the observer who had concluded from long experience of their dotached attitude of mind, that ho knew the temper of tho Wellington people. There were other attractions for tho day, but tho irreafc mass of the people knew little of them and cared nothing at all. A succcssful race meeting was held at Otaki. none the less, and the soldiers vied with ono another in manly sports at Trentham.