THE PARADE MARCH

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2589, 11 October 1915, Page 6

THE PARADE MARCH

BRONZED STALWARTS IN THE CITY

RIFLE BRIGADE AND THE

"SEVENTH."

A STIRRING. SPECTACLE

Not since' the departure of the Main Body of New- Zealand's' Expeditionary Forco for Europe has there been witnessed, even in these continuously eventful days, such a scene of fervent enthusiasm as was created in Wellington by the parade'through the principal midCity streets on Saturday afternoon of the flrsttwo battalions of tho New Zealand Rifle Brigado ("The Earl of Liverpool's-; Own'') .and: the Seventh Reinforcements,: numbering'in all about 5000 ■ men. It was truly; a day of days with the. bnlk of -.those--who thronged the for the ranks included those who were in oijo way or other related to or connected with. a verj'.'large-percentage of the', spectators. Emotionally; - tho spirit of the.' day .was. ..one of gravo exaltation. To , greet tlio ' newfledged .soldiers of the Empire the .City, "did itself proud." Having the advantago of perfect weather after a couple"of sloppy -days, there.'ivas a brightness and clarity in tho.air that raised the spirits. :of everyone.; A liner body never shouldered rifle than those who paraded through the gaily-beflagged streets on Saturday. Well-Ordered Parade. Starting out from Waterloo Quay, the long khaki column, headed by..drummers, and band of the (Wellington) Regiment, swung round into Bunny Street and into Lambton Quay, at which junction there ■ was an enormous crowd stretching up the grassy slopes of, the Parliamentary, grounds,, and packed on both sides of. the broad thoroughfare. ;At; tliis point the authorities had taken tie utmost care that- there should be nb crowding iii on tlie;cpluran,' the people beiiig. kept back to a given line on either ■side by linos of .Territorials and Senior Cadets,..whilst a /body ol; mounted police with foot police and "red- caps" effec-: tivßly kept 'the Quay .clear almost' to its' full"width;for ,the'.length :V of .the Goviernment. Buildings." : It was impossible to keep the crowd From seeking a more intimate point of .vantage for. the greater part of the route, and past Government Buildings the crowd narrowed right up until .there was. just room' enough for 1 the men, four abreast, to pass,, and reaching this alleyway the bands had to contract and string out instead of keeping their full playing breadth. Ono soldier ,li ad' a heap of tho /choicest' of • flowers stacked; on top of his knaprsack, .whilst others had bouquets strung upon their .gleaming ' bayonets,'' 'and tucked, in . their, belts. One officer, disdaining the'., proprieties, wore a lovely Maori mat Over his shoulders, the part-. ing;gift evidently of : somo Native friohd, .Whilst others .< wero ' bowed 7 with the . weight of many parcels—tokons of ten-' der "love and respect, wliicli they can nevor- forget as long as life lasts. ~ . Tho "Trerits." . . Following v.tho', sth llegiment Band camo tlio' mountod. meiijof the Sevonth 'Reinforcement, .a solid, nuggcty looking lot with unbayoiieted: rifles carried at the. slope. . Following Hheso was tho band' of - the Salvation Army, Heading other details of tho A flutter, of, excitement: "accompanied ' the. discovery of a trio .of mounted men, and ;as someone shouted "Hero come the-Trents!" -from across tile way a burst of cheering heralded the approach of His Excellency the Governor at the head of his "Own" (laki.TronthanrMegi.'merit, lioW' the- New' Zealand Rifle brigade), in uniform, and maintaining a perfect seat on a splendid charger. "Immediately; behind him rode Colonel Fulton, Officer 'Comman(lin,n tho Brigade, and an A.D.C. ■ The.Ministers of.-the Crown and • tho • Headquarters Staff Isaluted. Hiso Excellency,' and-' then settled .down to observe tho paces of tho brigade,! who were, given an unupii ally, sober, aspcct .by reason of their .black badges and buttons. With arms at tlio trail , they: swung by in perfect step, commanding the admiration, of all. Tbey bore the' impress 'of hard training in their sharp.; features, well-poised-bodies, and elastic step/: Tliey looked ready to fight for a kingdom, and the sight made one fool proud of tho human stock New Zealand is raising.,. •/. Cutting the 'brigade into battalions, came the. .fine squad of buglers and drummers' and tlio magnificent band? (under BandmastcrrScrg'eant P. E. Cole), which"inado a distinct impression on tho onlooking crowds. Viewed from a -slight /eminence, the track of tho brigade, all members ,of whicli wore tho' flat-topped- forage -caps, looked like a lane of brown cobble stones. The puzzle •to many ■ Who had . relatives in • the ranks Was to 'pick them out, for with closccropped heads and bronzed, clean-shaven faces, thoy looked as. like one -another' as peas.i.' It appears to bo tho fashion,;to clean- shave-r-at least ,it is tlio, fashion iii the /ranks so. to do,, for very few wore, chin or lip whiskers.-The-small, clipped moustache appears to be sacred to the officer., Jupp's aiid'tho Mission Band also accompaniod the gado, whilst the Seventh Infa;ntry and. details which brought' up the rear marched'- steadily to the of tlio'. Camp) .New. Zealand. Natives' Association, the and -the Highland Pipe Bands,' and the ' regimental drummers. Tho "Seventh" marched with fixed bayonets at tho slope, and flie flash of sunlight on the long lean line -of •hungry steel, added just that touch of grimness needed to give point to a most gallant spectacle. ,

In the narrower part of the Quay and in Willis Street and Manners Street the road space was choked right up with people. Every ' window and ' balcony swarmed'with life, whilst th& sbops and shipping expressed their patriotism in a resplendent display of bunting, and loyal emblems. Saturday, October 9, will lone remain a day of. days in tile memory or niost people in Wellington. and will serve ;as a. milestone in tie lives of tile parading fighters.

Great credit is due to Captain Cardale, wlio marshalled the parade, and to Colonel Pilkington, Adjutant-General, who dispositioned iJho local forces, which were 'comjmlsorily turned out to barricade strategic points on th'o line of march. • • ■

■ During-, the flay the members of the executive of the New Zealand Patriotic Society presented about twenty of the officers of tlio forces, with binoculars, generously contributed by citizens.

The booking at Petone Railway Station on Saturday was fairly heavy, 1978 persons travelling to see the troops parade. At Lower' Hutfc about. 1000 made the journey.

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