TENTHS ON PARADE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2712, 6 March 1916, Page 6

TENTHS ON PARADE

SATURDAY'S MARCH THROUGH THE STREETS

SPLENDID TROOPS

Once to every Reinforcement draft comes an opportunity of parading in public. On Saturday the Tenths had their day. They rose to the occasion, and the city turned out in fitting strength to see the march. "Wellington, the centre of military activity, has seen many troops march by, and never yet has failed to come forth in 'its thousands to'mark its appreciation .of the men in. lchaki.. ...'Wellington is' the least demonstrative of New Zealand-cities; it turns out, but it does not make much noise when it gets there. Still, it, can always hoist u flag and raise a cheer, when , the oand strikes up, and the long, dun,(column swings into view. Saturday saw the shops and other buildings floating patriotic bunting on tho breeze. Strangers. in hundreds walked the streets awaiting the spectacle. They came from all parts of NeiV Zealand, and they had heen arriving for several days ahead. Most of them had a. son, a brother, or a friend in tho force, and they had come all the way to see oirn march with his draft. The day was fine, but exceptionally hot —not the best of days for marching far, and not the best, for standing long on a city'kerbing ivaiting for the fiist strains of the leading-band. Almost every draft that has paraded in' Wellington, strange to relate, has been favoured with first-class weather. At 3.30 (right on time) the head of the column swung round the corner by Government Buildings. . Cheers broke from the dense masses which crowded from | the side-walks to the roadway, and narrowed the path for the troops. Every window, every balcony, and mnny a roof was occupied, and'handkerchiefs and hats' waved from them all. "Dp tho Quay,'along "Willis Street, and into Manners Street the column, came, inarching splendidly, but having its effort to keep perfect order repeatedly broken by men and women dashing out to grasp the hand of some soldier friend. Little gifts rained down iroir. alofti Apples, boxes -of lollies, and packets of cigarettes wore thrown from the balconies, and the men displayed much of their old-time cricket form'in fielding them. They are a big lot of men, .the Tenths, and better seasoned than other drafts—taking them on their looks. They seemed older than their predecessors, and the older men always look the better. Apart from age, they are of an excellent stamp—ample height, particularly sturdy and usefullooking, and said to have had more home training than any other New Zealand draft; that, coupled with the fact that they are a very even lot, . may account for their giving us tho best march'we have seen. They are a credit •to Nw Zealand, aJid they reflect credit on. their training officers, who made such soldiers of tliem in so short a time. Those Who Might Have Been There. . A feature of the parade which cannot be mentioned with enthusiasm was the presence in file cheering crowds of hundreds of men of military agQ. Many of tlieso men are married, no doubt, and their turn has not yet come, but it was too much to ( convince oneself that ovevy eligible-looking man there present had an excuse for being in mufti still. Tho notorious fact is that overy parade in this City is witnessed by large number's of, young men who are hanging back.. One wonders what the soldiers think as they pass them by. Every march lias its incidents. Saturday's found the usual sprinkling of girls and others marching with the troops; but the' most striking incident of all -was that of a soldier marching in the ranks carrying his infant child/in his arms, with his wife marching alongside. It was a moving sight—and it was witnessed by scores of eligible, unencumbered men.