THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY.

Evening Star, Issue 2890, 24 May 1872, Page 2

THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY.

Truly holiday-seekers had “ Queen’s weather” to day. A finer day for amusement could not have been wished for; and it will have been the fau 1 t of people themselves if they did not enjoy themselves, seeing that there was no laok of entertainments provided for them. The day’s proceedings opened with the customary

VOLUNTEER PARADE,

■which was ordered for nine a.m., but did not take place until nearly an hour later, owing to the unpunctuality of some of the companies in mustering. When the order to fall in was given, there could not have been more than I*2o men on parade; and the parade strength afterwards underwent little or no perceptible change. That the muster should have been so small is a matter of regret ; and it is not creditable to the force that on such an occasion a battalion, which musters 500 rank and file can only turn out a fifth of its strength. On similar occasions, in other Colonies, advantage is taken of the day to have proper field exercise, the parade being made compulsory; and it is a question for the authorities whether steps should not be taken to make future parades on the Queen’s Birthday compulsory. The companies on par. de comprised the Artillery, Naval Brigade, and first battalion—the Artillery and Cadets mustering strongly. The men were marched to the Reclaimed Ground, where a salute was fired by the Artillery with their Armstrongs, the battalion between each seven shots firing a feu dr joie , the Band meantime playing the National Anthem. Three cheers for the Queen and the Prince of Wales wore called for by Col. Cargill, and enthusiastically given. Three sides of a square having been formed, Colonel Cargill presented tbe New Zealand -war medal to i-unner Ellerby, Artillery, who formerly served in the Wanganui Cavalry, and saw two years’ service in the field ; and to Mr H. Inman Davis, also lately of the Wanganui Cavalry. It was intended to have presented seven other medals, but the persons to whom they belong are not in the district just now. His Worship the Mayor afterwards distributed the prizes to the Cadets as follows : Colonial Prizes. —Second prize in the second set, Cadet Wilson; twentieth prize in tbe same set, Cadet M'Nicol; twentyfirst prize, Se 'geant Black ; twenty-fourth prize. Cadet Carvo-so; twenty-seventh prize, Cadet Trotter; fiftieth prize, Cadet Smith. Major Richardson’s Prizes. Those are prizes which have been liberally givan by the Hon. Major, who annually gives a certain amount of money—over L3O we beilevQ —which is shot for by the cadets under the following conditions : —That the boys competing are regular attendants at drill, and are able (o go through the manual and platoon exercises correctly. Tbe competitors are divid. d into two sets, the first comprising boys between the ages of 15 and 17 years ; the second, boys between the ages of 12 and 15 years. The ten highest scorers in each set afterwards tire off, the then highest scorer taking the handsome gold locket annually presented to the Otago cadets by Mr Martin Sholl, of Auckland ; a-.d the second the gold cross, enclosed in a silver wreath, annually presented by Mrs Atkinson. These competitions concluded last week, the prizetakers being : In the first set—first, Sublieutenant Wilmot ; 2nd, Cadet Kingswcll ; 3rd, Lieutenant Secular ; 4‘h, Cadet Wingfield ; sth, Cadet Gow; 6th, Cadet Finch ; 7th, Cadet Duckmanton ; Bth, Cadet Montgomery. Second set—First prize, Cadet Maitin; 2nd, Cadet J. Allen ; 3rd, Cadet Gillon ; 4th, Sergt. Reid ; sthCadet Harper : 6th, Cadet Braithwaite ; 7th Cadet Austin ; Bth, Cadet Eyre. In firing off, Cadet Wilson secured Mr Shell's prize, and Finch Mr Shell’s locket, other prizes falling to the following in the order of succession—Lieut. Secular, Cadets Morrison, Wingfield, and Gow. Advantage was also taken of the occasion to present No. 1. Company's prizes ; the presentation being made by Mrs Cargill. The Company’s belt is held for the next six months by Corp. Stalker. Three cheers were given for Mrs Cargill and the Mayor ; and at Col. Cargill’s request three for Major Richardson, as a tried friend of tbe volunteers generally and the cadets in particular. The men were then marched from the Reclaimed Ground to the Custom House and dismissed.

At noon the Naval Brigade fired a royal salute.