SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1901. TOMMY ATKINS' VISIT TO WELLINGTON. Where the Corporation Blundered.

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 33, 16 February 1901, Page 8

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1901. TOMMY ATKINS' VISIT TO WELLINGTON. Where the Corporation Blundered.

SO far the visit of the Imperial tioops to this colony has been an unqualified success. Tommy Atkms has behaved himself like a soldier and a man, and, wherever he has made his appearance, the people have assembled to do him honour and to overwhelm him with hospitable attentions Unquestionably, this visit of representatives of the British Army to the colonies is fraught with much good. It will stimulate anew the Imperialistic sentiment that has become such a powerful force since the South African war started. It will inspire us all with a livelier and more direct interest in the Army, and the military drill of this corps d elite will serve as a model for the emulation of our own volunteers. * * * Here, m Wellington, just as in Dunedm, Christchurch, Wanganui, Masterton, and Palmer&ton North, the people have been most demonstrative m the welcome they have extended to the visiting troops And, on its part, the Government has spaied no trouble or pains to make the visit enjoyable for the soldieis and memorable for the colonists. Thanks to the Hon. Mr. Ward, and his very capable lieutenant (Mr. T E. Donne, General Tourist Manager) the arrangements have acted like clockwork, and an itinerary was drawn up which has enabled as many towns to be visited, and as much of the country to be seen, as the time available would permit * * * But the Wellington City Corporation has not appeared to very much advantage in this business From first to last it has displayed a sordid, penurious, and bawbee-saving spirit which has disgusted the citizens Could anything more paltry be conceived than charging the public a shilling a head for admission to the Basin Reserve to see the soldiers of the King go through their military manoeuvres ? In the fiist place, the soldiers were not sent to New Zealand to be used like a troupe of strolling players or a dog and monkey show, and exhibited to the pubhe at so much a head. They were sent on a visit, not to the mayors and councillors of the various towns - magnificent and majestic as these civic dignitaries may be — but to the people of New Zealand, and to make

the people pay for the privilege of seeing them drill smells too much of the shop and the huckstering spurt. • • » Besides, the Basm llescivo belongs to the people, and it was not a light thing to close it against them foi such a purpose. As a matter of fact, the levy of one shilling a head virtually excluded family parties of the working classes, and, outside of those who were able to pass m "on the nod," narrowed the show down considerably. Still, it enabled our very frugal City Corporation to collect a sum of £124, and, as Tommy s entertainment at dinner probably did not reach that amount, seeing that tickets for that function also were on sale to civilians, he was practically made to yield a profit to his hosts • # • Even that was not all. There was a project afoot to secure the services of the Highland Light Infantry band for Sunday afternoon, m order that they might play a piogramme of music m aid of the Queen's Statue Fund But Colonel Wyndham must have sat down rather heavily upon it, for not a word more was said m the newspapers about it after the announcement was made that Colonel Wyndham desired to have church service on board his own ship on Sunday, and then to give the officers and men furlough for the rest of the day • * • It is altogether a great pity that the Corporation allowed its close regard for the bawbees to be so manifest. There is enough public spirit and patriotism in the place to provide the money for erecting a Queen's statue without invoking the assistance of a visiting band to help us to extract the necessary coppers And all the funds that were required to entertain Tommy Atkins could have been easily raised without making a raree-show of him, and charging the public a shilling a head to see him perform