THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 18, 27 May 1871, Page 6

THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY.

« Never a Queen’s Birthday yet have I turned out said unintelligent old soldier, “ but there has been rain during some part ot the day,” but Wednesday was an exception to the rule. The early morning was a fine bracing autumn morning, the sun’s rays being unusually strong for the season of the year, with a fine bracing breeze blowing from the north-west, but still there was a portentous appearance about the sky sufficient to raise unwelcome apprehensions for the success of the firing which was to take place at the butts. . . , , •By eight o’clock the companies had nearly completed their complement, a few Btragglers dropping in behind time delaying the commencement of the morning’s parade. However, by a quarter-past, the reclaimed land began to wear a busy aspect, a numerous assemblage of civilians having by that time assembled to watch the manoeuvring of the companies. The artillery were first on the ground, and having placed their guns in position fell in as a company, with Bmall arms. Colonel Header having taken command, the covering sergeants took up ground and the companies formed brigade, the artillery ranking first according te precedence. In the absence of Captain Pearce, Lieut. Brandon commanded the battery, Major M'Barnett being in command of No. 1, and Capt Crowe in command of the Veterans, the Cadets being under a sergeant of the Veterans. The command “ rear rank take open order” was then given, and the Colonel inspected the arms and accoutrements of the Artillery, and this having been satisfactorily gone through, they were put through the platoon exercise. Colonel Header then inspected No. 1 Company, the Veterans, and the Cadets, the Artillery in the meantime having taken charge of the guns. There were about forty of each company on the ground, and twenty-five of the Cadets. Previous to forming into line the companies were put though a number of company movements, wheeling by subdivisions, forming fours, &c. The companies were then served with ammunition, and the Colonel having assumed command of the brigade, gave the order to fix bayonets and wheel into line. The order to load was then given, and the Artillery fired seven guns, the rifles following with a volley, and the bands playing the Anthem, this being repeated until the royal salute, twenty-one gurj£, had been fired. The Artillery fired in splendid time, excepting in the last charge of No. 3 gun, when a slight hitch occurred. The Artillery then limbered up, and the rear rank of the brigade having taken open order, the shoulder arms was given. The brigade then gave a general salute, the bands playing “ God Save the Queen.” This was the most soldier like part of the whole parade, and called forth the admiration of the spectators, Colonel Header calling for three cheers for Her Majesty the Queen, which was heartily responded to by the Volunteers. A hollow square was then formed, and the Colonel addressed the men, complimenting them on the manner in which they had turned out, and making some remarks with reference to company management and district orders. He also stated that he had telegraphed to Captain Sandys of the Virago, informing him of the manner in which the men drowned had been buried. This done, Captain Crowe of the Veterans, requested Colonel Header to present the prizes recently won at their company contest. Private J. White (44 points) and Sergeant Bowater (39 points) then stepped forward, and Colonel Reader, in presenting the prizes, said he hoped to see company competition kept up, because only by that means was that very desirable spirit of rivalry and emulation kept up which should always exist. He then presented to Private White a handsomely ornamented pistol, and to Sergeant Bowater a silver drinking mug enclosed in a neat case. The brigade then reformed line, and the Veterans were dismissed, No 1 Company remaining to transact some company business, and the Artillery marching off the ground in charge of their guns, headed by the two bands playing in combination. A word of encouragement is deserved by the Cadets for the manner in which they underwent their drill, and for the creditable way in which they fired in the volley firing. From the playing of the bands when marching off tfhe ground, it is evident that all the rivalry of the past year (which has been conducted in a friendly way of course) has had the effect of creating one first-class band, of which the City has inuch reason to be proud. Taken apart, there are a few things wanting in each which the other supplies: but we do not in any way advocate their amalgamation, for it is the wholesome competition of the laßb year that has incited each to regard its reputation so jealously, and the proficiency exhibited in their playing is the result. The Artillery Band has turned out in its new dress tbe last three parades, and it certainly dimß the lustre of the Garrison Band, giving quite a smart appearance to the bandsmen.

Of the parade itself, the unanimous opinion of the bystanders was that it was one of the most successful that has ever taken place here. The men looked soldier-like, and the manoeuvres were gone through in a manner displaying a great deal of discipline, which is alike creditable to officers and men.

the firing At the butts took place after the usual in spec tion parade, and the result again brings Mr D. a. Gray, of the No. 1 Co. W.R.Y., to the front, after a very close contest. The scores, it will be seen, are rather low, but this may be explained to the uninitiated by the peculiar arrangement for the firing, the ranges being 200 yards standing, Wimbledon targets ; 400 yards kneeling, 2nd class targets ; and 600 yards, any position, 2nd class targets; no lighting shots. The firing commenced shortly After 11 o’olook, with a fresh N.W. wind j but

before it was completed the wind veered round, first to the westward and then to the south, blowing rather fresh. The arrangements made for the retiring of competitors as they failed to reach a certain minimum at the end of the first and second ranges, had a very beneficial effect j and we can only express a hope that competitors who were unfortunate enough to fail on this occasion will, by a little practice before such competitions, better qualify themselves for similar future occasions. The contest was for a Snider rifle, presented by Colonel Reader, and other prizes. The following is the score

ILLUMINATION. The Gas Company honored Wednesday evening by lighting up a star device of gas jets, which had a very fine effect, and attracted the observation of all passers-by who came witnin the glare, which was visible from the upper part of Te Aro Flat. A pipe led out of the upper window of tlio offico* tlio end of which was a circle of perforated pipe about a foot or more in diameter. From the circle projected a series of arms not unlike the points of a compass, each containing a line of burning jets. A light breeze blowing at the time rendered the effect rather peculiar, alternating between brightness and dimness a stray puff sometimes blowing an arm or two into blackness, which would again burst into flame the next moment.

THE ODD FELLOWS* HALL Last night was certainly a centre of attraction for it is only on rare occasions indeed that the public of Wellington finds itself so largely represented under one roof, and equally rare is it to see an amateur performance so ably arranged and so successfully carried out as was done by the Preßß Amateui Dramatic Club on Wednesday evening. < The transparency of the Wellington Fire Brigade, in whose aid the performance was given, had been rigged up in front of the Hall on the previous day, and was lit up at sundown, while two fire engines outside the door, and groups of firemen moving about, served to attract a large crowd about the building. Before the advertised time the house was filled, almost inconveniently so; but as hundreds still kept presenting themselves, and as most of them made light of the uncomfortable prospect from want of room, and would not be denied, all sorts of devices had to he resorted to economise what trifling space had been left unoccupied. Chairs were procured, and handed about over the heads of the audience: seats were re-adjusted, and the occupants put through an extra squeeze to make room for “just another,” until at length the audience seemed to have fairly settled down, each one being fully alive to the fact that he occupied no more sitting room than wasjustlyhisdue. Seated in front of the footlights was the orchestra, which was unusually powerful, being composed of the principal performers of both the Garrison and Artillery Bands, besides several well-known amateur musicians. His Honor the Superintendent (who was accompanied by Mrs Fitzherbert) was received by the opening bars of “ God Save the Queen, th e audience bestowing the usual mark of respect to the National Anthem. The rising of the curtain disclosed the Fire Brigade, in full dress, drawn across the stage. Mr A. Johnston then came forward and delivered the following prologue with considerable elocutionary taste: —

Friends and patrons! it is to-night my task Your kind indulgence for ourselves to ask, That you’ll withhold your critic’s voice severe, From many faults that must perforce appear, In this, our Club’s dehut ; ’tis to implore Mercy for those who scarce have played before. Be lenient; enough thy kindly cheer To hush to silence every critic here. If tragic pathos, or if strains of wit, Can please the patrons who before us sit, Be ours that task j or should the pieces halt, It is the actor’s, not the author’s fault. But, conscious all, that we have done our best, What more can we but leave to fate the rest; The greatest glory of our happy few * Is to be lauded and approv’d by you ; Or should we e’en your plaudits fail to gam : Should all our efforts to amuse be vain, Would you condemn (I scarce can think you would), The P.A.D. Club’s pleadings for the firemen s good!

For those who thro’ the silent peaceful night Rest half-awake to catch the first, the faintest

light Ot Fire! Fire! Fire! Whose open ears await

the knell Borne on the breeze of that-dreadful warning

hell. Who spring at once to duty, and most nobly

dare The direst risk to life, to limb, without a care. But doubt we will not, nor be inclined to fear, Since we believe that only friends are here. With kindness, then, pray look upon our

deeds, Applaud our efforts as our play proceeds 5 And when, anon, each shall have had his say, The curtain falling upon our finished play, Then your’s ’twill be, kind friends, to seal our

fate, To bid us perish, or our hearts elate, To trample out our Club’s yet infant name, Or raise the P.A.D. Club to the height of

fame. Enough, kind patrons, to you we leave our

fate — Should we succeed let your applaud be great. If you applaud, it will not be in vain ; For, should we please you now we’ll try again. On the drop of the curtain, Captain Moss and his “ Centrals” filed into seats which had been set apart for them. Then came what was looked forward to by the audience as the feature of the programme—the third act of Othello. To employ purely Shakesperian language we do not intend to ‘ gild refined gold’ nor do we intend to * damn with faint prise,’ but in the few remarks we intend to make we simply adopt one of the great authors most philosophic precepts,., 1 Nothing extenuate, &c,’ and we hope the principal characters engaged will accept them in that spirit. Of course the performers are amateurs, and can hardly be expected to have become proficient in running the scales in the gamut of nature —to have mastered the lessons set down for all those who undertake the task of rendering in acceptable form, what is difficult even to menof deepthoughtaddedtohiglily cultivated elocutionary powers. Acting under these great disadvantages, the performance was highly creditable to the principals, though the common fault of amateurs was, as it ever is, too evident. There was not sufficient power of declamation in Othello, and there was too much of amiability in lago. Othello, painted by Shakespeare, possesses all the pathos and passion, shortly described, of a noble, ingenuous, and injured nature ; while lago is intricate, inscrutable, and damnable withal—a subtle typification —a “ holding the mirror up to nature.” But, not to be hypercritical, the performance was creditable ; still, if either intend to play Shakespeare we would recommend him to study Shakespeare, though, it must be admitted, the task is somewhat of a metaphysical nature. The “ Victorine” was the next piece on the programme, and seemed most appropriate to the times, the opening scene—laid in Paris —being the “hounding” of an unprotected female by a party of “ Reds.” The plot of the piece was very good. Laconically told, it consisted in the fact of an avaricious miser unconsciously sacrificing the lives of seven of his clerks on the charge of robbing his hoard. These clerks had been set to watch his treasure, and, unknown to them, the old man’s greed for gold being so strong within him, he, in his somnolent walks, appropriates a portion of the charge committed to the care of his clerks. On the engagement of the eighth clerk, the solution of the matter comes about by the striking of a love chord between him and the old man’s daughter ; she, when the fate of her lover becomes imminent, determining to solve the mystery, which she does, by assuming watch and guard herself, and surprising her father in his sonnambulism. The principal characters were sustained by Miss Williams, Mr Williams, Mr Hunter, and Mr Mitchell. Mr Williams is an actor of the old school, retaining the long-drawn articulation, but our amateurs may learn a great deal from his acting of last night. Mr. Hunter was quite at home and quite at ease, tbe part he undertook being played, without flattery, well. Mr Mitchell took the house by surprise. The part of Simon Siggell is comic as written, but Mr Mitchell added greatly to it by his grotesque gestures and humorous infusion; in fact his performance kept the house in a roar. Tbe farce of the Dead Shot concluded the performance. Mr M‘lntosh played a solo on the clarionet, but it was apparent from the first that something was wrong—Mr M'lntosh had to borrow an instrument to chord with the accompanying instruments, and although the fingering and time were masterly the performance was not a success, though that detracts nothing from Mr MTntosh’s ability. The late hour at which the performance concluded precludes us from noticing all who took part in the performance. We must, however, mention Mr Salmon’s Oassio as being really good ; Mrs Prosser’s Amelia was also very well sustained ; Messrs Isherwood, MTntosh, Marshall, and Parker, supplied the orchestral music ior the entertainment. At the conclusion of the second piece, Mr Hunter announced that the performance would be repeated either on Saturday or Monday night, so that the whole of the proceeds of last night could be handed over to the Brigade.

D. S. Gray, No. 1 Co 200 400 19 21 600 Tl. 10-50 Holmes, V.C 15 19 15-49 R. O’Connor, No. 1 Co ... 17 21 11—49 J. H. Halse, No. 1 Co ... 13 20 15-48 A. P. Mason, A.C. 14 19 12—45 C. E. Batkin, No. 1 Co ... 17 18 10—45 M'Tavish, A.C 20 18 6—44 White, Y.C 19 18 7—44 Zohrab, A.C. ... 19 16 8—43 J. M. Bathain, No. 1 Co ... Crowe, Captain, V.C. 17 20 6-43 17 24 2-43 M'Credie, A.C. ... ... 15 17 10—42 Bowater, Lieutenant, V.C. 17 24 0—41 Brandon, Lieutenant, A.C. 13 16 11—40 Maxwell, G.S. Cadets 15 15 10—40 S. Wilson, No. 1 Co 11 16 10-37 Brandon, Lieut., G.S. Cadets 11 23 3-37 J. Bowater, Y.C 19 17 0-36 Bock, A.C. ... 17 12 6—35 S. E. St. George, No. 1 Co 16 10 4—30 Brogan; A.C. ... ... 11 19 0—30 M'Cleland, A.C 13 13 3—29 Sterens, Y.C 11 15 0—26 W. Scott, Y.C 10 15 0—25 J. Gray, No. 1 Co 16 9 0—25 Greenwood, W. Cadets ... 13 11 0—24 F. Harrison, No. 1 Co ... 14 9 0-23 W. Gray. No. 1 Co 11 9 0—20 Brown, Y.C. 11 6 0—17 Kinniburgh, A.C. 8 9 0—17 Pilcher, Lieutenant, A.C. 8 7 0 —15 E. Scott, W. Cadets 10 0 0—10 Ludwig, A.C. 6 0 0— 6 P. Webb, No. 1 Co 5 0 0— o Short, A.C 5 0 0— 5 W. Bowater, Y.C. 4 0 0— 4 Hill, A.C 0 0 0- o