PRESENTATION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 44, 25 November 1871, Page 7

PRESENTATION.

The Volunteer Companies, consisting of the Artillery, the Veterans, No 1 Company, and the Cadets, assembled at 6 o’clock on Thursday evening on the reclaimed land, for the purpose of undergoing parade, the object being to permit the presentation of the prizes fired for on the Prince of Wales Birthday. The muster was a very full one, about forty members of each of the three first-named companies being present, and about thirty of the Cadets. The companies having been put through company drill, were marched over towards the sea wall, where the timber stacks formed good points of observation to the spectators, the line being formed into a hollow square. The winners were then called for, and having stepped forward from he ranks, were ranged in line in front of the companies. The spectators had by this time increased to about two hundred, and Colonel Reader having announced everything to be in readiness, Mrs Gisborne, attended by the Hon D. M‘Lean, Defence Minister, and a number of ladies and gentlemen, amongst whom was Mr Gisborne, advanced to the table, on which had been placed the prizes to be distributed. The cup presented by Captain Pearce enclosed in a glass case, looked very handsome among the other prizes which crowded the table. The volunteers having presented arms, Mrs Gisborne addressed them as follows : “ Colonel _ Reader and Volunteers I feel flattered by the invitation which has been given to me to present these prizes. They represent the honorable reward due to skill in the use of the rifle, and to the possession of those high qualities which are indispensable to that skill. Their value is not merely that they reward success, but that they also cause emulation. Patriotism requires the youth and manhood of this country to be accustomed to the use, and expert in the science of modem arms. A happy land is said to consist of happy homes. He is worthiest of such a home who knows how, if the need arises, to defend it against aggression, and without him a home is incomplete. Every rifle butt, therefore, I think, deserves encouragement.” The winner of the cup, Mr M'Credie, and the rest of the win ners were then presented with their prizes, and this portion of the ceremoney being concluded, Colonel Reader said: —“Mrs Gisborne—On behalf of the volunteers I have to thank you for your kindness in being present here this evening to present the prizes, and also to express to you the feeling of the happy recipients that the value to be attached to the prizes has been greatly enhanced by the fact of their being presented by a lady so universally esteemed.” The Colonel then called for three cheers for M r s Gisborne, which were heartily responded to by the volunteers, as well as by the spectators. Three cheers were then given for the Defence Minister, Colonel Reader stating that his presence on the occasion was an evidence of the interest he took in volunteering. In reply, the Hon Mr M’Lean said it was very gratifying to him to see so numerous an attendance of the volunteers. He was glad to observe that they were so ready to come forward and show to the inhabitants generally how ready and well prepared they were for service. He hoped the present occasion would not be the last on which they would have such meetings to receive their prizes from the hands of the ladies of the city. Mr Gisborne thanked the volunteers on behalf of Mrs Gisborne, at the same time hoping that they would have many more presentations of prizes so worthily got. The companies then formed line and getting into fours marched off the ground. The Artillery then marched round the town, their band playing at their head. The whole ceremony, which was a very interesting one, lasted about an hour.