THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 196, 25 May 1872, Page 3

THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY.

VOLUNTEER DEMONSTRATION. Yesterday being the anniversary of Her Majesty’s birthday, was celebrated in a proper manner by the Volunteers of the Thames. At an early hour the members of the various corps were to be seen wending their way to the different company parade grounds in Shortland and Grahamstown. The Naval Brigade and Thames Scottish were on the appointed ground in good timp, but it was not until about noon that the Rifle Battalion put in an appearance from Shortland. They were joined by the Engineers at Queenstreet, and the' whole then marched on to the wharf, headed by the brass band. The Naval Artillery shortly after twelve o’clock fired a salute from their Howitzers on the beach, and ns soon as the last gun was fired their band struck up God Save the Queen. The Rifles ihen fired their feu dejoic in a manner highly creditable to them as a body, for though it was a little shaky in places, the whole thing was better done than would have been expected. If one was much better than the other we think that the palm must be awarded to No. 1 R.H.R.V., whose dring was very steady, and we also must say that, taken as a whole, the rear rank was better than the front, which can he easily accounted for, as they would be more prepared than those who had to start the firing. After the feu de joie the band played the National Anthem, and the whole. Brigade presented arms, and then gave three hearty cheers for Her Majesty the Queen. This part of the ceremony being over, the whole of the Volunteers were marched down on to the outer T of the wharf, where they were joined by theNavals, the object in view being the distribution of money prizes to the Cadets and money prizes to some ot the men. A hollow square having been formed, the following prizes were handed to the several youngsters named, by Miss Gudgeon and Mrs Bruce, the money being in purses presented by ladies of the district: —Lieut. Gudgeon received £3 ; Sergeant Smales, £1 5s and £l, two prizes in different sets; Sergeant Hamilton, £1 and 10s ; Corporal Lumsden, £1 10s ; Sergeant Spencer, £1; Ensign Marshall, 10s; Cadets Sakey, 10s; Seager, 15s ; and Thorburn, 15s. Volunteer Mileary, of No 1 R.R.R.V., received the Imperial War Medal, which was presented him by Miss Gudgeon. Petty-Officer Thomson then came forward to receive the gold and silver star presented by Mr Payne, which he won at the late competition. Major Cooper complimented him on having won this prize, which he had wrested from all the best shots of the Thames, and which he fully deserved for his steady and excellent firing. Mrs Bruce pinned the star on his breast, and the Naval Band played “ See the Conquering Hero Comes,” and Thompson was vigorously cheered. Volunteer Thomas then received at the hands of the same lady the Company Champion Gold Medal, which had been presented by Lieutenant Basely for competition and won by him. Major Cooper then called for three cheers for the ladies who had presented the prizes, which were heartily given. Three cheers for Mr Payne were called for, and given lustily, as also three cheers for Major Cooper. This part of the proceedings having been concluded, the brigade counter-marched to the left, and, headed by the band, marched off the wharf, and the whole started for Shortland and Parawai, where it had been arranged to hold a sham fight. The following is a list of those present, as supplied l>y the Sergeant-Major of the brigade :—Engineers : Captain Goldsmith, Lieut. Brodie, Lieut. McCullough, three sergeants, and 20 rank and file. Thames Scottish : Captain Murray, Lieut. Robertson, Ensign Stewart, four sergeants, and 30 rank and file. No. 1 H.R.V.: Captain Lipsey, Lieut. Lechner, Ensign Quinton, five sergeants, and 28 rank and fil«. No. 2 H.R.V.: Cnpta n Barnett, Lieut. Hazard, Ensign Crick, four sergeants, and 23 rank and file. No. 3 H.R.V. : Captain Newt y, Lieutenant Macdonald, Ensign Cock, three sergeants, and fourteen rank and file. Thames Rifle Rangers : Captain Williams, Lieut, ljae, Ensign Carnie, three sergeants, and twenty rank and file. Naval Brigade: Captain Grant, Lieut Basely, Sub-Lieutenant Bru e, six stmernnmeraries and twenty-eight rank and file, together with their full hand. The T.E.V. and T.R.R. Cadets mustered about fifty, all told, so that, including tlm bands and the members of the staff present, there were over 280 Volunteers on parade altogether. This we call a very good muster for the district, where so many of the Volunteers are working men, and find it hard to get away for a whole day. No. 3 H.R.V. and the Cadets under the command of Captains Newby and Rowe respectively were told off as the enemy, and were sent on ahead to take up a position. No. 2 H.R.V. and the T.R.R. were to advance as skirmishers in search of the enemy, who were supposed to have landed somewhere on the Thames river and to have advanced as far as the Kauaeranga Creek, which they had crossed and were preparing to make an advance on Shortland. The supports consisted of No. 1 R.H.R.V. and the Navals, the T.S.V. and Engineers being held in reserve. Before commencing operations, the whole of the reserves and a portion of the supports went up.to Mr Spencer’s house, who had kindly provided a cask of beer and some biscuits for those who stood in need of them, and these, we take it, included everyone present. Mr Spencer was rather taken aback at the number of his visitors, and was not quite prepared, but those who partook of his hospitality were most grateful for it after their march out. Mr O’Keeffe, too, had a good number of visitors, who did justice to the good things provided for them. About2.3o p.m., operations were commenced by No. 2 and the T.R.R advancing up the Hauraki Hill in search of the enemy. Upon reaching the brow, their presence was notified by the beginning of firing, and at it they went; too hard, in fact, to be pleasant. The skirmishers went in for taking prisoners, and the fi r st to fall into their hands were Lieutenant Macdonald, of No. 3 H.R.V., who was captured by Ensign Crick and a couple of men, and marched to Mr O’Keeffe’s house, where he was placed in charge of a sentry. In the meantime, the enemy had advanced up the far side of the hill, and the skirmishers forced to retire a little. The Navals and No. 1 had been extended up the hill in rear of Mr O’Keeffe’s residence, and here we must say that some of them behaved in a most extraordinary manner, firing their rifles ns soon as the skirmishers came into view, and long before any enemy was visible, which is anything but indicative of good discipline. The battle proceeded for some time with varying fortunes, No. 2 and the T.R.R. being relieved by No. 1 R.H.R.V., and afterwards by the Scottish and Naval Brigade, the Engineers remaining in reserve and doing a most extraordinary thing, that was firing several vollies at the enemy over the heads of their own men, a thing far more riskv than judicious. After a time several of the enemy having advanced sufficiently far, made a rush at

O’Keeffe’s house, and rescued their officer, taking prisoners, Ensign Crick and the sentry, who were, however, allowed to go free. During the afternoon Volunteer Bennett, of No. 2 H.R.V., had the top of the first finger of his left hand shot away, and had to have it cut off at the first joint. Several other accidents of a minor kind happened, one man getting a severe cut in the ear, and others getting scratched, but nothing very serious happened beyond the accident to Bennett. About 4.30 p.m. the retreat commenced, and the whole of the force,' headed by the band, marched to Shortland, the Engineers, who had not had a show at all, forming the rear guard, and the enemy were left in possession of the ground to do what they liked. The last we saw of them, they were toiling over some fern ridges with the object of taking the foe in the flank, hut the foe was marching homeward in the utmost slate of indifference as to the intentions of the advancing enemy. The different companies were marched to their parade grounds and dismissed, no doubt well tired with their day’s fun. As a good day’s outing for the Volunteers, the sham fight yesterday was no doubt all right, but as a sham fight it was all nonsense. The companies individually certainly got on well, and fired away ther ammunition Briskly enough, but the want of system all through, and the evident lack of any previous arrangements having been made was painfully evident, and we feel constrained to say that no one Volunteer officer or man is a bit the better soldier for what he went through yesterday. We will say no more, except that the retreat was about the most abrupt we ever saw, and trust that the next field day on the Thames will be an improvement on that just past. We must congratulate the Cadets for the manner in which they got on yesterday, and we think that they really are a credit to the district.

NAVAL BRIGADE BALL,

In the evening the ball given by the members of the Naval Brigade was held in St. George’s Hall, and was a decided success. About 160 persons attended, Volunteer uniforms being very numerous in the room —grey, red, and “true blue,” —all being well represented. Great care had been taken to have the floor in a nice state for dancing, and that it was so every one who has danced on it often for the last few months will admit. The room was very tastefully decorated by the members of the Brigade, and was well lit up. The music too was good, and the time firstrate, so that dancers ought to have been satisfied. Ladies’ and gentlemen’s cloakrooms were, of course provided, and a bar was there, where Host Curtis dispensed liquors of various sorts. The supperroom down below was beautifully laid out and an abundance of good things were provided, no one having to complain of not getting enough. Owing to the size of the room two different tables had to be provided ; and it is only due to Mr Curtis to say that the second table was excellently laid out, and that those who did not get down to the first had nothing to complain of, wnich is not very often the case. Everyone seemed determined to enjoy themselves thoroughly, and dancing was kept up till a late hour this morning. Upon the whole the Naval Ball this year may be called an unqualified success, and the stewards deserve the greatest credit for the way in which things were conducted throughout.