The Thames Easter Review.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3511, 27 March 1880, Page 2

The Thames Easter Review.

The efforts of our local volunteers to increase their knowledge of the art of war and sustain the interest in volunteer* ing by holding a review at Easter, are becoming more appreciated year by year* and the Thames is fast reaching the position_of_i.he principal volunteer district in New Zealand. In previous years our men have' been visited by the Auckland comrades in arms, but this year the 1 force will be augmented by the attendance of the Waikato Cavalry, who will attend our review en masse, and thus for the first time, a Thames fieldd^aywill be graced by the presence of every branch of the service— Artillery, Riflemen, Cavalry, Engineers. The weather promises to be propitious, and we have no doubt but that volunteering will receive^ a great spurt by Easter Monday's review. Preparations. | The earlier preparations for the recep- I tion of the visiting corps-have been'i already alluded to in our columns. The ] business portion of the town has been profusely decorated in honour of the visitors. In Albert street flags and streamers surmounttheCouncilChambers, the Star and Advertiser Offices and the Queen's Hotel, while at the Bank Corner strings of bunting are displayed, one of them bearing.the inscription "Welcome to the 'Thames." At each corner of the cross streets poles have been erected, tastefully decorated with small streamers, while the Bank of New Zealand and the Pacific hotel look quite gay phicr a cloud of bunting. At various points on Brown street—noticeably at the Theatre E t oyal and Governor Bowen hotel—-are strings of flags, while all the flagstaff* in the town are decorated. The residents of Shortlarid have also paid some attention to the decoration of their part of the town. In the evening at 7 o'clock the local Fire Brigades j will give a grand pyrotechnic display, and i will doubtless prove an interesting novelty | to the Waikato visitors. The following arrangements have been made for the billeting of the Waikato Cavalry: - Governor Bowen 20 men, Allaway's 20, Empire Hotel 20, Queen's Hotel 20, Provincial Hotel 10, Camden Hotel 20, Warwick Arms and Coach and Horses Hotels 25. Mr John Connell has taken the contract for looking after the wants of the horses, having erected a large temporary stable on the reclamation works opposite Price's foundry, | which will accommodate 100 horses. The othfr animals will be stabled in a buildiug in Golden Crown street. Several members of the Auckland Artillery arrived here by the Hotomaha'na last night, and the remainder of the battery may be expected this evening. No especial at*, rangements have been made for their billeting. Arrival of Col Lyon, Col. Lyon, who will fulfil the duties of reviewing officer, arrived here last evening by the steamer Memsahib from Omahu. He was received by Major Murray and other, gentlemen. The gallant Colonel was accompanied by the following Waikato ladies: — Mrs and Miss Lyon, Mrs Bruntun, Mrs Macintosh, Mn Major Jackson, Miss Isaacs, Miss Gerrans, Miss Bunciman, Miss Parker, and Misi Selby. Arrival at OMaemuri. Information has been received per Star carrier pigeon of the arrival of the Cavalry at Paeroa yesterday. They were welcomed by the gallant Major commanding the district who had ridden up to welcome them, and afterwards proceeded to their billets in the village hostelries. The energetic County Surveyor, Mr Alexander Aitken, has taken advantage of old Tuku-

kino's absence at Hotereni's Taipari's funeral to facine and make the road-at Komata passable, which will render the passage of that swampy piece of country more easy for the troops. The Cavalry were to leave" Parroa this morning, and were expected here about 4 o'clock this afternoon. In anticipation of their arrival at Puriri, beer and other refreshments have been provided by a few citizens, at Puriri creek, and will be waiting for the men—no doubt hungry after their long ride. The Reception. At two o'clock this afternoon two carriages left the Pacific corner for Kerikeri to meet the cavalry. The first contained Colonel and Mrs Lyon, and j Capts. Wildman and Watson, and the i I second Mrs and Miss Jackson, A. Brodie Esq., County Chairman, and Mr A. Porter. The carriages were accompanied by a number, of volunteer officers and civilians on horseback, and several other cabs left the Corner shortly after, crowded with persons wishing to witness the reception. On the arrival of the visitors at Kerikeri, they will be wel corned to the Couuty by Mr Brodie, after which Col. Lyon will assume command of the squadron, which will then proceed to the town, being met at Shortland by the bands, and at the corner of Albert and Brown streets, the visitors will be welcomed to the Borough by his Worship the Mayor, and will afterwards be shown to their billets by local non-commissioned officers, told off for that duty. To-morroVs Arrangements. To morrow, Sunday, all the volunteers will muster in Brown street at 10 am., for a general church parade. There will doubtless be a very large attendance.