KING’S BIRTHDAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 June 1939, Page 6

KING’S BIRTHDAY

NEW ZEALAND GREETINGS FORWARDED BY LORD GALWAY. WISHES FOR PLEASANT SOJOURN IN AMERICA. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The following cable message has been despatched by his Excellency the Governor-General to the King on the occasion of the official celebration of his Majesty’s birthday:— “I have the honour on the occasion of the observance of your Majesty's birthday in New Zealand, to tender to your Majesty, with my humble duty, loyal and affectionate greetings and good wishes from the Government and people of this Dominion and to assure • you of their steadfast devotion to your Majesty and the Throne and their earnest hope for your continued health and happiness. All in New Zealand wish your Majesty and the Queen a most pleasant sojourn in Canada and the United States and a safe return to the Mother Country.—(Signed) Galway, Governor-General.”

PARADE IN AUCKLAND LARGE AMD COLOURFUL DISPLAY. NEW DRESS UNIFORMS WORN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. One of the largest and most colourful King’s Birthday parades Auckland has known was seen today on the Domain—4,soo men, 160 officers taking part. Thousands of the public crowded the slopes, thrilled by the spectacle. Lord Galway inspected the parade, which was commanded by Colonel Weir, Officer Commanding the Northern Military District. The new navy blue and red dress uniforms, worn for the first time at a ceremonial parade by several Territorial units, were strikingly impressive. Also impressive was the extent to which mechanisation has come to the Army. There were camouflaged lorries. vans and motor-cycles, but not a single horse on the ground. All units of the military forces stationed at Auckland took part; also detachments from the Waikato, Hauraki and North Auckland regiments and . large naval and Air Force units. There were five bands. DAV IN CHRISTCHURCH SALUTE TAKEN BY DEFENCE MINISTER. ■ (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Making its first appearance in public in blue dniforms. the Territorial Force, augmented by Air Force and Navfil Reserve detachments, held a successful King’s Birthday parade, the salute being taken by the Defence Minister (Mr Jones). The parade state was 62 officers and 853 other ranks, and the march past was preceded by a parade of mechanised artillery and Bren gun tanks. The weather conditions were overcast and a planned spectacular fly past by the Air Force was abandoned on account of fog at Wigram.