THAMES-WAIKATO REVIEW.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1061, 12 April 1879, Page 2

THAMES-WAIKATO REVIEW.

The arrangements for the Grand Eeview are now almost complete, and the affair promises to be one of the greatest successes ever witnessed m the district, m spite of persons who wilfully mis-repre-sent facts to the Auokland papers, with a view of detracting from the eclat of the proceedings. Before detailing the programme, we shall devote a few words to these gentry. And the first warning we shall give them, will be this : Never let them abuse the power which temporary access to the telegraph columns of a newspaper may give them to disseminate opinions which are not only false, but destructive of the harmony of the community m which they abide. Nothing can be baser than determined re-iteration §f statements which are known to be unfounded, and the prostitution of the Press to serve personal ends is, of all things, the surest way to destroy its power for good. Yet, this is what the Cambridge correspondents of the' Herald' and' Star' have been doing m reference to the contemplated review. In Tuesday's Waikato Times, appeared a distinct denial, from Mr E. A. Whitaker, m which he explicitly denied that he had m any way assistad m causing or abetting the holding of this Review at Hamilton upon Easter Monday, at the same time stating that, as it had been fixed for that . place and time, there was no help for it but to make it as great a success as possible of the demonstration. On Wednesday, the person who is supposed to act as 'Herald' correspondent, and who must have seen or heard of this denial, deliberately sits down and pens what amounts to nothing more nor less than a slander on the character of a Volunteer, viz., that Lieutenant Whitaker had made arrangements to bring a body of armed men 'into a district without the co operation and consent of the Officer Commanding. In the ' Star ' of Thursday, a paragraph appears, emanating from another " own correspondent," m which the Volunteers of the Cambridge district are made to talk nothing less than insubordination. A general, order has been issued that the Waikato Cavalry are to .parade at nine o'clocic at the Post Office at Hamilton. The telegram' alluded to states that the Cambiidge Volunteers will not go, as i there '■' are sports m contemplation. We cannot believe that this effusion was ever coutenanced by the Cambridge Cavalry, aud we call upon them, for the honor of the body to which they belong, to take steps to refute the slander. Plenty of courses are open at tlie proper time to Volunteers who do not like the method m which matters affecting thciu aro eoudwttd, but when au pjrder U

given, m our opinion, any man with a spark of soldierly feeling m him knows no course but' to obey. We trust and believe that the muster and 'conduct of the Cambridge Corps of the Waikato Cavalry will on Monday give the direct and practical lie to the Blander of the " own correspondent" of the ' Star.' To return to tho Review— Colonol Lyon has arranged for quarters at Pearce s Commercial Hotel, and will arrive tomorrow doubtless to make, final arrangements for the proper conduct of affairs. On Sunday, as we notified m our last issue, will arrive the Thames Volunteers. The numbers, as given by the two officers who have visited the scene of operations, are as follows :— Thames Scottish, 125 ; Rangers and Engineers, 100 ; Navals, 60 ; Cadets, 50 ; Maori Corps, 40 ; total, 375. It is stated that if the -weather is fine their numbers will be considerably augmented. Immediately upon the arrival of the visitors, we believe the programme of manoeuvres will be fixed by the officers m command. We learn that Captain McPherson has been deputed by Colonel Lyon to act as Brigade-Major, which will be a guarantee that everything will be properly carried out. The Choral Society yesterday came to the conclusion to admit all Volunteers m uniform to their concert on Monday night at half price. We believe it is^ihtended to endeavor to secure the services of the fine band of the Thames Scottish to perform an overture at the commencement of the concert. Wo have already, m our last issue, stated the arrangements for the Review itself. We confidently anticipate that it will, weather permitting, be great success. The marching iand manoeuvring of the Thames men is really a treat to witness, and the brilliancy of the scarlet uniform of the Thames Scottish, and the fino soldierly figures encased therein, will cause a flutter m many' a fair heart, while the charge of the cavalry and their reception by the infantry, with withering volleys from the j deadly breechloaders, will give some faint idea of the realities we read about from day to day, as being now enacted m other countries. We hear that, on Sunday night, aftor Church parade, the Thames Bands will play choice selections m a part of the township, to be chosen on their arrival. We sincerely trust that the whole of Waikato wiU unite m endeavouring to show ss much hospitality to our visitors as , possible, and that no jealousies or rivalries will be allowed to mar what should be a really fine demonstration of military strength, at a period when suoh demonstration is not wholly without practical benefit to the country.