MILITARY PARADE AND SMOKE CONCERT AT WHATAWHATA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3083, 19 April 1892, Page 2

MILITARY PARADE AND SMOKE CONCERT AT WHATAWHATA.

(BY OUR TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENT.) In some respects my education appears to have been sadly neglected. This foct, probably apparent enough at any time to the reader, was sharply brought home to me upon the receipt of a kind invitation from the Waipa members of the Waikato Mounted Rifles, to attend a smoke concert at Whatawhatft, a variety of entertainment, of which—under that name—l was totally ignorant. I have—indeed who has not—attended festive gatherings, particularly about election time, that, under tho dignified title of political meetings, certainly fulfilled all the conditions which ought to be requisite in a smoke concert. Again, in the good old Thames days, thorc used to be -and probably is row—a very popular kind of entertainment knewn as tho "free and easy," at which a good deal of smoking, singing, and it must also be admitted, hard drinking was customary. This I thought, might under other circumstances, be termed a smoke concert. However, having now been present at one of the latter, I must confesswithout anticipating the report—that there is a very marked similarity m these entertainments; and to detect the the difforencobetween a "free and easy, a successful political mooting, and a smoke concert, would require a person of very nice discernment indeed. Having thus briefly introduced the subject, perhaps I may be allowed to go on with my report. Tho new uniform, for which the Waikato Mounted Rifles have waited so Ion", having at length arrived, the members thought tho occasion of serving them out might be turned to cood account by having a parade and rifle practice at Whfttawhata, where a good range has lately been selected and target erected upon Mr W. W. Higginson's property. Several members of the trooj. from Te Awamutu and Raglan responded to the call, so that, with the local contingent, about thirty troopere, under the command of Captain Bruce and Lieutenant Rigg, were paraded. Unfortunately, the day turned out showery, and no military manoeuvres were gone through. A rifle match between the men was, however, got off, when some very good shooting was shown by Troopers Ferguson, Pretty and Johnson, the two latter being from Raglan. During the day several new members were enrolled, and in the evening the whole party, together with a number of invited guests, inet at the Whatawhata Hotel to commemorate the occasion with a smoke concert. It coes without saying that a most enjoyable evening was passed, there being no lick of musical talent present, and refreshments of all kinds were in abundance. Among the vocalists I may mention Mr P. Meredith, who gave some of his beautiful songs in excellent style. One of the visitors, Mr C. F. Churchward, from Tc Awamutu, also sang a number of comic songs, playing his own accompaniments in a most irresistible manner. Messrs McOreadie, Swan-, son, Rigg, "W. Shepherd and others assisted" in the musical part of the entertainment, and Sergeant Weatherill gave a capital recitation. No legular programme of toasts was set down, but Mr A. Calder started the ball by proposing the health of Captain Bruce and his troop, commending the volunteering spirit among young men, and complimenting the troop upon having such a popular commander. In briefly replying. Captain Bruce proposed " the health of the visitors who had come so far to attend the meeting, and also that of the musical gentlemen who had contributed so much tDwards their enjoyment that evening." This was drunk with musical honours. Mr H. Roche, as one of the visitors, made a very sensible speech, in the course of which he said it was tho intention of the troop to move about, and not confine them" selves to any one place, parading first at Te Awamutu. next at Whatawhata, then at Raglan. By this means it was hoped that the Rifles would be regarded as a Waikafo force, and their support be correspondingly

wide. At this juncture, your respectful correspondent, who had been silently but steadily, imbibing liquid nourishment from a decanter standing close by, rose, and straightway forgetting all that he had previously intended to say, was understood to congratulate the company, upon the martial movement in general; and upon smoke concerts in particular, finally covering his retreat—if I niaj speak technically—by asser'ing "that whatever doubt might exist in the public mind as to the action of the colonial forces in the case ot meetings with the enemy, there could be none as to their standing to their guns at meetings of this kind," a remark whioh deservedly met with approval. Another parade will probably bo held in a couple of months, when I trust I may be privileged to, still further increase my knowledge of military matters.