The men left Tahuna Park some time after 2 p.m. and arrived at the Post Office before 3 o'clock.
The march was purely a training matter, and was not directly intended to form a spectacle for the delectation of the populace, although there was an idea underlying it all that the school children might have an opportunity of seeing the troops.
Work in the city, therefore, went on as usual during the afternoon, and there was not a large crowd at the Post Office to see the men go by. However, thin columns of spectators lined the route along the more populous stretches of Princes and George streets, and the spectacle of something like a 1000 men marching past was very impressive.
The whole battalion was present, the column being headed by the Pipe Band, while Lieutenant-colonel M'Donald, officer commanding the infantry, rode in front of his men. Each company was preceded by the major commanding on horseback, and at the rear of the column came the machine gun section, the guns being packed on their ingenious saddles on big draught horses.
The troops marched by way of Victoria road, King Edward street, past the Oval, then along Princes street, George street, into Albany street, via Great King street past the Hospital, thence into Union street, Castle street, past the railway station and Early Settlers' Hall, and back into Princes street through Custom-house square.
The detour past the Hospital was made so that the inmates might have a look at the men. The opportunity was taken by the masters in the various primary schools to enable the scholars to see the troops, and the children were assembled in the various parts of the city to witness the march.
• Flower Saturday must have proved a revelation as to the resources of Dunedin and suburban gardens, even to those flower lovers who are fairly conversant with such matters.
Bunches and button-holes of sweet-smelling violets, primroses, and the light and graceful forms of narcissi, in the hands of fair and patriotic vendors, changed hands at prices which helped to put a fine record to the credit of the Relief Fund.
Included in the innumerable bunches of ordinary narcissi were many really beautiful flowers, quite worthy of a place on the show table. The day was an ideal one, a factor which is necessary if cut flowers are to present their freshness and beauty.
In this connection it is pleasing to know that the Dunedin Horticultural Society is making preparations for a spring show of the very finest of Dunedin flowers tomorrow. It was the society's intention to continue the exhibition for two days.
As a further contribution to the Patriotic Fund the committee of the society has decided to offer at auction at the close of the show practically the whole of the cut flowers entered, the proceeds to go towards the Anglo-Belgian Distress Fund.
• There was a serious shortage of labour at the Dunedin wharves yesterday morning. There were half a dozen vessels waiting to commence discharging operations, and in several cases considerable delay was experienced in manning some of the hatches in order to make a start.
It was stated that the number of men available was about 50 less than the number required, but later in the day a further batch was secured, and work was able to proceed more briskly.
- ODT, 22.9.1914.
