TRANSPLANTED IRISH INSTITUTIONS - University of Canterbury

following order; Addington Band, District Master of No.4, with standard bearers, then
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followed all of the lodges according to their respective numbers, preceding the District
Grand Master, four Past Grand Masters, Chaplain of the Royal Black Preceptory, sword
bearers and finally the Sir Knights No. 438 Encampment of the Royal Black Chapter of
Ireland in their various degrees up to Red Cross. In this very regimented procession the
marchers moved from their hall along Manchester, Armagh, Colombo and Cashel streets to
St Paul 's Presbyterian Church. The Marchers attracted the attention of locals who lined the
main streets as spectators. Once the parade reached the church they halted to salute the
Lady President and Sisters of No. 1 No Surrender Lodge who did not take part in the
parade.
When the service finished they went back to their hall and gave a vote of thanks to
the preacher and his sermon that consisted of "urging his hearers to be loyal to Jesus Christ
and to the Queen, and to take advantage of the religious liberty won for them by their
fathers." The whole proceedings concluded with the National Anthem, which again stressed
the Orange Lodge's loyalty to the Crown as did the sermon and once the singing finished
everyone dispersed. 9 This parade is but one of many Orange parades that were reported
around New Zealand. I 0 Only the lodge names and geographical locations tended to
change in the format of these parades.
This description of the Orange parade only offers a narrative of what happened
but does not explain the symbolic meaning of the regalia, banners and emblems that the
participants wore or used. The central symbol of the Orange Institution apart from William
HI on a white charger, was the orange sash, with a picture of a crown, representative of the
British monarchy, a picture of William III and of orange lilies. I I
The colour orange was
predominant in the parade. Each participant had an orange sash draped across his dark
suit. This colour was associated with William III who belonged to the Dutch House of
9Lyttelton Times. 13 July 1891, Press, 13 July 1891.
lOA uckland and Wellington were the other major centres notable for their Orange parades.
llSee M.W Dewar, John Brown and S.E. Long, Orangeism: A New Historical Appreciation, Belfast,
Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, 1969, p. 43. They note that William IIJ is depicted on Orange banners as
riding a white horse. The Protestants who supported William transferred their loyalty to the House of
Hanover and its emblem was a white horse. This emblem became the badge of Protestant Succession.