Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUSBDAY, MARCH 6, 19O0. THE ASHBURTON MOUNTED CORPS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5056, 6 March 1900, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUSBDAY, MARCH 6, 1900. THE ASHBURTON MOUNTED CORPS.

. : .» . Thk meeting called for Saturday night, to consider the formation of a mounted corps at Ashburton, drew together, in therOrange Hall, a body of men good , for British eyea to look upon. The very flower of the county was represented there. To see before one the clean cut, masterful, faces of the typical Britisher—of the dominant race of the world—stirred ones patriotism to its depths, Mr Buckley struck a true chord whan he said Britishers were slow to move, and seldom woke up till they had got a good slap in the face. The meeting evidently considered with him, the country had had its " slap in the face." The gathering in the hall on Saturday night, looked a very wide awake, and a very determined body of men. The enthusiasm shown argars well for the success of the mounted corps inaugurated under such favourable auspice?. The services of the Ashburton corps will be a most valuable gift to the Empire. The present war has demonstrated the inestimable value of mounted men. Had a sufficient number of this arm of the service been available in South Africa the war, at this moment, would wear a very different complexion. The painful episodes of Magersfontein would never have been recorded had Lord Methuen sufficient cavalry to follow up Oronje after defeating him successively at the Orange River, Belmonfr, Grass Pan and the Modder River. We are satisfied that the number of really good men and horses available iv tne Ashburton Uounty will facilitate the formation of a troop that for physique and intelligent ability will be second to none in the colony. While we applaud the formation of the mounted corps, we would like to go further and suggest tf)»fc the infantry companies, here and elsewhere, should be given so much mounted drill each year, We! do not for one moment wish to disparage the infantry volunteers, or discount, by the smallest fraction, the splendid sacrifices they are making for their country. They are anxious, however, to perfect themselves in their military duties and to make themselves of the greatest possible use to the

Empire. They are, however, under existing circumstances, severely handi capped and, without special training, will never learn the duties of mounted men. Some might, therefore, be tempted to give up their present corps and join the mounted ones. Why Rot., then, set apart a few days each year for putting the infantry men through mounted drill. The movements are simp'e and the men would quickly become efficient. Then, should the occasion arise, New Zealand would i possess a force that could, with every | confidence, defy the strongest foe.