ROWDY VOLUNTEERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 43, 14 November 1907, Page 5

ROWDY VOLUNTEERS.

; Sir, —Passengers travelling to Wellington , from Palmerston North by tho train which left tho latter place at 5.30 p.m. on Monday last must have been astonished tho bad conduct 6f inauv volunteers in Uniform returning to Wellington on that train. Of course,/sir, I am not foolish enough to expect, a. number of healthy, young rellowsto travel on a, holiday trip as if they wero attending a funeral, but there is a ivido difference between manly, healthy, boisterous legitimate fun and tho beer-inspired antics of ■• irresponsible, unrestrained young (very young 1 in somo cases) , volunteers in various stages of intoxication. It is only just to say that the,majority of uniformed travellers wero a credit to tho uniform they wore.' I blame the officers for the wholo busine'ss, and it is to ho hoped that in futuro tho officer commanding will place a responsible, tactful officer in charge of his moil when travelling to restrain the minority, whose love for beer carries them over tho lino of sobriety, thus bringing discredit upon tho uniform every Britisher respects, and causing annoyance, to civilian travellers; I again say, sir, that tho bearing and discipline of the bulk of the volunteers on Monday night's train was a credit to the service. Tho .officers 1 cannot say anything about, as, unfortunately, they were not. in evidence. —I am, ote., ■ j ; , W. H. HAWKINS. Wellington, November 13, 1907. \

[We' have instituted inquiries with reference to tho points of complaint raised by our correspondent. Tho officers state that ho official complaint has been laid before them, and, so far as they are aware, tho hehaviour of tho men, with a fow exceptions, was satisfactory; tho exceptions referred to did. not exceed the ; limits of youthful exuberance. From other sources, however, it would appear that thero is a certain amount of truth in the charges laid by our correspondent. Allegations point to certain members of a particular corps as being the worst offenders. Witfy regard to tho annoyance'.caused to civilian passengers, it is sttttdd that this may havo been due to the men passing. from one carriage to another to sec their friends. Mad certain carriages been reserved for Volunteers only, as, it is claimed,, should have been done, thoro would probably have beon no trouble. J