THE HERETAUNGAS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 109, 31 January 1908, Page 7

THE HERETAUNGAS.

WILL THE CORPS DISBAND? . AN INTERESTING REPLY. In our issue of yestorday's date thero apjPoared a roport of some interesting, not to say. , alarming, developments in connection , with tho caso of ox-Sergeant-Major Talbut, of *tho Heretaunga Mounted Rifles. It would ■appear, 1 from the statemonts of tho men, that, in consoquoiico of the dissatisfaction existing among the members of tho corps over the "dismissal''of Sergeant-Major Talbut without, it is alleged, duo inquiry as to tho reasons therefor, twenty-seven of them had tendered their resignations at parade on ■Wednesday ovening. Ten resignations from country members were anticipated, and tho disbandment of the companj' appeared to bo not unlikely, . , . A representativo of The Dominion called at district headquarters' yesterday and interviewed Captain M'Donald, Assistant Adju-tant-General, on the subject. Captain M'Donald declined to go into tho causes which led to. Sergeant-Major Talbut's dismissal, but wished, in the interests of the company; and of tho service, generally, to correct a certain statoment which ho was reported to have mado to our representative, and which appeared in our issue of January 18,, under-the heading "Dismissed." The sentence. " • . . . , the discharge l of Sergeant-Major Talbut from the corps had given general satisfaction," tended to creato a wrong'impression. What ho actually said was, ". . ..•» a good many Volunteers had spoken to him about the matter, and they all considered that prompt action in such oases would, have a beneficial effect on volunteering, and, they thought, would give general: satisfaction:" The statement that twenty-seven members of tho corps had tendered their resignations as proof of their dissatisfaction was, Captain M'Donald stated, misleading., As a matter of. fact,; twelve, not twenty-seven, had writtenasking to be allowed to resign. Of these, four gave no reason; three announced their intention., of leaving the district; and five pleaded pressure of private business and want of time to attend tho company parades. Not one, he said, bad raised the slightest objec-' tion to the aotion of tho Department ; in the recent dismissal. These men wore still members, of .the corps, and would be, until certain formalities connected with the conditions of dischargo had been complied with. The applications wero, in fact, irregular.' Referring, to the threatened break-up of the corps, Captain M'Donald said that the Officer C6mmanding tho corps, Captain Samuel, had reported to him that,- as a result of the re-oent-action taken,, a ' gentleman had offered his services and also that of thirty-four men as members. In addition, two applications for'enrolment, wero, it is'understood,'received on Wednesday evening, and others were expected. "> • '! It will thus be seen," concluded Captain M Donald, " that tho company's strength, instead of diminishing, will be considerably augmented." V^'