MEETING OF ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS : BOISTEROUS PROCEEDINGS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIX, Issue 4795, 8 January 1873, Page 3

M EE TING OF ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS : BOISTEROUS PROCEEDINGS.

A spfpial parade of the battery and band of the Artillery Volunteers was held last evening in the gun-shed adjoining the Albert Banacks. Considering the wot and stormy weather there was a \ery good muster. After the men had been put through the usuil drill, which they did in ;i very ci editable manner, a meeting was held to nominate a iiist lieutenant in the. place of Lieutenant Isaacs, resigned. The mooting was convened \<y advertisement, signed by t he secretary. '1 he following w el o nominated in wilting for the vacancy : — Mossis. A. Devore, .1. Seecoinbe, W. H. Skinner, J. C. l>avies, and G. Foley. — Captain Featon icfuscd to allow any discussion to take place on the merits of the candidates, stating that he was acting under instructions from Major Uoidon, who considered discussion on such a subject subversive of discipline and good order. He * Captain Featon) had the power to erase tho name of any candidate proposed if he deemed him iucompetent. He did not -s iy ho meant to exercise this power, but wished to inform those present that he possessed ?it. — Upon thia several members said that it was welljknown Captain Featon intended to put in Mr. Skinner, and why did he not'say so openly ? and that they con suleied this mode of conducting the business most unusual, and that they should rcpoit it to Major Gordon. One member asked if they had power to form a deputation to w.ut upon iilajor Ooidon. — Captain Featon a.ud he should not give them authority to do so, but they could take it upon themselves to do so if they thought fit. There was one thing he wished to call attention to, viz , the fact that several came to parade not in nnifoim. Tins for the futiuc he should icgaul as an act of insubordination, and tioaf it as such. — Manifest signs of disnppioval followed this announcement, several Volun teeis stating that it had not been stated in the advertisement that they were to appear in uniform, and that they had only just left off work and hurritd up in the rain.— Captain Featon said they ought to take (heir uniform with them and put it on as they left woik rather than appear without it. He then otdered the men to fall in, and dismissed them. After this they collected in groups and somo of them denounced the conduct of their officer as being most arbitiaiy and improper. One wanted to know wlieie the Act preset ibed that membeis weie to appear in uniform, and others asked if fiee discussion had not always taken place at these meetings '' Tho pioposer and seconder of a c.indi date ought, they considered, to base tho light to speak as to his merits. Hventuallj the Volunteers dispeised in anything apparently but a peaceful state of mind. Tho election will take place on Monday next, at 8 p.m., votes to be in writing under covet delivered to the secretary. At the close of the meeting Mr Fole.y, the ticasurcr, announced his intention of lcsigniug that oflice immediately.