THE VOLUNTEER REVIEW.

Evening Star, Issue 7169, 24 March 1887, Page 2

THE VOLUNTEER REVIEW.

[By Oub Special Reporter.] '

; The -Volunteer review at Waihola undoubtedly formed -the principal attraction for am.usementTseekers from Dohedin yesterday, fijlly 800 of whom left by special train at eleven o'clock, and the contingent was swelled by 200 more before, Mosgiei was reached, In addition to the above,, large numbers arrived by, the South trains, and there was consequently a very large, gathering on Mr Chapman's paddock, where the review was held. The Volunteers had been taken out by special trains at an early hour, and the sham-fight was being proceeded with when the visiters arrived pn the scene, The locale was admirablyitfaited for it| purpose, but there was neither.can teeh, nor refreshment-room on the ground—"at mouthful of water "to beootalned—and Volunteers and'the general public alike complained bitterly of having to walk quite two miles before they conld obtain the ordjtnary comforts necessary,, to a long day's outbg in hot weather. , I The following table shows the parade state:— ORDNANCE BATTALION. Staff. Commandant Ooldle, Sergoant-major M'Kay. . '< ■ '• | Orpnakcs Band —l6 bandsmen. ' Dukedis NAVAis.—l lieutenant, 1 sergeantmajor, 2 sergeants, 26 gunners—total, !JO. •-.• # '. ' Pkmnsdla Natals. 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 8 corporal*, 1 trumpeter, 14 gunners—total, 24.' , "B Battbrt.—l captain, 1 lieutenant, 4 sergeant?, 2 oorporala, 1 trumpeter, 29 gunners—total, 38. Enoinkkrs— 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, } { sergea«ifc> major,'! sergeant, 1 corporal, 1 trumpeter,,42 rgunners—total, 48. -v ;. ■-; f Cadets—l captain, 2 lieutenants, 40 gunnerstotal, 43. ■ ■■■■' '■*■'■" : ■'"■ J ■•■ Grand total, 201. . ; ._, FIRST BATTALION. Staff.—Major Oallan, Captain Valentino (InVercargill). Sergeant-major Harrison. \ . HKADQUAitTKns Basd.- Bandmaster .WjsbaTrtyfl sort gcant*, and 36 men—total, 40. ' f Crrr Guards.—l captain, 2 lieutenant?,'l colorsergeant, 3 sergeant*, and 23 men—total, 30. , North BnireDiN.—l captain, I lieutenant; 3 seri;eantp, and 28 men—total, 33. ■ Wawrl—l Ueutenant, 1 color-sergeant, 1 sergeant, 1 bujler, and 27 men—total, 31. ! ■-■■ South Donrdin.—l captain,! lieutenant, 1 colbrsergcant, 3 sergeants. 1 bugli t, and 30 men—total, 87. HioiibAND'Kiflks. lieutenants, 2 sergeants; 1 bugler, and 22men—total,27. - . ~,-,, ■ i ' CAVKHSHAM—leaptain, 2 lieutenant?,'lßergcantj 1 bugler, and 12 men—total, 17. j - - Irish—l captain, 2 lieutenants, 1 colorisergeant, 1 sergeant, I bqeler, and 12 moo—total, 17. *_ -, ■ Pkxishdla BiFiiKS.—l color-sergeant and 8 men—totalj 9. •• ; Grand total, 259. :

..::,! No. 2 BATTALION. Staff.—Major Andrew, Sergeant-major Towlor, South District fi17j.88.-l captain, 1 lieutenant, S sergeants, 1 bugler, 23 men—total, 29. ' > Brock.—l captafn, 2 lieutenants, 1 sergeant-major, o men—total, 19.' ' . i ■ East Taibbl—l lieutenant, 1 sergeant-major,* 2 aereeantF l l bugter, 23 men—total, 28, ! . i CwmiA.-rrl captain, 1 lieutenant,. 1- etrgeant-major, 3 sorgcante, 1 bugler, 28 men—total, 85. , ! .WArriiiuNA. -1 captain, llieutenMuVl-sergeant 1 major, 2 sorgeante.'-S men->total, 18.i | Juapeka.—l lieutenant, 1 sergeant, 21 men—total, 23. , ..., ■ . . -,.,. .. ~-. -, ~..!' Kaitanoata.—6 men, ,r ■..;'" • \- West lalbri:—} captain,-1 lieutenant, 1 sergeant.major, 2 sergeants, .10 men—total, 15. ' .:'" i Grand total, 170.;.. ;,.. , ; t vl'

The; attendance.of .yolunteersiajras exceptionally/ poor, . tw,Q. : the Engineers...and JJ Battery*— turnings <out : two thirds of the numbers enrolled. The* paucity of the; muster, however, mufet not be attributed, to '■■» , degirer on* the part of the.jnejj to'sjiirk their duties as Volunteers, • for several causes can ibe assigned for the absence of the different dorps. Neither the L Battery faor "Port Navals, fo!r instance, were present: but both had turned out on Monday afternoon on the occasion of the opening of the new local and the men were thus dcnjed another holiday. Several" of the country' men were engaged harvesting, rendering <tlieir absenqe almost unavoidable; still a- large number left their crops for the sake.of putting in an appearance. Since the days of Abolition the day has not- been observed asw general Government holiday, and consequently Vthje Volunteers engaged on the railways and, in the Government workshops—a goodly number —wereprecludediromtakinj? part in the military evolutions. I wouljl merelyask in" passing How can the Pefenee Department expect private employers to allow their men opportunities. of attending daylight' parades when the Government themselves deny their own hands the like chance? These reasons,' no doubt,' jrialhly explain yesterday's poor muster, of course, several who could have'attended preferred enjoying their holiday in other directions than undergoing a severe day's drill, fop which no gratuity is allowed, as, in Victoria and the other Australasian colonies. j Lieutenant-Colonel was in command of the entire force, with Surgeon as.aide-de-camp. Major Gordon acted as brigade-major. The parade vim called'with the view of giving the men some practical work preparatory to the Easter review, but from what one could judge, of,the various movements shown our men will not cut i very creditable figure at Timaru, parf ticularly as I am informed the Canterbury officers have had the programme of proposed . evolutions in their hands for at least a fortj j night, while not a single copy has found its way here. : ■ t > j The morning was occupied with the sham-, fight, which, : However, proved a complete fiasco. The country corps (No. 2 Bine; Battalion) formed the attacking party, and the town corps (under Major Gallan) the defending force. The Naval companies (with the Engineers and High School Cadets aet reserves)' were spread out for a dis-i tance of a mile to defend the lake,: and after doing out-post duty, were formed up into skirmishing order to repel, the supposed enemy. The Cavalry acted as' scouts, and -some dozen of the Eugi-j neers were told off for signalling pur-] poses. The whole force . subsequently as-; sembled in Mr Chapman's paddock, and,' after being formed into quarter-column,; •marched past the • reviewing officers, j The marching was • creditably done, the Navals and, Cadets appearing to bear off the! palm, The men were then-formed intoi . battalions and briefly addreseed 4; by .Lieut-: 'Colonel Wales, who told thejp Jhat thej attendance" did not come up to what henajd; hoped; nor'did the manner m which"'theyl had earned out their duties,come up .to his expectations. Their skirmishing especially had been very badjy carried out, ..,'". " i " were Jihen ipUed, and the' r ,force dismissed'tjU 5-30, when^the ,(' fall-in,'.' wasi sounded, ,and the men.returned* to, the Wftihola station. Djinedin. was reached. about: nine-o'clook, ihe men having been out from! 5 a.m. The impression J, as a.non-militaryj man, formed jwasthatj had the V6lunteersbeen| called out some four or five hours later'and! restricted to skirmishing exercises andordi-; nary battalion'drill; more good would-'nave! been accomplished, so far as the object in • question was concerned—viz., preparing: them for the approaching Easter «neamp-' ment. ■ ■ >' .;' ,