Arrest of a Volunteer.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 39, 10 September 1887, Page 2

Arrest of a Volunteer.

AN IMPORTANT ACTION, An action of the utmost importance to Volunteers and to those who are likely to bodoffip members of corps has just been taken by Captain Boylan of the J. Battery. The absence of members from parades has been the cause of the regular attendants losing much capitation, nut .taking into consideration the fact that members who attend at irregular intervals must necessarily be a great hindrance to those who attend to their drills Of course this state ot things could not be allowed to go on to any great length, and, happily, up to Wednesday last, no individual member has committed himself so far as to justify any harsh proceedings being instituted. That this should now be the case is to be regretted, and the action taken will; no doubt; have a salutary effect; as showing how summary is the procedure members are liable to. It is hardly necessary to state that a request for leave of absence is rarely refused, and, therefore, there is nothing arbitrary in the mere fact of h aving to attend necessary parades. The action which culmi| nated on Wednesday in the arrest of one of the members was the result of studious neglect and utter indifference to the appeals of the Commanding Officer, which left no other course open but the one pursued However one may regret the necessity tot extreme measures it is absolutely necessary to maintain the present efficient state of the corps, a state which has only been arrived at by constant and regular drill. The arrest was made for the non-payment of fines in dieted for absence from parades. The psnalj ties imposed from time to time amounted to about £B, and an application for the pay. ment of a small portion of this amount was met with anything but a civil refusal. Under the Defence Act, passed last session, the course laid down for the recovery of fines is s imple and effective. The officer in command has firstly to serve an order on the offender, and if, within seven days, the flues are net paid or the order not objected to, a copy o* such order is a sufficient warrant for the recording of a conviction by the Clerk of. ths Court, as if the same were proceedings under the J.P. Act. Distraint for the amount recorded follows in ths ordinary way, and on a return of nulla bona being made an arrest is made. The term of imprisonment in thl case under notice was fixed at eight days* The culprit with an unnecessary amount ot bravado decided to “ take it out” and wtg locked up. After one night's incarceration he found that the courage of the yesterday did not remain Stationary, gnd his heart was found to be somewhere in the region of his boots. The unsympathetic looking walls which shut him out of the freedom so necessary to his existence, was too much !o« his now, weak nerves, and the payment o! the fine gave him the release so longed ton The name of the offender should at once be struck off the roll, and although he still owes the corps some pounds in flues, it would be far better to give him a clean receipt than allow him to remain in the ranks.