NAPIER RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 1002, 5 December 1868, Page 3

NAPIER RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.

We learn that; the following set of resolotions were uuaniinously passed at a meeting of the Eifle Volunteers, held at the Masonic Hall, on Monday evening last : Sergt. Koch in the chair. The meeting was convened in consequence of the feeling engendered in the company, that, without the slightest cause, it had been publicly insulted by Major Carlyon's order, read at a general parade on Saturday, 28th ult. 1. That Capt. Buchanan be respectfully requested to afford the members of the corps present, such information as he may possess in reference to the order read on parade on Saturday last. 2. That this meeting having heard Capt. Buchanan's statement, tender him their thanks for the clear and satisfactory manner in which he explained his action with the militia authorities regarding the company's being called out for service. 3. That a deputation composed of Sergt. Robinson, Corporals Large and Dinwiddie, Volunteers Davidson, Townley, and Close, wait upon the Superintendent, Mr. M'Lean, to request explanation of the telegram sent by him, as asserted by Major Carlyon, which. called forth from the Defence Minister his threat of disbanding the company for reported disobedience of orders. Capt. Buchanan's explanation, which was full and lengthy, is briefly condensed in the following statements of facts, viz. : 1. That the Napier Rifle Volunteers had not been named in any proclamation issued either in Napier or in Wellington, and promulgated under authority either of the " Militia Act, 1858," or the " Volunteer Act, 1865," as being called out for service. 2. That no order either verbal or written for them to take duty of any kind, had been issued from the Militia office. Neither of these statements are, we believe, denied by Major Carlyon. The charge, then, either of disobedience of orders or evasion of duty, appears to be unsupported by fact. 3. That Capt. Buchanan had offered the services of the company to take guards and pickets, despite the uncertainty (which has been subsequently officially admitted to exist) of the position it would legally occupy ; and that such offer had been accepted by the officer commanding the district. Of the fact of this statement, evidence exists in the warning given to Lieut. Irvine to take his tour of duty, but sub.sequently recalled without reasonassigned. 4. That a telegram was read to Capt. Buchanan at the militia office, obtained, as he was informed, through the instrumentality of Mr. M'Lean, holding out threat of disbandment on account of refusal to do duty. Thereupon steps, which it is unnecessary to detail, were taken to disabuse the hon. the Defence Minister of the wrong impression of facts that had been conveyed to him;, and in discharge of this task, Capt. Buchanan mentioned the material aid both, himself and the company had received from the hon. Mr. Richmond, for which their thanks and acknowledgment were due. We further learn, that the deputation elicited from Mr. M'Lean an assertion that his action was governed by representations from Major Carlyon ; that he had acquired from the deputation for the first time an exact knowledge of the circumstances of the case : but that he trusted all misapprehension was now over, inasmuch as the Governor had issued the necessary proclamation. We also coincide in this hope. Intermeddlers, bent on mischief, and determined, if possible, to put wrong constructions on occurrences they are either unable or lack the necessary application fully to comprehend, have contrived to evoke a rankling sense of injury and injustice that it will need time to allay. The calling out of armed men under the pains and penalties and with the obligations of the Mutiny Act, viewed by the lights derived from events in other colonies, is no small or unimportant matter, or one in which observance of proper formalities can safely be disregarded — even for small political scheming ; and if the local authorities do not possess that power, as it is abundantly clear they do not in the case of the Volunteer Force, the drawing attention to the limit of their power might have been met more courteously, in a better spirit, and more thankfully, than has been manifested in the case of the Rifle Volunteers of this town. — Communicated.