NEW PLYMOUTH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 277, 27 June 1855, Page 5

NEW PLYMOUTH.

Rifle Coups.—A meeting of the subscribers and others desirous of forming a Rifle Corps was convened by the Committee ami met on Monday evening for the purpose of taking into consideration a communication from His Honor the Superintendent, and for enrolling members. P. Wilson, Esq., having been called to the chair, read an extract from the Government

Gazette of the province, which had been forwarded to the Committee by the Superintendent for the'guidance of the meeting, to the following effect: — "Superintendent's Office, "21st April, 1855. "His Excellency the Officer administering the Government having requested to be supplied with a nominal return of such settlers as may wish to enrol themselves in a local corps for the purpose of acting in conjunction with Her Majesty's Forces when placed in position, the Superintendent calls on the settlers of the Province to enrol themselves and support the Government of the colony, on the grounds so for-, ciblv stated in the preceding: Despatch of His Excellency's Private Secretary of the 7-th'inst. The Superintendent will'submit the following propositions for the approval of His Excellency. The Officer in command of the Corps shall be appointed by the Governor and shall exercise the same authority as a similar position would confer in Her Majesty's forces. The Corps shall consist of a Rifle Company, New Plymouth Company, Oinata Company, Grey Company, Bell Company. Each Company to elect its own officers and frame its own regulations subject to approval. Settlers who enrol at the present time, or on arrival in the Province, to be exempt from Militia service—And also that the Militia be forthwith embodied. Volunteers for the Rifle Corps are requested to apply to the Rifle Corps Committee. For the Omata Company can enrol their names at the District Post Office, Omata. For the New .Plymouth Company—will be enrolled by Mr. Hughes, Brougham-street. For the Grey Company—will be enrolled by Mr. Hughes. Brougham-street. For the Bell Company—will be enrolled at the District Post-Office. Bell Block. Chables Bhown, Superintendent. After which, Mr. Walt as one of the committee, acquainted the meetingthat the committee had had an interview with His Honor, and that there seemed to be now no difficulty about establishing the corps on a legal basis. The Superintendent had staled that the Government would send down fusees for all volunteers who enrol. They were light and efficient pieces, and would enable the corps to proceed with drill and practice. Regarding the more efficient arm, the Aiinie rifle; his Honor held out no hope that the Government would supply the members with them at the Stale's charge, but if the members who now enrol themselves sign an un. iertaking to pay for them on being brought here, he thought the.Governmentmight, be prevailed upon to obtain them,-and distribute them at the contract price. They would understand that the Rifle corps was altogether apart from the Volunteer Companies and Militia mentioned in the extract they had heard rear. It would be a separate body, and have privileges and immunities of its own. A paper was then drawn out, of which the following is a.copy— We, the undersigned, engage to enrol ourselves as members of. a Volunteer Rifle Corps to be embodied in conformity with the recommendation of His Honor the Superintendent of the 21st of April, 1855. And we further agree to pay, if required so to do, for regulation Minie rifles at the contract price, when the Siime shall be furnished us by the Government. This paper received nearly forty signatures in tie room, and a large addition to the number is looked for before the arrival of the steamer, by which it is proposed to transmit it to Auckland, with the view of bavinur immediately, for temporary use, the arms now at the disposal of the Government. T:iere was visibly in the meeting a wholesome inclination to view these voluntary embodyings of the settlers, as well as the presence of the expected garrison, rather as a guarantee for peril a ent and immediate peace and seciuity than as the beginning o f strife and discord between the races. And it must be remembered that the formation of this corps and a bod <■> of volunteers to support the Queen's troops, if not a condition precedent to sending a garrison to New Plym oiiih, is at least made a material ingredient in His Excellency's undertaking to do so, and admits of no luke wartimes* or apathy on the part of the settlers.— Taranuhi lie,aid.