THE CANTERBURY VOLUNTEERS

North Otago Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4081, 10 October 1885, Page 3

THE CANTERBURY VOLUNTEERS

(by telegraph.) Ghiustchurch, October 9 Colonel Whitmore inspi oted the volun teer corps available for the defence of Ohrislchurch In Hagley Park this afternorm. The weather was beautifully fine, and fully 10,000 persons assembled to witness the parade. There woro in nil 1061 volunteers rr. sent, including 927 officers and men of the 16 corro of North Canterbury, 78 cadets, and 56 bandsmen, the whole being under the command < f j L : eut. -Colonel Lean, who is in charge of the district. Sir G. Whitmore complimented the volunteers on the very largo muster, the largest in proportion to tho population which he had yet seen in the colony. lie considered credit was due to the employers of labor for allowing the men to turn out. Unfortunately the crowd rushed the parade ground and prevented many of the evolutions from being performed satisfactorily. ' The biyonet exercise, however, was gone through with great precision by all the companies. Colonel Whitmore expressed himself extremely pleased with what ho had been able to see of tho Chris'ohurch "Volunteers' performances' and regretted , the great interest which tho public Iffiere apparently took in volunteer matters should have been manifested in such a way as to prevent him from being able to judge the merits of the men to a greater extent.