Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 567, 6 September 1865, Page 5

To the Editor of the New Zealand Heiiaid. Sib, —My attoution has been arrested by an article in a recent issue of your journal, on the neve Militia Act. Has it become absolutely necessary to establish a permanent conscription in this colony ? The idea of military conscription is totally foreign to the minds of British subjects, and the inhabitants of this colony cannot reasonably be expected to suffer year by year the odious task of military servitude. The Weld Ministry have disgusted aud disorganised the Waikato Militia, who were raised for the express purpose of defending our frontiers ; they are likewise taking measures to remove the Imperial forces to England, and therefore, as the natural result of their policy, they are compelled to resort to the odious, detestable system of conscription. The principal burden of this measure will fall on the Province of Auckland, and it remains with the settlers thereof to protest against the passing of a measure calculated to injure their particular Province to such an extent. When the present war first broke out in New Zealand, about two years ago, the inhabitants of Auckland and vicinity cheerfully responded to the call of duty, and numerous bodies of volunteers enrolled themselves in the country districts. Profuse promises were held out to the volunteers about grants of land, but although the several claims to compensation have been heard, and awards been made, yet the claim of the Auckland Volunteers and Militia, though asserted in the press aud the Provincial Council, has altogether passed unheeded. These men, who bore the hardships of a winter campaign when the commissariat was administered in a very indifferent manner, who endured the fatigues of weary marches through swamps, &c., in the depth of winter, aud lay for weeks together in their arms and accoutrements with 011I3' one blanket on the bare ground, and as many as twenty being wedged 111 a small bell-tent, surely these men are entitled to some substantial reward for their services in the hour of clangor. If the Government think that they are again about to gull the good folks of this Province, and compel them annually to be humbugged ala mode milihure, I fancy their minds will be quickly undeceived, but, as Mark Antony says, " They aro all honourable men." ]t is pretty clear that, had the Waikato Militia been treated properly, there would have been no need to call out tho services of the Auckland Militia. The settlers are ready, when actually required for service in tho field at the time of danger, but they very naturally object to forsake their usual vocation, in order to be drilled. It is very questionable if a good quantity of drill instruction is not altogether wasted on the volunteer bodies iu the country districts. It would bo decidedly moro uselul if there wero more attention paid to rifle practice, and rewards instituted for the best marksmen. The main elements of Maori warfare certainly ought to bo good shooting and good marching, and in a general way the country settlers are a class well inured to fatigue, and are very often pretty good shots. There i 3 one suggestion I wish to make relative to the immigrants. They are about to he struck off pay, and to be placed on uncletind bmh land. t.o get their living, while their rations are to be stopped after a period of ten days' frei- rations. Now, these men are almost universally located 011 confiscated Maori territory, and at present are totally unable to defend themselves should they be attacked, whi :li is not altogether impossible, seeing that the natives must have a strong objection to seeing the pakeha in possession of their territory. Few, I think, will deny tho fact that the majority of the inhabitants of this Province have been already well disciplined, and would not fail to acquit themselves well if an emergency arose, while, on the other hand, the immigrants generally are farm labourers, quite new to the use of the rifle and military exerci-es. Labor is notoriously a drug in the market jusi nt present, and immigrants being new chums will find it very dillicult to gain a livelihood, for it is perfectly preposterous to think that a man can produce his own victuals the first year from his 10 orres of uncleared bush land, if the soil be of over so good a quality. The immigrant would hare no objection to be drilled once a week, provided they were paid for that day, and being taught the use -A the ritle, with which every male immigrant capabio .bearing arms ought to be provided. These men would be able to defend themselves, and being congregated together they would naturally serve as outlying pickets to the adjacent settlements, despite the pacific tone of the Governor's speech, the removal of the troops, the abandonment of several Waikato military positions, and last not least, tho expenditure of the three million loan. It is a sterling fact that the state of the country is more unsettled than ever, and rumours are currently rife even in this quarter that the natives are returning to their old haunts j rob and murder, as is their waut. It is decidedly a retrogressive policy on the part of the Government, and prejudicial 111 (he highest degree to the interests of the colony iu general, to convert the industrious productive farmer into a militiaman. Many will bear out my assertion, when I state that military service has a most demoralising effect on young men. I state this as a candid fact, from my own experience during the last two years. I am. Sir, Volukteeb. Papakura, Sept. 1, 18G5.