VOLUNTEERS

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4295, 2 March 1901, Page 7

VOLUNTEERS

The annual inspection of arms was begun in Wellington last night, ou the occasion of '.lie parade of the Wellington Rifle Battalion. The parade was under Lieut.- ( olouel Collins, with whom wvre Major Brandon and Captain and Adjutant Kai-<-ourt. Side-arms and rules were tnk-ra from each company and sloven in the antc- ; noias of the ilrillshcd, where they will ho inspected daring next week hy Ai'mou'vi- : ergenuU Hunter and Buckley, who were recently brought from England by the : 'ovoruiucnl. for the purpose of carrying' •nl those duties There were good mns.urn of all the c.-oinpanios of (he battalion, pride of [dace being held by the Zealau--5u and City iiiilf.s. | Our Carterton correspondent wrote yesterday as follows:—-The ramp of flic AA aiirapa Alountcd Infantry, on Skew’s farm, was broken up this .morning. The men save taken a zealous interest in the roni'ne, and Lieutenant Davis, lias expressed approval. yesterday afternoon a gym- : him a was hold, a feature of win h was the iv-d-iiing of recumbent figures (representing ,:u'ii) while uinfer ■ fire. The fusiJodos, bred at very close quarters, were exceedingiv disconcerting to the horses, riders were ■ useuted, and there were 11111113- ludicrous ■■■(.Hack's, which provided unlimited : uusommt to interested spectators. In :,;imy cases, however, splendid liovseman--liip was shown, end Lieutenant Ravis i ; of the opinion that some of tin," Wnirarapa troopers could ride a barebacked animal safely over the proverbial bfiibvire fence. Tho -Maoris were tho priuci- ; it prize-winners, indeed they have shown ,"•< all-round sfuperiority in ail tho details •;/ a trooper’s life; good riding, special aptitude for drill and an interest that does not languish being factors which conirilmte to the genera! excellence It is ■ ilo to assert that the dearest wish of every Alaori (man. woman and child) in (his district is to be a trooper. The en- ! °rtainment wound up with the inevitable •Vika, niter which Lieutenant Davis, and Mr Skey accepted, on behalf of their wives, handsome souvenirs presentee) by ILe two corps During the afternoon large numbers of spectators, who were hospitably 'rented, arrived from ait parts of the valley—Maori, wahines- being -particularly noticeable. Undoubtedly the first encampment. of mounted troopers ever hold in tho Bontli TVairarapa has Been a success. Sergeant Thomas Telford, of Hie S.W.AI.R. who has been accepted as a member of the Seventh Contingent, has gone into camp •»t Newtown Parle. Sergeant-Major Sutherland and Trooper Skey have been prorioted to the position of Lieutenants in Hie S.W.M.E.