VOLUNTEERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11172, 22 July 1898, Page 2

VOLUNTEERS

THE NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS'' . CLUB. The fourth annual smoke concert of the Danedin Non-commissioned Officers' Club was held in She baudroom of the Garrison Hall on Tuesday night. Sergeant-major Towler, presic'eut of the clv!-, occupied the chair, and there was a, good atteutittr.ee, among those prc-sunt being C»ptaia Uobin (Otsgo Hussars), Captain Chalmers (B Battery), Captain Barclay (Dunedia Engineers-), Captain Burt (Dunedin liifles), Lieutenant Duulop (Dunediu Navals), Lieutenant Siowley (North Duuedin Rifles), and Lieutenant Young (Otago Cycle Corps). Apologies were received ior the absence of Colonels Webb and Beeves, Major Beal, Captain Myers, and Bandmaster George. Tue Chairman) in opening the proceedings, stated that che club was in a yery healthy condition as it had £31 in the bank and its assets were valued at £50. The lectures during the year had not been so numerous as in the previous year, in connection with which the speaker said that as the officers had done theic best to work up lectures for' them and come to .instruct them, iiie leaat .the men could do was to turn up and try'to get all the information they could. In future he intended to call the non-comtnissioned officers every Friday evening fora class of instruction. The chairman.'in concluding, acknowledged the kindness of a number of donors who had provided refreshments for that evening. The loyal toast having been submitted by the Chairman,

Sei-geani-majoc Park proposed "The Navy, Army, and Volunteers."

Captain Eobin, in responding to the toast, recalled that a little more than a year ogo it took three hours for a fast vessel to steam round 24 tniles of British battleshipo, while a little stream of foam, one of the latest torpedooatchere, dsshed down the linss at about 35 1 miles per hour—a speed which thone would realise who knew the rate at which New Zealand train* .travelled, while, as for the army, ii they could allbave seen it «s it went down the long valley on one particular review day before the Queen, when some 35,000 of (he pick of the troops msrehed past, they would realised that it was uot going "to the dogs," as they often saw stated in print at this end of the world. With regard, to, the volunteers, they were fast Oncoming known at Home an citizen soldiers, because when they took the oath of allegiance they were' told that the volunteer ended and the soldier commenced, and so ifc was coming to be her.;, where the.'volunteers were at heart "all right.."

-•it this stage of (he proceedings Mr M'Callum presented .■ to the chairman, for the Non-com-missioned Officers' Club, a.parade state of the Diamond Jubilee, parade of ex-Imperial (service mea acd o!d volunteers iv Duuedin.

Captain Robin proposed "The Non-com-missioned Officers' Ciub," and, !d doing so, observed that it was nod a good thing that; the club should have such a bank balance as it bad, for it -showed that it had been standing still for the past 12 months, and he offered suggestions for the future conduct of the club, so that, it might be enabled to meet all the week through instead of only one night a week.

Sergeant-major Towler and Sergeant-msjor Pauk acknpwledged the toast, and the following other toasts were honoured : — " Thd Newly-foraied Corps" (proposed by Captain Chalrner and responded to by Captain Burr, Lieutenant Young, and Colour-sergeant Coughlau); •' The Officers " (proposed by tho Chairman and responded to by Captain Barclay) ; and "The Prees "■ (proposed by Ser-' gsant-rnajor Park). .

Songs were contributed during the evening by - Sergeant-major Parker, Colour-sergpaui lH'Millau, Bombardier Chaimet, Petty-officer WoolleU, Isergeaht Prain^ Sergftant Wvst, Colour'sergeant M'Keozie, and Petty-officer Davis, and a recitation was given by Corporal Wood.