VOLUNTEERING IN NORTH OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14156, 7 March 1908, Page 14

VOLUNTEERING IN NORTH OTAGO.

Sin, —Two letters on fclie above nubject havo appeared in your columns recently over tho signature of "Fred Jones" and "Argyle." Both these writers appear to bo extremely anxious to i>enctrate 'ray identity, and they are inclined to the opinion that I hold a commission in the Volunteer force. I will rfet their minds at rest, although it lias nothing to do with 4he quastion at issue, which is, I tukc it, ■whether the cpsignfition of officers in North X)tago is the outcome of mismanagement and injustico on the part of tho district sfficor. It is this qitestion, and not, tho drresponsiblo opinion of Mr Fred Jones, ■" Argyle," or myself, in which tho general public is interested. However, bo it understood that I am not an officer, neither nm'l oi> an officer's staff, like many in Gamaru who liavo never shouldered a rifle. I take an interest in defence matters, and I watch tho career of those who do take a leading part, in Volunteer work. I -<lisputo Mr Fred Jones's dictum that Volunteer officers and journalists are the only people worthy of credence on the Rubject. Indeed, 1 may go further, and Buggtist that Mr Fred Jones, although a journalist, is woefully ignorant of defence matters. Witness his statement that the officer commanding t.lio eub-dislrict a little timo ago placed one of his subordinatcß under arrest. Now, sir, Hie sub-districts have been done away with years ago. This is on a par with the statement that Cap•tain Rodgers is an inspecting officer, or that, the officer of the Waitaki Mounted ■Rifles was aGked to produce a medical certificate for any other parade than the Inspector-general's parade. Yet ho does jiot hesitate to accuse the officer commanding tho district of being woefully ignorant of the regulations!

I now reply to "Argyle's" three impertinent questions:—

1. Decidedly. I have no personal anianosity or grievance to air against any officer. Does tho boot fit the other foot'? My letter was written ill the cause of justjee, and in the interests of the-adminis-tration of the department, which, so far as Otaio is concerned, I fee!, is in competent hands. ' .

2. I preferred writing io the Olago Daily Times, as I recognise it to possess a wider influence and circulation than these published locally. I -do not regard it as being 80 miles away, as I find it on the doorstep (it lunch hour.

3. I am certainly not anxious that capable officers should resign their commission, although from all accounts there arc plenty of aspirants ready to accept appointments.

Let mo, beg "Argyie" to refrain from jumping at conclusions in the /future, and come down to inspartial facts in his further criticism, "Sentry's" notes .on this head, as published last Friday, coincide, with my views exactly.—l am. the same as over,. Disgusted. Oamaru, March 2.