Page 9 Advertisements Column 1

Otago Witness, Issue 930, 25 September 1869, Page 9

Whon the Dcfenoo Estimate* were before tho House, Mr Travers apoko m follows with roforonco to tho present Volunteer Militi* foroes :— Among too suggestions of tho Govern moat wu that of cduoAting tho whole malo population oapnblo of bowing arms to tho duty of doing so. The vory inefficient and sham ■ otdiering which wu now practised in tho oolony in regard to tho Volunteer* And Militia wm already costing the colony a groAt amount. The expense of maintaining ono of tho most ridioulous sh«ma »nd dela* •ions that ovor wm known w*a L17.0C0 » your. The whole ayatom of Volunteering nod been phoed upon a bad »nd rotten ba#is. Thoro wm no enoonrAgcmont given to tho movement by tho GovornmentTknd it wmi oonductcd under regulation* which wero on* tiroly vicious. If it woro intended that tho Militia foroo of tho country was to be pUotd on a footing of oJfioio«oy, it mu»t b» carried out upon An entirely differcmt system. II must nol be a mar© voluntary matter, bat muat bo oompul/wry throughout &• wbo)# country,