THE OTAGO VOLUNTEER REPRESENTATIVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1582, 18 March 1882, Page 22

THE OTAGO VOLUNTEER REPRESENTATIVES.

The parade called by Lieut. - colonel Stavely on Friday eve'ningfortherceeptionof the Volunteers who recently represented the Provincial District of Otago at the New Zealand Rifle Association, was largely attended. The public also turned out in large numbers, and when the train arrived the platform and its approaches was densely packed by a large throng of people. ,As the rifle champion (Corporal Hutchinson) stepped on to. the platform the band struck up " See the Conquering Hero," and the crowd cheered heartily. Corporal Hutchinson was then hoisted on the shoulders of two members of his company, and escorted to the Garrison Hall, where Lieut.-colonol Stavely, in the name of the Otago Volunteers, congratulated Corporal Hutchinson on his extreme perseverance, which had been the means of placing him in the proud position which he now occupied. Hitherto that gentleman had been within a point of the Championship, and on the present occasion he had won on a tie from one of the best shots in New ZealandLieutenant Purnell.— (Hear.) Corporal Hutchinson was to be congratulated on his extreme pluck, steadiness, and perseverance, for hia proud position was due to the fact that with his last shot he scored a bull's-eye.— (Hear.) After referring to the fact that it "was now six years since the Belt had come South, Lieut/, colonel Stavely called for three hearty cheers for the rifle champion.

Corporal Hutohinsox briefly thanked the company for turning out to meet the representatives and for the reception accorded them. He expressed the hope that if tho Belt was wrested from him next year it would be by an Otago man. — (Applause.) The complimentary dinner to the representatives took place at the Royal Exchange Hotel, and was attended by about 80 gentlemen. Lieutenant-colonel Stavoly occupied the chair, Majors Wales and Jack acting as croupiers. ii Il ie Chairman, in proposing the health of Lhe IJncen," rofn-rcd to the fact that a dastardly attempt or her life had recently been made, and said that in no 'ait of the British dominions was more loyalty entertained towards the Sovereign than in thi« Colony. Mr Fish, M.H.R., said the toast he had to propose was tbat of "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers." With regard to the army and navy of Great Britain, he remarked that at the inception of a war our fellow men seemed to make mistakes, but their pluck and valour were so great that they invariably rose above temporary rebuffs. Here we had never been called upon to show the inherent qualities of our Volunteers ; but in the North Island, with the difficulties it presented, the Volunteers had mvrn as much pluck m trained mm, The

sole force should be assisted on the distinct understanding that discipline was to be vigorously enforced.— (Hear.) It was in this direction'that the Government of the Colony should deal with the Volunteer force. He referred to the fact that the Government were making an effort to reorganise the Volunteer force; but as a public man he objected to the constitution of the Board. In Otago there was a larger body of Volunteers than in any other district, and the officers were as well disciplined as anywhere else ; still the officers of Otago were conspicuous on that Board by their absence.— (Applause.) Lieutenant-colonel Stavely responded on behalf of the army and navy ; Majors Wales and Jack for the Volunteers.

Major Wales said that to pass a eulogy on the Volunteers was unnecessary, but he was sure that, should the occasion arise, he would have no difficulty in getting 200 men to willingly accompany him to the front. Major Jack agreed that some improvement in the Volunteer force was necessary. Either the present bulky body should be put on a proper footing, or it should be done away with. Lieut. -col. Stavely said that he had the honour and pleasure to propose the toast of the evening " Our Champion, Corporal Hutchinflon ."-(Loud cheers.) Corpl. Hutchinson was not only a good rifle shot, but a thoroughly good Volunteer— one who took a great interest in Volunteer matters generally, and was the mainstay of the Otago Rifle Association. He (the speaker) only collected the trophies, while Corpl. Hutchinson did all the hard work m connection with the meeting. To that gentleman for his services as " coach he attributed itfie success of the North Dunedin Rifles in twice winning the Ladies' Challenge Shield. It was now six years since the Rifle Belt came to Otago, and he trusted that the exertions of the guest of the evening would give an impetus to young Volunteers. The Belt should be won by an Otago man at least every third year. The toast was drunk With musical honors, and the other representatives were heartily cheered. Corporal Hutchinson, who was received with prolonged cheering, said that he could hardly find words to express gratification at the reception accorded to himselt and the other representatives. On this occasion the Otago men had pulled together, and he considered it his duty to state publicly that they had rendered him every assistance, and that but for their exertions he probably would not have been champion.— (Hear.) He called on Sergeant Richardson to say a word or two about the Rifle Association. Several of the representatives— a large proportion, in fact, of those who had attended the Nelson gathering —were of opinion that next year the meeting should be held in 'Dunedin, and it rested with the citizens of Otago whether that idea was given effect to.— (Applause.) Sergeant Richardson said that all the assistance the Otago representatives could give to Corporal Hutchinson was given most willingly. After the Qhampionship was decided, a meeting was held of representatives, and it, was almost' unanimously resolved that the, rifle-meeting should be peripatetic. A com--, mittee— consisting of Major BaiUie, Lieutenant Rogers, and Sergeant Griffiths— was . appointed for that purpose : and from the result of a conference he had held with those gentlemen he had no doubt that the meeting' would be held here next year. He thanked the' company for the reception given to the representatives generally. ' Major Wales proposed "The Parliament of New Zealand. The progress of a country depended almost entirely on the measures adopted by the Parliament for developing its res.ources, next to the energies of the people. The energies displayed by the inhabitants of this Colony far outstripped those of the Australians. , He felt that from the bad odour with which the reception of the Volunteer Board had been received no good could come of it. ' While admitting that the members who constituted it were able men, he thought the interests of important districts like Otago and the v Thames should not have been overlooked. Unless inspectors were appointed to see that the regulations were properly carried out, Volunteering in New Zealand would continue, to be a farce. He explained that Mr Bathgate was unavoidably absent. , Mr Fish expressed the hope that when the present Parliament' was put upon its trial it would prove equal, if not superior, to its predecessors. In the past the Government of New I Zealand had stood out prominently as legislating bodies in respect to other Colonial Govern- I ments. It might be that the goody-good legislation which had been pursued in the past would be productive of evil instead of good to this Colony: There were two measures passed last session which, in his opinion, were great mistakes on the part of the legislators. He looked upon the Parliament as only being successful in its- legislation when it-massed moderate measures. Any measure giving the right to men of extreme views to run riot against the law must be productive of bad in the future. A British community, as a rule, respected the laws of its country, and if laws were made which were not in unison with the feelings of the people, such legislation must becomeabso-, lutely mischievous.— (Applause.) The aim of a Parliament should be to pass laws which could be uniformly conformed to. It was a true saying that one did not know what the morrow might bring forth, and if might be possible that one of the city representatives would be lodged m a prison-cell to-morrow.— (Laughter.) It was a fearful thing to contemplate, even to the individual himself. He believed it was a kind of legislation calculated to be mischievous, and he held that it was the duty of men in a public position to take the strongest means in their power to practically protest against what he believed to be an unnecessary infringement of the liberty of the subject.— (Loud applause.) That \vas the feeling which strongly predominated in his breast and that of his friend on the left (Mr Bracken), and had induced these two, who would be law-makers, to, appear in the somewhat anomalous position of law-breakers. They had not acted with a' desire to break the law or to set the law at defiance in the common or ordinary sense of tho word ; but what they had done— whether tightly or wrongly— was as a protest against, what they considered to be an unnecessary interference with the harmless privileges of the people.— (Great cheering.) So far as he was concerned, he would be always found in tho van protesting, even at considerable sacrifice and oust to himself, against drastic legislation of any kind, no matter what shape ifc might take. Ho hoped that, with his colleagues in the representation of the city, next year he would be able to meet his constituents, and to merit their confidence.

Mr Bracken said that the Government had been anything but generous towards the Volunteers, and he hoped the cheese-paring policy would not be continued. Captain Smith, on behalf of the Naval Brigade,, took advantage of the. opportunity to congratulate Corpora I Hutchinson on his sueCJSS. A number of other toasts wore given and honoured.