FIFTY YEARS SERVICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 17

FIFTY YEARS SERVICE.

VOLUNTEERS' JUBILEE. ■- NEW PLYMOUTH, January 14. There was a unique gathering at the Drill, Hall to-night, when a dinner and social gathering tq celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of: the formation oi the Tura- . iiaki. Rifle* eventuated. The function was I largely attendee', .unong^ thofe present , being 1 members or the coips "when iV'was originally formed, pieceiit members, Mjtffans vdfrQ kicw Hea^nLJj with the Mifejsa* j during S^^j^u^-eV,;- inen'bei> of'tbe- ■ South African contingents, the Bojough | Council, and citizens interested in the I Volunteer movement. ( The Taranaki Rifles have a history wluuh any company .might ju>t!v feel proud, and it was fitting, that its jubilee should' be marked by some UR'iuurab'e guiherjng. The original mom fie i> of r>fie->^in>t got theitr>drill under Major LI ml in 1858, but it was not until the following i«aj: tha^! tins '■•company wa& actually proclaimed." j Taranaki was the first pio\ince in New Zealand to ino^evUn the niaifte^^j^.T&isino a ; Voltfeteer coi'pt>, but in tfeo' uitesrvenjiig i monftis to 1859, Auckland "■followed, and, I to the latter "province bdsng^^the, dis-tinc--tion of having the- first Volunteer corps officially proclaimed I Prior to the couiinencemeat 08 the toast ( li>t Bugler Okey «iimd«d the old bugle call of the company, after which Captain Bdlringei le'id the orimnal roll call, which was* • answered l>y tho following: — Lieu-, tenant M'KeHaf, Corpo'rai Fertiaud, ' Drummer Laurence. Private? " Bayly, j Black. Carrick. Kelly. Mc-ceiiger. Morsliead, and Weii&t'ti. \pologier> had b€>en iec.-i\cd from Serge-ml Free. Piivafes G. ! N. Curtis. R. X. (Jieenv, ood, T. Neaie, i and CajjUtin Standieh. The veterans pre- j &ent v/eie &ac-h greet t-d wit'i heaity ap- [ plaute a 1 - they roso in answer to their names-. There wa« a large rtpyeientative gathering oi the nulitaiy. including Colonel Robin, C.8. . v. ho. in replying to the toast of '' The Auny and Xavy." .said the Auxiliary Forces and Volunteer Forces in j Xew Zealand wt-re a ftieat deal more effi- i cient than tJ.e gtntial public gave them , cieiiit for. Ju^t as 50 years ago it was :■ ud that Taiauaki wm defenceless, they often told that Xew Zvaland \w& defencelc^.s t-o-day, but should the call come agiip. — as it might, and probably vioulrl. — the Taranaki Volunteers and the' Volunteer corps throughout tho Empii>?. [ v. ould prove, as the Tnranaki Volunteers ' did 50 ye/r& ago, ti'at tiiey weie able to , defend their < ountry. Tlie colouis of the ' old corps— Primus in armife, the Rifles having been the firefc" Voli»»t«-er wmpsnv in the Empire on active .service — occupied a pronain-eut position ia the decorations.