THE COLAC BAY RIFLES.

Southern Cross, Volume 9, Issue 3, 20 April 1901, Page 7

THE COLAC BAY RIFLES.

Dear Magpie, —ln response to your oft-expressed wish that members of companies would send reports of meetings and items of news of interest to volunteers to your column in the Cross, I have taken upon myself to send you the following short account of the Colac Bay Rifle Volunteer Corps and its doings since its inauguration. As you know, this is just a young corps —pretty well the youngest in the district, having only been formed in November last. Some time before this efforts had been made to form a volunteer corps, but on sending to Wellington to know if the Government would accept it if formed, word was received to the effect that they could not see their way clear to accept, so nothing more was done in the matter until October, when inquiries were made from Wellington as to whether the offer was still open, in which case the Government would accept the service of the corps. A public meeting was called and over sixty-five names were handed in, many coming from RoundHill, Oraki and Wakapatu, showing the interest taken in the matter. As soon as possible after this Captain MeKay came from town and enrolled the men. Sergeant Dawson, late of the Guards was chosen captain.

Owing to there being no hall large enough to drill in, the use of the school ground was secured, and while the long days lasted this suited very well, but as they grew shorter the want of a suitable hall was pressed home, with a result that plans for a hall 80ft by 401 with a lean-to down one side 80ft by 14ft were at once prepared and sent to Wellington for approval, also a request to the Government to present the Corps with a section set apart for a library site, and for which at present there is no use. No. reply being received, a meeting was called for Monday last to consider some offers of sections received by the Company, and also to consider ways and means to raise sufficient funds to build. There was a full attendance, and the interest taken in the proceedings speaks well for the success of the venture. The captain explained that the Government would subsidise £ for £ raised locally. After a section had been decided on, namely section 74, opposite the railway station and very central, various ways were suggested for raising funds, and it was decided that each member lend the Corps whatever amount he can —the same to be paid back when the company is in fuuds. At present we are using the local hall, which is far too small —only half the members being able to take the floor at a time. The one great thing out of place now is the rifle with which the Corps is armed, namely, the Snider, but all the same the Corps has not done so bad in volley and independent firing, as you showed last week. It may be stated that the above firing was done in a perfect downpour of rain. The Company appeared for the first time (in daylight) in their new uniforms on Easter Sunday, when they attended church parade in the hall, and the large attendance of the public showed how much the Corps is esteemed. In conclusion I must thank you for the interesting notes to be found in your column each week, and to wish you every success in future. I may say that the colum referred to is read by pretty well every volunteer here with great interest and profit. Tours, etc., 1 Snider. April 17. r I have to thank ‘ Snider ’ for his budget of interesting notes and also his good wishes. The Colac Bay men are evidently determined to succeed, and have exhibited praisworthy spirit and self-reliance. By the way, a short sketch of the origin and progress of each of the country corps would be of interest. If all my correspondents would follow Snider’s example we could make the column still more interesting.—Magpie.]