LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 73, 31 July 1913, Page 5

LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN.

[To The Editor Stratford Post.] Sir,—With your permission I shouk like to draw your attention, also tha jf your readers to a movement knowi ~s the Legion of Frontiersmen. Tin movement was first proposed at a din ner party on Christmas Eve eight am a-ha If years ago (8J), and now the sun never sets on the Legion, We have nearly eight thousand (8000) members, our headquarters are in London (6 Adam Street, Adelphi), and our Commandant is Lieut.-Col. Driscoll, D.S.O late of Driscoll’s Scouts.

The aims and objects of the Legior are numerous, but the chief are 1) Organising, arming, and training all such men that have lived on o. jeyoad the frontiers of the Em pi rand are,Used to up-country life;.; (2 the formation of a brotherhood of al arch men is an inestimable boon t« hose of ns that are given to wanderag. The Legion is absolutely inde pendent of any State or other outride inancial aid, we pay our own way tid only ask the Government undo. „ iiioh we live to allow our arms in frer ;f duty.

The Legion is recognised by Hi Majesty King George, the British Wai )Jice, the Canadian Government, am he New Zealand Govrenment, etc ('here are live different classes unde. .-Inch a man may join : He can male, limself liable for service in any par f the Empire, or he can be. mere!; table to help defend the country h ives in, or he can join the reserve it vhich he need not get uniform o ;rms. The following class of met .re eligible, ex-soldiers, sailors, sur ,-eyors, shepherds, stockmen, hnshmen ngineers, station hands, and met used to working horses or bullocks Previous military training is not a ill necessary. The organising i worked as follows—a man desirous o' joining gets a form and all information rom the local organiser, the form lu fills in and attaches a P.N. for 5f (registration fee) thereto. This is son in to staff officer for Now Zealand if he passes it, lie sends it in to head quarters in London, and if passed there, the applicant receives a badge and some papers. He is then a, member of the Legion. When it is convenient for him to do so, he pur chases his uniform. This is simple and inexpensive, if he already lias riding breeches and leggings, 20s to £2 will get him the rest. When a number of men are enrolled in the same district, they form a unit and later a squad ron ; they elect by ballot their officers N.C.O.’s and Committee. The Legior started in Auckland a year ago and they now have a squadron of 90 men. Gisborne, Wairoa, H.U., and Christchurch are following suit, Wanganui district is going well, and with your assistance, Mr Editor, we hope to include the Stratford district in our next report. The Auckland Weekly News gives ns a column weekly, and has greatly helped the organisation in New Zealand. Lieutenant E. D’Es terre, care Auckland Weekly News, h the staff officer,-ior N.Z. Frontiersmen. R. B. Colly. Ohni, Wanganui River, is organising Wanganui district, and Frontiersman P. Grant (Kohi, Waverier), is giving information and issuing enrolment forms. Anyone desiring further information about the Legion are nvited to write to anv of the above

The Legion is very little known on this coast, so if you will give us a little room in your paper, when space permits, you will greatly help us. We owe a lot to the Canadian and New Zealand press; in both these places the papers have helped tho Legion. Good men are plentiful, but they do not know about the Legion ; let them know and you will have helped us. We, the organisers, are not permitted to ask men to join—they must come to us,- T am ete., PETER GRANT. Frontiersman. Kobi, Wave]lev,