VOLUNTEERS NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 261, 5 November 1901, Page 2

VOLUNTEERS NEWS.

An inspection pirade of the Taranaki Rifles was held on Monday night, when there was a ijood muster, under Captain Okey and Lieutenants Cock and Hooker L-eutenant-Oolonel Ellis was also present, and Staff-Sergeant-Major Peacock attended and gave some instruction in signalling work. The men were afterwards taken outside and put through some useful work in field drill. A vote was afterwards taken of those willing to attend the field parade oo Monday next, 11th inst., when only about half-a-dozen men shouldered arms. Finally it was resolved that if the Guards elected to go the Rifles would attend also. NOTES BY " VEDETTE."

The work mapped out for the fieldday on Monday next comprises a lot of useful evolutions, and if all the corps attend who are expected, a very profitable day t-hould be spent. As was pointed out by the officers at Monday night's parade, part of the Hawera Mounted Rifles will be present, aod their participation in the operations will afford a chance for work which the local volunteers have not had here before ; which will be as nearly equivelant to that the actual battle-field as it i=i possible to get here.

! In the face of this the indecision among the Rifles as to whether they would go or not is much to be deplored. The man no doubt are somewhat disappointed at the deity in the arrival of payments for the Roy l visit trip, and also at the failure of the big parade at Hawera on Monday next, which had been looked forward to with ioterest for several months. But to exhibit such pique as they did on Monday, and not turn out when desired to do so (beciuse, apparently, it was not in the direction they had set their hearts on) bespeaks a sad decadence of th it esprit de corps for which the Taranaki Rifl.-s ( tiava for yeais been noted. It is to be hoped that the men will do their best to wip9 out the slur thiy have caston the company, and turn out in Btrong force on Monday. For Monday's parade the •' fall in " will sound at 830 a.m., at the Drill IrJall. Khaki uniforms will be worn, and men are to take water-bottles and haversacks, and carry a light meal with them,

The usual parade of the Guards 'alios place to-nigh^. Considering the interest Gsne-al Sir Hector Mac Don aid has evinoed in the cadet movement since his advent to the colony, it would be a graceful act if Captain Dempsey, failing a general paradp, were to. furnish a guard of honour with his smart cadet corps this e"«niog. I feel sure Captain Deapsey's corps will be us smvrt and efficient as any the General has seen sine* his arrival in New ZJeiland.

There is a genera] desire on tbe park of the New Plymouth Volun'eers to meet General Mac Donald, and it is to be hoped Lieutenant-Colonel Ellis will sanc'ion a parade for that purpose. General MacDacald isthesoldiei's hero Having bean a ranker himself (a fact he is always proud of), nothing p'eases him better than to mee l ; the rank and file. The efficeis of the looal corps should bear this in mind, and give the local corps an opportunity of meetiog the General this evening.