OTAGO.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XII, Issue 622, 2 July 1864, Page 3

OTAGO.

[From tho correspondent f Daily Southern Cross.'] The Taranaki authorities hare jost sent down another agent to procure volunteers for the militia of that province, but I fancy his mission will not be successful, in consequence of a letter recently published by one of tho Otago volunteeis, which reveals a very melancholy state of affairs a* far as the volunteers nre concerned. Tho letter iB, I think, worth publishing in your columns, in order that the attention of tho proper authorities may bo drawn to tho subject. The writer (who I may "premise, is in every sense a rcliai le person) cays :— " Since their arrival here, with but few exceptions" these men have" had to subsist entirely .ou their 2e: 6d. per day, aided by tho miserable rations ftllcwed by the Government — a pound and a quarter of bread and a pound bf meat, with a little tea and sugar (both of tho worst quality), per dny. The recruiting officer, when nsked- in Dcnodin whether timo would be allowed us to woik, assured us that throe daye in each week, al toast, would be at our disposal, and that tho Government intended to find plenty of employment upon the roads. -Let us see how the promises has bepn carried out : After remaining eomo time in blockhouses in town, during which period some t?rill was knocked into ub by the assistance of the drill-sergeant o ' the 57tb, we were all gradually drafted off to whnt may be termed the scone of action — tho borders of the celebrated Oakura block ; and then commenced a ioug routine of redoubt building which occupied some weeks, but was not of course paid for. < At lost, after a lapse of months of protracto'<i- 4 id!etits^ r ,n -fltnalJ .portion of road was commenced lit the munificent fate of 4s. a day. But this did not last loug, having got us here: The authorities, have determined to make the most out of us possible; and within the last fortnight, the rate of pay has been reduced to la. 3d. (fifteen pence !) per day. As a matter of course the men refused to work for such a ridiculous sum, and were then told that if they did not work for that, they should be compelled to do it for nothing, and tho threat was last week carried into execution ; the men still refusing to work ; as a natural consequence; a number of them wdre made prisoners, and are now undergoing punishment for, the crime of roi fusing to make roads without being payed for it. "We were promised clothing. Since our arrival hero we have received a pair of soldiers' trousers, a blue shirt, one pair df bluohpr boots, and a cap ; all of the most indifferent quality, and which were nearly all worn out before the building of tho first redoubt was finished. And since that time we have not received anything in the shape of clothing, or 1 compensation for it. One of the menj on pleading this fact as an extenuation of his crime, and venturing to urge that it was scarcely fair to expect a man to wear out his clothes making roads for nothing a day, was informed by the ofh'der commanding the Militia that he might take off his clothes then, and go naked. " With tho winter coming on fast, and tho rains' expected to set in every day, tho whole of the men at tho outposts beyond Omata — in number, somo hundreds — are living in circular tents, of the worrt kind — old and leaky ; and no preparations are visible' for affording them any other protection through the winter. • Married men were promised free pasages for their wives and families, but on arrival hero have had to pay the full amount of the passage money or rather} I should say that it is beiug deducted from their pny, of £3 153., at the rate of 30s. per month. Conceive a man, with three or four children to support} receiving £2 55., in addition to the ration for himself only (no rations here for your families, unless you are out at the Front, living away from them); per month, doing soldiers' duty throe days in each weak, paying six shillings a week rent (there arc no free quarters for married people obtainable), and work in town very hard to bo procured, and you may fancy the enviable position of a married member of the Otago Contingent. "As for the promised land, it is now in. possession of our troops ; but no signs areyot visible o* 1 its being handed over to the men, although its being ed would be a great benefit to all parties, as we should then be able to start fair noxfc spring with what crops we may bo able to obtain seed for. " There are various other, but minor grievances; which I could narrate, but I have, I fear, already occupied too much of your time, and only hope that what I have already stated will induce men in Otagß to take a second thought, ere they become members; of the Tarauaki militia."