THE TARANAKI RIFLES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13662, 28 March 1908, Page 3

THE TARANAKI RIFLES.

A CORPS WITH A HI^TQRY.

. ,No. XHI/ i . ■ A general meeting, pr" $he Volunteers was held on Wednesday, Ju»e 29th, 1864, to consider "-what j^liould bo done with a certain sum oi" nxquey to which they had become entitled. Under the regulations issued by tho Governor in January, 1862, each{ Volunteer Com - (- pany of 60 men was to receive from the Government £75 arufuaUy, tor provide a uniform. The Government interpreted the xegjilatfions liberally: by .agreeing to allow ' twenty-five, ('shillings to each man, and>.a^ this \va» not- paid during 1862 and 1&88, it amounted by this time to #520. Major Atkinson, who presided at the jmelafcing, pointed out the advantages to the corps of hay* ing the money invested so as to product" a small yearly; income which might be dovoted lo prises for> rifle or in other ways to keep , the corps tor gether. He submitted a resolution to this effect, which wag seconded 'by Mr B. C. I^wreaco and carried withouv serious opposition. < [After the lapse of many years thi? fund was devoted towards the cost of the present Drill Hall in New Plymouth.! . • *M' i

On October 7tb, 1864^-Major Lopper, late of H.l{, i £4tfi ;-mgim©nt, was gazetted Lieut-Colonel la' the Taranaki Militia, and therefore nr^command of the Militia and Vohinteora. RESUMPTION OF ACTIVTFYv Early on the morning of October' Bth a force consisting of 200 mon of the 70th, two field guns, Oapt. Good's and Capt. Jonas' companies of Bushrangers' -(160 in all) under Major Atkinson; and Captain' Mace's mounted • nSen, . left' to^fn for Manutahi. At JJahoetalii they were joined by 100 more of the 7<Hfy. and tiie whole force proceeded' under the command. oF'ColonGl Warre. The foreo hailed a short lime at Sentry Hill, while, a messenger wont on to Manutahi, and shortly afterwards Colonel Warre ordered t!ie advance, 'and in doing so addressed tH» Bushrangers, telling them "that as "th«y had Twjen so often disappointed he would give them the post of honour, though he did not expect it would be .one of much danger. Some friendly nativea went first to see' if the Manutahi pa was evacuated, 'but they fired upon and retired.' Colonel 'W#r.re divided iJajor Atkinson's men into parties to attack the pa on either sitle. IV natives in the pa"(abdnt 20 Wnmnber) fired briskly as 'tho jßujShrarigersl approached, but finding.. t|VemSelves outflanked on both ' &des uiey broke and fled. As they ran out of the" back of the pa one was killed, another- wounded and captured, 'and a.^lirtT wounded and escaped. Tho only causa|ty among the Volunteers ' to Private. Scanmell, of No. I Company, who was shot through the' upper, part of the arm. Private Henry Tfon^'r had part of the socket of his baypnefc shof pif. Private F. Ward was fiist in the, pa at the right, with Major .Atkinson second. The pa was destroyed .. ,by n the ' Bushrangers. , , \ Colonel Warre^ with the Bushrangers and some men of t tfre\7,Qtlv left town on October 14th for the' purpose of ex- 1 amining the country behind Mataitawa. Major Atkinson and his Bushrangers were camped out there for some days, engaged in felling bush along the. road to Manutahi.' „ They, returned to. town on October 31st,' when they were relieved from duty until again wanted, Colonel Watre, who, djd all he could to retain the services of the Militia and Volunteers, issued a handsome re-r cognition of their services in the form of a Garrison ,ordei*, m.tfje. course of which he said, after notifying that the Government had decided to discontinue payment of Militia and Volunteers: r "It is with much regret that Colonel Warre is obliged to dispense with the military services 9f mon who, for upwards of four years, have been enrolled in defence of their families and homes. In making known itho orders of tho Governments Colonel- Warre desires to offer to the whole his heartfelt thanks for the very cordial co-opera-! tion they have afforded in, very trying! times; and the Colonel trusts that* although the inhabitants of- Taranaki are no longer enrolled, as a military body," they will continue tharfc valuable aid in the suppression of the rebellion which has hitherto bo ireely given; and which in a -savage warfare, such .as ,has Unhappily devastated this beautiful country, depends so much on the courage and energy of individuals. To Major Atkinson ,a.nd. the officers and men of the Bushrangers, to Captain Mace and the officers and men of the Mounted Corps, the Colonel's thanks are more especially idue ; and he is proud to think thai their gallant deeds nave been recorded in his despatches." PEACE PROCLAIMED. '

Peace was proclaimed by Sir George Grey, Governor* on 1 October 25th, 1864, i and ior a while the activities of thfe Volunteers were relaxed, -,■'.■- >< ; . .- \