Volunteer Gossip.

Observer, Volume X, Issue 620, 15 November 1890, Page 11

Volunteer Gossip.

By Rift bman.

— The Victoria Rifles gave the South Franklin Mounted Infantry snooting team a big beating last Monday. — Fred Beale, an old member of the O. Battery, is living very quietly, and looking after his brother's legal business. He still asks after his old corps. | —Captain J. M. Dargayille told me that his cops was disbanded simply because Sir George Whitmore's regulations were too stringent. In the meantime the ex-memb-ers have formed a Rifle Club, which gives them all the shooting they require. Captain Dargaville thinks with me that the Government should only sanction .Rifle Clubs in special cases. —The Permanent Force, and particularly that portion of it stationed at Worth Shore, try to claim a superiority over the volunteer force, which if ie had not a most injurious effect would be very laughable. A few evenings ago the officers of the Garrison accorded their patronage to * The Sorcerer ' and as a matter of course mustered in full fig. Amongst the number was Captain Morrison, of the ' Permanent 3,' who affects a fatherly interest in his volunteer brethren in arms. During the intermission, I overhead him salute the little oaptain of tbo City Gaards as follows : 'Ah, good evening, Kohn. Why, your volunteers put us in the shade with your fall dress.' Why is it that this great soldier does not procnre full dress ? is it because ot the expense ? — Auckland volunteers will be glad to know that excellent arrangements have been made for their conveyance to the coming Rifle Association Meeting ab Napier. I have been favoured with the following extracts from a letter written by Captain Sommerville : — The Auckland men can get the train at Waitara and go straight on to Napier, or if they prefer it, can stay a night in Wanganui and go on with the Wang-anui men on Saturday, 17th Janaary. The train will by that time go right through, so there will be no extra expense. There will be no change in the catering this year, only I hope to get a good man to carry out the affair and make things pleasant. The Napier 'Bus Co. will take competitors out and back to range for one shilling, or if preferable, tents can be hud for all hands. Free passes for all hands except ordinary rifle clubs. N.S.W. Association is put off till February, they having to get a fresh range. — In my last week's notes I made reference to a sligbt disagreement that had arisen tetween the commanding officer of the 0. Batter j and one of the gunners. It is now only fair to give Captain Reid's version of the story, which I must say puts a different complexion on the matter. He says, being an old rower himself, he waa quite prepared to make allowances for g .inner Gledhill, and did so until he found that the crew had broken up, and that Gledbill couldn't row. Then, again, the offender only had one more parade to put in so as to capitate, and it would have been hard lines on the Battery that this amount should be lost. These facts were gone into very calmly and Captain Reid naturally concluded that Gledhill, finding his chance of competition gone, would have attended the parade. Not so, however, and as he stayed away, the inference is that he did so wilfully, and unless an example was made the Battery would go to the dogs.

Blurry and hurry, flurry and worry, Will kill a cat, however furry.

' Mihi Pro Tota Urbe Es.' 4 There is nothing in life like Love's first dream — except, perhaps, the second.' — Clarke (Rev. OhariiEs.) When Cupid fires his silvery dart, What pleasure 'tis to the sad heart To dote on her enchanting carte, When thou art near, yet far apart. In vain I check the rising sighs ; Another to the last replies. Perchance this is not love, but yet Our meeting- 1 can ne'er forget. The deepest, sweetest joy will b« My fervent favour e'er tor thee ; Accept this token, for 'tis true I please myself by pleasing you.

It has been reported for some time that the Marquis of Hartington is to marry the widow of the late Duke of Manchester. Hartington, aa the heir to something over one hundred and sixty thousand acres, has no occasion to be a fortune-hunter, and he certainly won't get anything with the fair widow, as the lately d«ceaaed Duke only left her sufficient to support her while she remained unmarried, even the family jewels going with the estate to the male heir. The 'Noble Markiss' was pretty thick with Her Grace oven when her husband was alive, and this afforded considerable food for gossip and scandal ;. but as the Dnke him&elf made no move and seemed to take no notice, people simply gave the matter up, not knowing what to think.