THE VOLUNTEERS AT LYTTELTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10, 25 May 1868, Page 3

THE VOLUNTEERS AT LYTTELTON.

NotTVJti)»taniiinß tho nnploiwivnt aspect o( tHo wflftthor thin morning, tho Voiuntoorn nvUfltCffld In slMiifj taeaa for tlio trip to lyttolton, and thoso who cry down tho tUOVOmont on tho ground of itu being morcly folloW«A JVom ft lovo of! display, would havo found many forcible nrgumcnttf rtK^iUHt thcli' opinion if thoy had witne«flod tlio climbing Oycj 1 tho Port II1H« under tho dKllonltics oochiiloiicd by UlO »'<dt» of! yoiUvtUy and tho My pMVifIUA Tlio uavav.il oorpji muHiored at an ■C^Wy )wuv thlfl morning j tho wholo force finally parading «t tho Jtiihvuy Station, wbonco thoy departed for U»« H</fiMi«ot« Valley, hy tho fl (t.in. train. Horo they fllightcd, formed flfKiii column lol't in front, rtnd then tnarchod l>y weetlnnii of fours to tlio foot of! tho hill jiiflt below tho tramway. By tlrifl timo a roinforcoineut, conHltiling of tho Vftlloy company and tho Yeomanry Cavahy, togotnor with iho mounted Cndot oovjib hud arrived, nmt.ing a tote I mu«(ccof about 100 men, Arrlrod at lh« Intended ba«c of operatlons, tho Gompniilofl formed into open column loft; in front facing tho hill side. 'J'ho leading company, No 8, w»» thon oxlondcd in«kir-J miflliing order from tbo loft, whllnt No 'l\ oxcfinted v, filmllivr movement ftvuu tlio right, And tho ascent wnfl comiuon(!od,tho remainder •of tho Infantry atstlng an Hiipportu, and the Cavalry punming tho nnovoii tenor of thoir way up tho beaten path. Tho nkirmiHliorii flrcd as they advanced, pnd although It wan somewhat dlillcult lo «oe thefr movomontH vory dourly in con«efiucnoo of the fog which hunt; around tho upper part of tho IiIIIb, yet sufliclont was dlticurnihlo to Bliow that thoy had anything but cany duty in hand, Tho nllppory naturo of tho hoII from tho Into rain, made tlio Hkop uwnl a moot Jvr<trto\w tank, and many wcro tho uuplea«ant iiialdcnto of tho moi'iilng. After advancing aliout half way up iho hill flldo. tho lino wan oxlendod hy part of tho nupports ">tho Kngincore and No, 2 Compivny— ndVftnelng U\ «WrmMtl«# amlw, llw duty of mwpwdnu tho line bolng then cntru/itod Woly to ma Ariitiory. On arriving nl> t)>o top of ibo bill, tho ih> BCont waft comjnonwid by thft nrMlc-pivlli Irt flCotionß of fourn, bufc fikirinlililiifj wm (tgftln comm<>tt<!od fl^e the iMgQ) haldnd Mv Qe«?ngcr'fl \wiwa, whovo Dm /uiproacli of tlio Volunteer* wan flr/it mado linown to tiio LyttcltonlnnH, at about flvo minutca to twelvo, by tlio firing, Aftor a few rounds had been expended, fourii wero again formed, and tho wholo advanced into tho town headed by tho Yeomanry with their brass band, when tlio head of tho Norwich . Quay was gainod, tho forco formed lino fronting tho harbour, when Iho Lyllollon Uuttory of Artillery having jolntsd them and takan up their juwiMon on tlia right of the lino, tho feu dejnio wan flrod with all tlio ceremony cuntnmary on imoh oocanion», Opon oofuTin right in front wan next formed, . and tho wholo fora*, headed by tbo flplondid hand of tho LytUdlou Artillery, marched round tho town, and flitbHoquenlly dined in a largo shod near Mr Davto' Htoro j tho Lytlelton Artillery proriding tho ontortalnmenti Tho prlzcH of Iho JWlu Aflfloolivtlon wcr^ afiorWim]# pr<!fl«nt<3d, '