RECRUITING IN VICTORIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 187, 17 December 1868, Page 3

RECRUITING IN VICTORIA.

{From the Australasian, Dec. 5.) /^Another attempt is being made to obtain Victorian recruits for military service in New Zealand. This is the third effort of thVklnd. In the two previous instances Colonel Pitt, C. B. came here to enrol men to serve as a species of military settlers. He was eminently successful on his first visit, and took away several hundred men, but when he made a second appearance on the same errand the ! authorities interfered and forced him to jdesia£7 The present recruiting officer is Captain Stack, district adjutant of the Western District of the Middle Island, including the districts of Hokitika, Greymouth, Westport, and Ross. Previous to his appointment on the permanent staff, Captain Stack was, it is stated, a captain in the New Zealand militia for five years, serving in the Waikato war. He arrived in Melbourne on Saturday last, by the Omeo, under the following circumstances :— While at Hokitika he received a telegram from the Central Government at Wellington, directing him to proceed to Melbourne to raise a force of 200 men to join the armed constabulary force now engaged in cop*, ing with the rebellious Maoris. We are not allowed to know the terms of this, telegram, which at present forms Captain Stack's sole credential, further than that it was dated November 18, directed him to start at once, and expressly stated that the attempt to raise recruits was to be made " with the sanction of the Victorian Government." As might be expected, Captain Stack lost no time, and waited upon Mr M'Culloch on Monday last. Upon the whole, his proposition was very unfavourably received. He got no decided answer, however, nor did he ask for one, being eager tbat time should be allowed for the arrival of despatches from the New Zealand Government. Mr M'Culloch said that, at all events, the matter must stand over for a day, as a Cabinet Council would meet in the afternoon, when the question would be duly considered. On Tuesday, Captain Stack waited on Mr M'Culloch again, when that gentleman said that the Government had decided upon adopting a memorandum setting forth their willingness that the 400 men of the 14th Regiment stationed here, should go to the seat of war at once, supposing the Governor and the Commander-in-Chief gave their consent. This was a view of the case which Captain Stack was hot authorised to act upon, and so the second interview terminated, leaving matters in statu quo. A minute embodying the memorandum in question has been forwarded to the Governor, and by , His Excellency to Sir * Trevor Chute ; bu6 what course will be taken in the matter is uncertain. We may state, according to the information we bave received, that the New Zealand armed constabulary — to the ranks of which married men are not considered eligible — receive as pay 5s per day, which, when they are in the field or in active service, is changed to 38 Gd per day and rations, quarters, and 6s per month clothing allowance. Tlieir term of enlistment is three years, but should their services be dispensed with during that period each man is to receive £15. Provision for widows and orphans is made under the Military Pensions Act of 1866, the conditions of which are, it is said, more liberal than those allowed by the Imperial Government. We believe that though nothing has been done save the publication in the Government newspaper of a very partial account of Captain Stack's errand and reception, no hope of being allowed to set to work recruiting has been held out to him.

A manufacturer down west having got by some accident a severe cut across the nose, and having no court-plaster at hand, stuck on his unfortunate proboscis one of his gum tickets, on which was the usual intimation— 11W.«.nt./l "SKI. n.Fili l/»n>- »