A PRACTICAL JOKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5486, 11 February 1896, Page 2

A PRACTICAL JOKE.

The Kaitangata volunteers went into camp last week, and on Thursday: night a stupid attempt was made to play a practical joke on them under circumstances that are thus narrated by the Taieri Advocate : — On the night in question a number of civilians formulated a scheme which they imagined •would afford them a rast amount of fun at the expense of the volunteers. The sequel, however, did not prove so amusing as they had anticipated, and before the matter is done with some of them may yet more fully learn that to interfere with volunteers when in camp is not a profitable amusement. The civilians, said to be about forty in number, had made a secret arrangement to enter the camp when all had retired to rest, overpower the guard, and then, after rushing the tents, tie up the volunteers, take away their arms, and take charge of the camp, thus casting ridicule upon the company. Had their little scheme been successfully worked the papers would doubtless have been filled with chaffing letters and articles at the expense of the volunteers. Rumours of the plot having reached the gamp, Sergeant-Major .Towler took his precautions. The men, instead of being in bed when the order Of," Lights out !" was given, were -quietly resting in their tents, fully dressed, and waiting for events. About 11.30 nine men cautiously entered the camp and rushed and overpowered the sentry, who, however, gave the alarm. At the word of command the men left their tents and seized the intruders. There was a pretty little scrimmage of a rather rough character, and in a very short space of time every one of the nine intruders was seized, bound with ropes, and carried into " the centre of the camp. Private George Fraser had his left leg broken in the scuffle. The friends of the nine men seeing the turn affairs had taken, thought it better to retire, especially as the volunteers had fixed swords and formed a cordon around the camp^and their prisoners. The affair has been reported to the authorities, and some of the leading residents of Kai» tangata are involved in the occurrence.