The Volunteers.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1863, 28 July 1886, Page 2

The Volunteers.

To the Editor of the Standard,

Bib,—l am tare from the occasional encouragement yon give the Volunteer* in your columns you will allow me, as an old military man, to express my views upon tbe subject of tbe Volunteer movement in your next issue. I think, Mr Editor, it is lament* able that so many young men in our country districts do not avail themselves of the opporUnity of learning tbe use of fire-arqps and also to be in a position to efficiently defend their country in case of being suddenly called upon. There is no doubt that tbo day will come, sooner or later, when every able-bodied man op to a certain age will be required to take up arms in the defence of our colonial hearths ana homes. It is more than probable that if the shores of New Zealand are not actually invaded by a formidable foe, we shall be seriously threatened with invasion before many years elapse. It has been foretold by men who closely wsteh tbe signs of tbe times, that the expensive and extensive aimamentt of tbe European countries will not continue to be tbe toys of the dominions they now are maintained by, but that these mighty engines of warfare both in the Army and Navy will, in no distant future, belch forth their fearful and devastating thunderings in such a manner that whole cities of the eaitb may be wrecked as if by magic, and that those who in the matter of defence are apathetic or slumbering, will probably find to their utter dismay that they have aroused from their lethargy, alas, too late. ’ lathe days of my youth every young man who possessed a spark of manliness or patriotic enthusiasm wouli aspire to be either a soldier or a sailor, and heroic exploits, whether as romance or reality were the engrossing subjects of interest to the yonthful mind. Our present fathers of families, who have fought the battle of life in all phases, and have experienced respective conquest# and defeats, would in days gone by, fire with ardour at the subject of adventure either naval or military. Our would-be Nslsone and Wellingtons, Blnchers and Buonapartes in embryo were legion; and 30 years ago, when the Volunteer movement was so vigorously resuscitated iu Great Britain, every young man who was able to carry arms and was neither aj booby, or unfortunately a cripple, entered into the spirit of the movement with the zest worthy of a British subject. We had been twitted in England by the French nation as being a nation of shopkeeper* and working bees, so we were ; bat we showed oar sarcastic neighbour that we, out of the shopkeeping and mechanical materials, oonld form an army that would almost bold tbe world in awe, and at the first review in Hyde Park a nobler body of men the world never before produced than that which passed in teview before otu Queen and her Boyal Consort. We had not only shopkeepers and mechanics in oar ranks on that occasion, bnk we had medical students, architects, and men

of all trades and professions in life ; we had tbe world famed “ Devil's Own,” composed entirely of members of the legal profession ; barristers, solicitors, Q C.’s and articled clerks were to be found marching shoulder to sbou dcr before their Sovereign in the same Corps, and since then of course some have rusted out with age, but still their spirit

survives in their successors, and tbe Volunteer army iu Britain still remains a pride,

honour and blessing to tbe nation. In reading the newspapers, Sir, I feel pleased to find that the same worthy patriotic ardour prevails in our city of Wellington, as instanced by the fact of two new Volunteer Companies --king that their servio.-s may be accepted. Id.ere is no doubt th it l udr com* mendable move uei t will, it not already, bo fully retogm oj ny the authorises and that we will l ave lurth- r reason to be proud of our oitiz o efeude s in Weiliugt m While the movent -m r>» eiv.s such well merited encouragement and impetus iu the Empire City, what ure our 1-cal y->uug men doing 7 Why, Ifeur that they are neglecting the ouly chance they will have (i make themselves me.i of fair deportment and prefer to be (douching hut looking clod- noppe g. 1 heat that the Volunteer Company h- re ire wauling recruits, aud in conversing with one of the corps learo that several In e )> *-n .i-lml to swell the ranks who couiu w.h shod to lose the •' hump o.i t;,eir back-," uhioh drilling wonld euro, they would also learn to walk decently, t > handle a quo, to Mi -ot to judge distances by the eye, to make them, selves in fact, bandy instead of awkward. They would only require for all this to .to (the firat year) 80 recruit drills Tl-oy would be expected to go out lor judging distance once only during that year ; they would have to go througu two stages of dual firing, which is good sport and would give them a ch.-nee iu competing for some valuable prizes. Tbey would have a free pars to any part of New Zealand where there happened to be a review. Tbey could always have a free trip to their own anuud I real review, and all the necessary exorcises, with the exception of ths reviews, cou'd be performed in their leisure hours (evenings) - yet an unacooutitab.e -pailiy pievails and some youths pn li-i to 101 l i.bout idiug their vtluable timewbiob they might place with much advantage to lbs u-e of ihoti cou trv .ml their own personal advancement, both in body and mind. There is no in motooy in military movements—always so.n lb.tig new to learn—and then contrast the Volunt-er in appearance with the non militant, and ■- -.apariaous would be indeed odious. Tbe Volunteer has do fear of being taken from b's own district, but by his own free will When me militia roll is called, and it will be sad without much trouble, as tbe names are already on it, they (tbe non-volunteers) can be taken away for training lor some considerable time. 1 would say to onr young men make yourselves proficient. The Greytown Company is the oldest in the Veiley, the Association mealing will this yaar be held at Greytowo. Whan tbe visitors some, show them that yen are worthy of your prestige. Tbe Carterton men are settings good example and attend well and in good nombara. Gray, town man bestir yourselves and do the rame. Football, cricket and other paatiisec need not be neglected. Know how to do everything, and bow to do it wall. I an, Ac , Yituui.

P.S.—I bad forgotten to mention tbel every good mtrkamaa can get a tree trip to the New Zetland Rifle Aaaoeiatiooa' netting (root toy put of tin colony.