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Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2045, 21 March 1887, Page 2

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On Saturday morning Greytown usually lively on account of the Review by Sit George Whitmore taking on that day. At au early hour of the moqH lug the town had the appearance of being 9 garrison centre on account of a mounted! orderly galloping through the streets, and so many red coats stirring about in all directions This, together with the sound of the bugle at intervale, betokened that preparations were being made for this annual event, and the residents of the town including a large portion of the juvenile population eould be seen wendiug their way from all directions towards the Recreation Reserve, a most suit" able place for the purpose. At about 11 a.m., the companies from Featherston, Masterton, Carterton and Papawai matched on the ground ; the Masterton Company, headed by their Brass Band, which played some excellent matches. The Greytown Company, under Captain Cameron, with his Lieutenants Ponitt and Johnston were first on the ground and took up the position as leading company, this corp in their new white belts looking exceeding well, and if the present esprit de corps continues to prevail sod the members of the company attend more regularly to their drill in the future, they will soon become what by reason of their age as a company they should be one of the crack corps of the colony ; the earns may be said of

the Featherston, Carterton and Masterton companies, and the Featherston company are determined to leave nothing undone in that direction, so also Carterton. The Mass terton corps, by reason oi its dignity, and pride'as appertains to the “ hub” of the Wairarapa, will certainly not be lacking the same enterprise. It is as well to state that although the Wairarapa Volunteer force possesses splendid material for citizen soldiers, still the companies as a whole did not acquit themselves on Saturday either to their own satisfaction or to the entire satisfaction of the General who reviewed them. In wheeling there was a sad want of precision, and in marching past the several companies were wanting in steadiness with the exception of the Papawai Rifles, who did their work ex. ceedingly well and astonished everyone by their rapid progress toward efficiency. The natives wheeled and marched almost as one man, and Capt Jury should feel proud oi big men ; they have found out the secret of sues cess, which means regular attendance at their drills. If the European volunteers will only comprehend the same necessity they will make a good and creditable appearance when I they next appear in public. After some slight | miuueuvriug the battaliiou was put through j lire bayonet exercise by Captain Bennett of j Carterton, and this practice was fairly well pot farmed. After thie, Major General Whitmore first addressed the officers, giving them some wholesome advice, which it is to be hoped will prove salutary. The General then addressed the men. He said he was sorry that several employers in the Valley were so unpatriotic as to refuse to allow their workmen to attend for one day in the year, as upon that occasion it was imperative, and without sufficient reason was shown as to the inability of the volunteer to attend, the officers had no option bat to impose the full penalty. However, upon this first occasion under the new regulations, he would not enforce the full penalty in cases where the men would jeopardise their employment to attend. He had tried to suit everybody, but upon any other occasion the men must understand that sickness alone could excuse them ; that should ha an understanding, and they should not fail to remember. He said that the facilities to join the permanent force or the A.O.s were now greater, and the standard height, dm., was lowered to allow volunteers under Ifs, to join when a vacancy occurred. He hoped tc see as many as possible at Taranaki at the encampment, then they would see for themselves their deficiencies when among the well drilled and efficient companies of other parts of the colony. He oame prepared to find the volunteers not quite equal to garrison corps, and considering their limited experience in military instruct tiou, they had that day done fairly well. He might have put them through mote intricate evolutions, but would, upon that occasion, not require them to do more than they had done. He wished to impress upon them the great necessity of attending as regularly to their drills, and get us much instruction as possible. They were u fine body of men and only required development in their exercises. Xu the afternoon the Major General, after the men had formed into square, presented Vol G Bentley, oi Masterton, with the champion belt, won by him at the Wairarapa Rifle Association’s recent meeting at Papawai. The Battalion was then marched off the ground to the railway station, where the visiting companies took the train lor their several destinations.

The strength of the several companies present was as follows Greytowu Wo 1 Com. puny 07, out ol a total ot 47 on the roll ; Master tun HG, out ol a total of 52 on the roll; Carterton 38, out ol 42 ; Featherston 27 out of 42. Forty men were on parade at Feattierston unite prepared to go to the review, but could not all proceed as the remainder hud no uniforms. Tito Papawai men were 80 present, the remainder of the company being awaj from the district at the time. This made a grand total of 158 men, and there is every probability even if the Militia Act is net in lovee that there will be denote tins number on parade neat year. Major bunny, District Commandant, was at his post, and Sergeant Major iit-.'ar acted as ii.s assistant. The otUeers present were Captain Cameron, Lieuts Porritt and Johnston, No 1 Company ; Captain D Donald No 2 Company; Captain Dennett, Lteuts Crawford and Moore, No 3 Company ; Captain A. Donald, and Lieuts Smith and bouton, No 4 Company , Captain Jury and Lieut Te Ore No 5, Papawai. There is one element of discontent that spoils every movement of the Volunteers, and that is toe chronic gium bier or “ man that goes to drill against his will;” these individuals should vacate tut force as soon us possiole and not disgrace then comrades, they should reserve their services for the militia, where grumbling and weariness is of no avail and where they ate sure to be pressed for service sooner or later, if of suitable age and ol sound body. The volunteer system is too good for such as those described. The Major-tJeneial expressed himself well pleased with the services of Sera geaot Thompson as orderly.