ODDFELLOWS’ ANNIVERSARY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 205, 23 August 1860, Page 2

ODDFELLOWS’ ANNIVERSARY.

This dinner took,place in the Rutland Hotel on Wednesday the Bth inst. About forty sat down to an excellent dinner, presided over by John Nixon, Esq. After discussion of .the savoury viands, the chairman proposed -the “ Queen,” which was drunk with all the honours; then “ the jPrince Consort and Royal Family,” which was enthusiastically responded to. The chairman next proposed “ the Army and Navy” in an eloquent and telling speech. He referred to the operations at Taranaki, and took occasion feelingly to protest against the official account of the late engagement at the Waitara. Its being-‘mentioned merely as a skirmish he considered an insult to the memory of the brave men left on the field, injurious to the reputation of all engaged, and intended to shield the glaring incapacity of one who might have turned tbe tide of battle. . Major Cooper regretted that the unavoidable absence of Colonel Wyatt prevented that officer from returning thanks for the Army and Navy. However.proud he (Major Cooper) was at such a time to respond to such a toast, be could not but regret that the task should haive been taken from abler hands. The British ariny had always done its duty when properly led, and’the British? soldier- had often been kiiown to do more than his duty, not fed at all, when he could only get at the eneiny.i The soldiers’ battle at the. Crimea had been heard of bv all, and the remark of a celebrated French general, that the non commissioned

‘ officers file v of. the .British -array were not to be' equalled as-soldiers,, was knowii to many, now present. , It. was a mistake to , talk of tile 'superiority' .of regi raep ts., British ' regimeht'sfwere' composed of the same materials, "a'rid Whfen properly, handled would do equally well..lf a distinction might fairly be drawn, it would be in. favour-of such a regiment As the 65th, one of the. few remaining regiments cf the old school., The Ten years enlistment act would preventJFanganui from again seeing such troops as how helped, with the gallant volunteers, to guard her. The new system of ten years’ enlistment had been a heavy blow to the army; the soldier no longer looked upon his regiment as .his home, as lie formerly did ; the smartness of the men how on duty ih. tlie garrison will be found wanting when that corps shall ,be replaced. .While returning thanks for the army, Major C.’considered that lie .was equally . returning thanks" for' the 1 . volunteers and militia;; the young soldiers of‘ those corps‘had vied with the regular soldiers at Taranaki, and doubtless, should occasion arise, the same would be the ' case here. 1 Let them .learn discipline now, and they wonld fight well hereafter. While speaking of discipline, nothing: could more prove the discipline of the 651 h, than the : manner in which the soldiers of that corps had beeii held back against their own desire during ' the present campaign. The same discipline ‘ which had hitherto held them back, would lead to a glorious result whenever, they sliould be allowed to display their courage in action. ■. . lie (Major C.) would not allude further to what was so well known—namely, the merit of the British soldier.; he would only add, that where any mistake arose, it was the fault of the commanding officer, not of the men. The faulty system of purchase often drove good officers from a service where promotion was so tardy as often to make it valueless when it came, either to him whoattainedit, or to the country which gave it, while the same system often promoted to responsible situations men who were unfit and unworthy to command; ia"//avelock was passed over, ! while many .a sot was promoted. He (Major. C,V was alike proud at having to. return thanks for the sister service ; the dash of Captain Cracroft and his gallant Nigers had turned the day at Wairekain our favour; and that day, which had added to the fame of our sailors and volunteers, would long be remembered in New Zealand. On behalf of the Army, N&vy, and he would add Militia and Volunteer forces, he returned thanks, to the company for the manner in which the toast, had been responded to. - j} Major Cooper then gave “ the Governor, and said that his Excellency had been blamed : for- the present war * but he considered that it was owing rather to the truckling policy of his predecessors, and that he'had done himself infinite credit by the decisive stand he had taken in this affair; and he had no doubt that the Wanganui volunteers, of whom so many were present, wonld show their appreciation of his policy by deeds, if the war should roll this way. ~ . , Dr. Tuke, in proposing the health of the Superintendent, begged to remind them that Dr. Featherston was one of the first to set his face against the old Maori policy, long before Governor Browne was heard of in relation to New Zealand. He had no reason to expatiate on the merits of Dr. Featherston, as they all knew the many benefits he had conferred on Wanganui, and had expressed their opinion of his policy by frequently returning him almost unanimously, Many of the constituency had cause to disagree with him of late, but they all sincerely trusted that his Honor’s conduct in the-.- General Assembly . would reassure the public mind. The chairman replied to this and the precedin'* toast. “ The Manchester Unity,’ “ the Provincial Grandmaster,” “ the Honorary Members,” “ the Ladies,” were then proposed and duly acknowledged. The speeches were interspersed with good songs by Messrs. Pawson, Small, and others. In the evening a numerously attended ball was held, at which dancing was kept up with great spirit till an early hour in the.morning. By the kind permission of Colonel Wyatt the Band of the 65th was in attendance, and the whole arrangements were admirably made by the Host of the Jutland.