West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1887.

West Coast Times, Issue 6623, 29 October 1887, Page 2

West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1887.

The taxpayers of New Zealand have to thank the writer of a pamphlet, Lieut.-Colonel, hut better and more popularly remembered as Major Noake, for showing them how a very great saving can be effected in one of our most important d apartments — that of defence— by the re-orginaaation of the forces. Colonel|Noake |is no visionary or idle theorist. He has seen servict in tbe Imperial armj in Bulgaria, Crimea, and India, And distinguished himself on more than one occasion. wk»n leading New Zealand fam.

His little work which possesses the somewhat sensational title, " How we may saye £50,000 a year," deals first of nil with the evils of the present system, and then shows what useless branches could with advantage ba lbppeu off. He is most sweeping in his condemnation, and goes at once to the head of the system — our one General. Charging him, in effect, with issuing false reports as to the state of deficiency of many branches of the service. The first body that comes In for criticism is that of the Permanent Militia, composed of Garrison and Field Artillery, Torpedo, Engineer and Rifle Corps. The scientific branches are said to contain one man and a fraction per gun, but the General in command con- 1 aiders that they are bo highly and scientifically trained that those who would be further needed to complete them in war, in order to work their guns, mines, boats, <&c, could be easily obtained, not being required to possess nearly so much technical training. Pursuing the subject our author says :— Really, only that the subject is too eerious, ore might imagine the General was pokifig fdn at us and practising on our credulity. Can it be possible tbat he himself believed that technical training is needed for only oce or two of the many men required to work a heavy piece of ordnance, and a relative proportion for working torpedoes, submarine mints, boats, &c? For the sake of argument, however, we will admit that the training Is not essential, and we will suppose war to be declared, and the Permanent Militia arc to be increased in order to man forts, batteries, submarine defenoes, and boats. Where are the men to come from ? The General Ulls us that they can bo easily obtained ; £that tbe Pennan nt Militia is a " nucleus," capable of easy expansion. This may be his opinion, but I think altogether fallacious, for it must be remembered that although the force may be capab'e of " easy expansion," it is also capable of being more easily and suddenly contracted— an element of elasticity, which doubtless would be taken into consideration by those who, otherwise, might have been tempted to ]oin. Again, is it at all likely that the small tradesman, the clerk, the artisan, or the laborer would give up his employment for that which must, at the best, be but ephemeral service, inrolring risk of life and limb ? The only class of men who would offer themselves under such conditions would be the gutter dregs of the taps and bars of the grog shops, and the irreclaimable loafer. Pursuing the subject he instances that never-to»be-forgotten and disgraceful event, when Sir George Whitmore ignominiously retreated before Tito Kowaru, abandoning whole tracts of country, settlers homesteads and property to tbe Maoris although superior to them in numbers, in quality of arms, in transport, commissariat and other appliances of war, the commander alleging as his reason that the troops had been hastily raised and therefore he could not trust them. And yet Sir George Whitmore thinks tbat as hastily raised a force would be sufficient to cope with a sudden attack from a disa t ciplined and experienced enemy versed in all the latest styles of modern warfare. Having thus demolished the Permanent Militia as an efficient arm, attention is directed to the Volunteers on whom Colonel Noake thinks any real fighting would fall. In this connection he Bays :— The Major* General having completed his inspection of the volunteer force states that they have made "remarkable progress "j that it has practised and learned most of the movement* and tactical evolutions of tho organisation created last year ; tbat it has been taught the theory of military tactics, as applied to any civilised warfare conceivable in this country ; that elementary field fortification, such as might be of uro in case of an attempted and unexpected landing of tbe enemy, has been practrcally taught to many commissioned officers, and non-commissioned officers and engineer volunteers throughout the colony ; that the general average rifle shooting has much improved ; that at a recent examination all officers who had opportunities of thirking or instruction, psssed a very creditable examination, and several a brilliant one," Our author, although Colonel commanding the let Regiment of Cavalry in New Zealand, confesses himself unaware tbat such an organisation existed or that Volunteers had acquired the range of knowledge with which they are credited. He has enquired ef officers of all ranks as to when, where, and by whom this variety of matter had been taught and could find out from none although the report says, not only has the force been taught, it has I also learned. Of the Volunteer camp at New Plymouth, which General Whitmore reports was successfully held, ' he says :— I do not hesitate to st>y, and challenge contradiction, thßt, es a camp of instruction it was a deplorable failure. The " *ham fights" were sham in every! hiug save their designation, for men and officers were suffered, without check, to regain experiences that would have been absolutely detrimental, nay fatal, to them in actual warfare; while tbe commisnariat was something to be remembered with loathing. In point of fact, as a camp of instruction, it was anjinexcusable waste of public money, as well as of tbe men's time and private means. The redeeming feature of the camp was the demeanour of the Volunteers themselves ; It was a real pleasure to behold their general soldierlike appearance on parade, and no doubt tbe csmp wsa an unqualified fucceas, in bo far tbat it was the means of showing what splendid material the Colony possesses for defence purposes in its Volunteers, and tbat with them lies the true "nucleus" for an adequate Defenoe Force. Dealing with other items in General Wbitraore's report he does not think that ride shooting has improved, nor that Volunteers are really more efficient than they were last year. Too much valuable time is wasted in marchiog past and ilow movements, and excessive importance is attached to batallion and Brigade drills. That practical rather than theoretical teaching- is needed, suho ai movements in loose oc open formation, shelter trench drill, piquet duties, reconnaisances, patrolling and plenty of revolver practice for all mounted troops, Artillery and Navals. Having thus dealt with the evils of the present system, he proceeds to show how tho sating cftn be effected. Hi*

plan is really to cease paying men to do our fighting for us, if such a state of things has to come about, and to do it ourselves by means of Volunteers. With ihis object he would dispense with : — Permanent Guard over Government Houße { , iii 800 Council ot Military Education ... 1500 Permanent Militia ... 11,500 11 Field Artillery ..'. 6000 Commander of the Forces ... 1600 Total £21,300 This sum, as far as we caa follow the author, is vary much less than the title of his work would indicate, and it is here that we have to give expression to a feeling of regret that a more definite proposition is not put before the public. Were this done the Legislature might hart •onoeihing on whioh to base reforms. Apart from this the thanks of the community are due to Colonel Noake for writing in such plain terms of a subject which is of vital importance to ail and yet of which so few can speak with authority.

Yesterday afternoon went to his last resting place one of the pioneers of the Weßt Coast, a man -who had been identified -with the adrancement of Westland from its very earliest days — Mr James Clarke. An old Victorian digger and afterwards following the same occupation in Otago, h» came with the stream of people to the West Coast and was for many years carrying on a prosperous business as a storekeeper at Waimea. He then, with his partner, Mr H. Cassidy, undertook several road contracts, the firm constructing much of what is known as the Hokitika-Greenstone road. Eventually the firm secured contracts for the carriage of mails to G-reymouth, Greenstone, and Cbristchurch, contracts which were carried on successfully for many years, and in the latter of which tho firm retained an interest to the day of Mr Clarke's death. Mr Clarke early displayed an interest in the conduct of public bodies and was a member of the County Council of Westland, a body brought into existence under the auspices of Mr, now Sir John Hall, and which was followed by the Province of Westland. In the last County Council of Westland Mr Clarke took a lively interest and was, at the time of his death, a member of the Kanieri riding ; he was last year the County Chairman. As a man perhaps there is no one bo popular as was the deceased. A man of unimpeachable integrity, kind, generous, and unassuming, he made friends wherever he went, and his death will leave a blank it will take long to fill. The funeral leaves his late residence, Gibson's Quay, at three o'clock, and St. Mary's Church at half-past three o'clock to-morrow (Sunday) afternoon. In a local yesterday re the coming coitume cricket match it should have been stated that the match will be in aid of the Cricket Club aa well as the Volunteer Band. Tho Hokitika Fire Brigade practiced laßt night under Captain Michel. There was a good muster. The fi^e engine was taken to Paterson's corner and a long line of hose put on to connect with the renowned Sewell street drain, which was flushed with copious streams of water. Practice was also made with the hook and ladder carriage, under Foreman Fitzsimmons. The quarterly meeting of the Brigade will be held on Tuesday evening next, at eight o'clock. The cricket matoh for to-day is the conclusion of the Eleven v. Twenty-two. On next Saturday the match will Banks and Civil Service v. Eleven of the Club. The names of the players will be given at a future date. The County Council invite tenders for widening Larrikins-Loopline road (2 miles 15 chains), extension of Adair's road, Biniu (80 chains), and for Greenstone road to Ballarat Hill deviation. Tenders close at the County Council (Chambers on Tuesday, December 13th. Specifications may be seen at the County Office, Hokitika, and also, shortly, for tho first at Mr Seddon's, Eumara, and Mr M'Wbivfcer's, Ctoldsborough ; for the second, at Mr Hatch's store, Bimu j and for the last at Mr Newrick'i, Stafford. At the R.M. Court yesterday morning before Messra Jas. A. Bonar and H. E. Bae, Justices, the following cases were dealt with : — Ah Sin, a Chinaman, for drunkenness, first offence, was dismissed with a caution. 1 Goulston v. Beyer claim £2 13 4d ; judgment for amount claimed and costs. Mrs Pengelly announces in anothc-v column j that she has jußt imported an entirely fresh j stock of drapery, hats, and general millinery for the Summer. The goods are not only well selected, but the prices are reasonable enough to meet the purses of all. Miss Pengelly is also dress and mantle making in connection with the same establishment. An accident of a serious nature occurred yesterday morning at 8 o'clock, at M' Arthur and party's claim, Larrikins, to a miner named E. Bunz. It appears that whilst stones were being hauled up to bank, the rope of one of the trucks broke allowing a descending empty truck to run over the unfortunate man, breaking hi« leg. He was at once conveyed to the Kumara Hospital, where the limb was treated by Dr M'Brearty. The sufferer is progressing favorably. The attention of the Borough Council is drawn to the stench arising from the filthy •tate of the Fitzherbert street drain. If this is not soon cleaned out, and the dry weather is prolonged, an outbreak of disease will be inevitable. Skinny Men —« Wells' Health Rene wet" restores health and vigour, cures Dyspepsia Impotence, Sexual Debility. At Chemists and druggists. Kempthorne, Prosser & Co., Agents, Christchurcb. Guilty op Wrong.— Some people have a a fashion of confusing excellent remedies with the large mass of " patent medicines," and in this they are guilty of a wrong. There are some advertised remedies fully worth all that is asked for them, and one at least ire know of — Dr Soule's American Hop Bitters. The writer has had occasion (0 vie the Bitters in just such a climate aa we have most of the year in Bay City, and has alvrayß found them to be flrst'Class and reliable, doing all that is claimed for them.— Tribune, Valuable Discovert for the Hair,If your hair is turning grey or white, or falling off, use " The Mexican Hair Renewer," for it will positively restore in every case Greij or White hair to its original color, without leaving the disagreeable smell of most " Restorers." It makes the hair charmingly beautiful, aa well as promoting the growh of the hair on bald spots, where the glands are not decayed. Ask your Chemist for "The Mexican Hair Renewer," sold by Chemists and Perfumers everywhere at Is 6d. per Bottle. Wholesale depot 33, Faringdon. Read, London, Engiaad,

The team to play in the costume cricket : match on the 9fch November will be- picked ; from the following playeri :— Messrs Coltman, Harrop, Lewi», Lynch, Millar, Morris, M'Kay, i Northcroft, Smith 1 , Snow, Tainiii, Te'nnant, R. Virtue, arid Wili. The players when picked miiSt attend in fnfldy cbdtume; afld Send in a | [ descriptloti of thfllr' ditfss fo the Secretary be- ' fore Monday week. ( We have to acknowledge the receipt from , Mr D. J. Evans, the local agent, of a cepy of , a Maori legend " The Sunken Island," writtea > by Mr A. Hood, of New Plymouth. The , scenes are laid in some of the moßt beautiful , spots in a beautiful land, the inoident being I supposed to have occurred before the time of , Captain Cook. To those interested in all , that appertains to the early inhabitants of the country, the little work should prove very ; attractive. ' Eliza Jerram, who resided with her husband at North Ea»fc Valley, Dunedin, com- ; mitted suicide by sheoting herself with a re1 volver on Thursday evening. Just before that time there was a little girl in the house with her, and she sent her to call a neighbor, telling her not to come back to the house. When Jerram, who is a retired clerk, reached home, > he found his wife lying dead in her bedroom. » An inquest will be held. ' The house of Mr Gh H. Aldrich, at Bunnythorpe, Palmeraton North, seven-roomed, was 1 burnt yesterday. The owner and family 5 were away at the Show. Little or nothing was saved. Insured in the New Zealand for a imall amount. No particulars are obtain- ' able. While Mr Aldrich was driving home 1 from the Show he broke the leg of one of the oocupants, a man named A. Scott. The Kaiapoi Woollen Company paid a dividend for the half year at the rate of 6 per cent per annum, and carried forward £28. ' A correspondent writes to the Post as follows :: — '• Seeing a paragraph in to-night's issue of the Post concerning the Endeavour, Captain Cook's discovery ship, in wliich it is Btated that no one seems to know what t became of her, I may perhaps interest your readers by relating the following facts : — When a boy (some SO odd years ago) I was thinking of going to sea with a relative who was an old sea captain. We were going down London River. There, said he, as we passed the then Thames Police Hulk, is the ship that . Captain Cook commanded when he discovered New Zealand — (I may here say that I had Borne idea at the time that New Zealand would be the end of mj first voyage). She wfcs , broken up Bhortly afterwards. I wish I could give the exact date, but it was in the latter . end of '55 »v beginning of '56. It would be a pleasure to me to see my facts corroborated. . Perhaps iome of yonr readers may know a little more about it. The Brunner correspondent of the Argus writes .—A very painful accident happened to Frank Goodrich employed at the Brunner mine. Gtoodrich had just finished his shift, and was on the road out when his light went out. His mate, who was a few yards behind, found himself in the same plight. Q-oodrich caught hold of the front part of a truck, which was on the road out, and was feeling in his pocket for a match, when by some means he tripped and the loaded truck went over his leg, breaking it just about half way between the knee and the ankle. Dr Morice was immediately sent for, and arrived in leas than 3 half an hour from the time he got the news. * The sufferer was taken to the hospital by the 5 o'olook train. The 9th November will (gays the Argus) * be a big day in Gkeymoulb, at any rate as far as our Volunteers are concerned. It is 9 only to be hoped that they may have Queen's 9 weather on the occasion. The Kumara Rifles and Cadets have been invited to take part i p the review, and they have accepted tha mvi* 3 tation. All the Reefton Volunteers who can i manage to get away will also be present. It * is highly probable that Westport; will send a 3 contingent, though vo formal announcement ■ (o that effect haa been received. The Brunt t nerton Volunteer?, who have not taken the i gloss off their new unifoiass, may be expected i to attend to a man It is very daubtful, j however, whether Hokitik* will be repre* sented, vt least to any extent, inasmuch as a ball will be held in tfeat town the evening of the 9th. It might have been expected that, among the many who now make use of the parcels post, someone would be found dishonest enough to try to defraud the Government by sending as a "parcel" something or other which could not be lawfully considered as such. A story is (says the Lyttelton Times) told of how an attempt of this eort was defeated in Christchurch recently. A parcel of sugar was sent " through the post." One of the clerks, on handling it, suspect' d that, as it felt soft and yielding to the touch, it contained aausagei, which are " contraband." He opened it, and found that his suspicions were groundless, but that in the parcel was concealed a letter. The postal authorities have, it is said, decided to charge postage on the parcel at letter rates, which will amount to something over a guinea. la consequence of %\ c scandal in which Colonel Hughis-Hullett, M.P. for Rochester, was concerned through his Redaction of the step»daughter of his late wife, tbe clergy of all denominations in hi* electorate have joined in a petition requesting him to resign the Beat. T/ie Conservative Committee, however, are not willing that he should resign at the present tim-, v;!>en the seat might be lost to the party, but they say a new candidate will be cbosen at the next general election. No Moke Habd Times.— lf you will stop spending so much on fine clothes, rich food, and style, buy good, healthy food, cheaper and better clothing ; get more real and sub* stantial things of life every way, and especially stop the foolish babitof employing expensive quack doctors or using so much of the vile humbug medicine that does you only harm, bnt put your trust in that simple, pure remedy, Dr Soule'a American Hop Bitters; that cures always at a trifling coat, and you will Bee good times and have good health.— Chronicle. Colonial Mal&die?.— The colonists of New Zealand are to be congratulated on two grounds: First, that they inhabit a land where disease as a rule prevails iv a mild and curable form, and, secondly, becaofe the majorily have ready to baud a remedy that < doeß away with tbe doctor and the medicine i chest. This important medicine waß dis- i covered by Mr Richard Freeman in 1844 j and named by bim Chlorodyne, which 1 medicine continues to maintain its supremacy ( all over the world, &a a special curative y remedy for the treatment aud cure of Diar- I rhcea, Dysentry, Cholerine, Malaiie, Hysteria s Pain of every kind, Nervouß Affections, ' Gout, Asthma, Consumption, Coughs, Coldf, i and Fevers. Insist upon, having "Free* c man's" only. Trade mark, an Elephint.— d Sold everywhere. Obtainable from all C chemists and storcfaepers, { 3

The New South Wales Railway Commit sioner has recommenied that in the case of Mrs Wilson, the widow of the drivt r who wa3 killed ob the occasion Of the Peat's Ferry difcfiiter, ike ordinary riiid as to gratuities Bhduid be 1 dented ftoffl. Tfag widow was paid her husband's full wage* for tbroe mouths, aha sue' receded tbe £doo for which hig life w ts insured. Tfie Minister of Public Works has now approved of the recommendation tbat each of <ke four children be paid £100, to be iuvetfc-d for their benefit until they each in turn armre at the age of eighteen, the interest of the money to be paid t» tbe widow towards their support, and that £600 be paid at one* to the widow, making £1000 in all. The commissioner say 3 Wilson stood, manfully to his post at a time of supremo pefil, using every means which occurred to him to aveifc an accident, and was killed id the execution of his duty.