BACK FROM THE FRONT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XV, Issue 4524, 21 November 1881, Page 2

BACK FROM THE FRONT.

RETURN OF THE WANGANUI CONTINGENT.

The announcement that the Wanganui Volunteer Contingent would arrive on {Saturday evening had the effect of bringing half the town on to tho reclaimed land. Bloodless as tho campaign at Parihaka has been, there is no denying the fact that the Volunteers, and those from Wanganui in particular, have done good service, and exhibited the good stuff of which soldiers are made. No wonder, therefore that the citizens, headed by their Mayor, turned out on Saturday, despite the uninviting weather, to do honor to the returning troops. The Borough Council determined on giving them an official reception, and tardy as was the action of the Corporation, it was right and proper so far as it went. By a judicious arrangement on the part of Mr Rotheram, the special train which conveyed the Volunteers from Waverley, was brought down to the new railway station on Taupo Quay, where a very large crowd awaited its arrival. The train itself, which was the largest ever seen in Wanganui, was a mere collection of horse boxes, the Alexandra Cavalry and their valuable nags occupyiug the portion of the train near the Fairlie engine, and the Rifles the latter part. In order to propetly receive j and greet their comrades the Volunteers of Wanganui were drawu up in a square adjoining the railway station. The two Rifle Corps and Cadets were well represented, and the newly-formed Naval Brigade sent a good number of both watches. The officers present were Capt. Neill (Acting-Adjutant), Capt. Hutchison (City Rifles), Lieut. Purncll (City Rifles), Capt. Abbott (Naval Brigade), Lieuts. Cros3 and Culpan (Naval Brigade), and Sergt-Major Henry, Drill-Instructor. Dr Earle, as Surgeon of the Wanganui Rifles, was also on the ground. In all, upwards of 120 rank and file turned out to do honor to the men from the front. Shortly before 5 o'clock the train entered the station, and was received with vigorous cheering. The Cavalry and Infantry at once alighted from the carriages, and the greeting and handshaking on the platform was a scene lone; to be remembered. The congratulations which passed between the active service contingent and their comrades, whom the force of circumstances had compelled to stay at home, was hearty in the extreme. Capt. Watt, whose services at the front have earned him '•golden opinions from all sorts of people," was warmly welcomed, and has evidently advanced himself greatly in the good estimation of his fellow townspeople. On the platform, awaiting the train, were His Worship the Mayor (W. H. Watt, Esq.), and Crs Chadwick, Jones, McDonnell, Spurdle, Carson, Murray, and Willis, but owing to the great crowd and the inconvenience of the position, it was decided to adjourn to the Drill Hall and read the Corporation address at that coign of vantage. The Volunteers accordingly marched up the Avenue, headed by the Band of the Wanganui Rifles, which, under Mr E. J. King's skilful manipulation, played better on Saturday last than we have heard them for many a long day. Arrived at the Drill Hall, the troops formed into a hollow square facing the entrance, a dense crowd surrounding them on all sides, the fair ladies of Wanganui turning out in unexampled numbers, and casting a lustre on the scene well worthy of such a memorable occasion. Every widowi dow commanding a view of the scene was crowded with sightseers, and so far as public interest were concerned, Saturday was a day never to be forgotten. The hollow square was soon after added toby the Cavalry, who rode up from the Station in true Lancer-like fashion (headed by the City Rifles Band), Captain Sommerville handling his Troopers in admirable fashion. The drill of this fine Troop seems to have wonderfully improved, and the manner in which threes were formed and other evolutions effected stamps the Alexandras as the premier Cavalry in the Colony. The weather-stained, sun-burnt appearance of the men was common remark, but there was not a man on the ground but afforded a picture of ruddy health and vigor, and not one but who would willingly and easily have re-commenced and gone over again the fatiguing and public-spirited work of the last three weeks. The forces being duly arranged, hi 3 Worship the Mayor (accompanied c>y his Councillors) entered the square, and read the following address :—: — To the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officeiw, and Men of the Wanganui VOLUNTEERS RECENTLY EMPLOYED AT PARIHAKA, — The Mayor and Councillors of the Borough of Wanganui desire, on behalf of their fellow-citizen*, to congratulate you on your safe return from active and successful duties in the field, and to offer you their warmest thanks for the valuable service you have rendered to this district, and indeed to the whole colony. At a time of great public emergency, when the progress of settlement was inconveniently retarded and the peace of the country seriously threatened by a native outbreak, you promptly responded to the call made upon your loyalty, and with cheerful acquiescence in the claims of duty proceeded to the scene of disorder, resolved to i face with fearless bravery every difficulty and danger that the vicissitudes of actual warfare might giveri»e to. Happily you have been able to achieve all thatwasrequired without loss of life, and you have been spared many of those acts of violence and conditions of suffering which so often accompany military expeditions. At the same time we are duly sensible of the sacrifices you were prepared to make, and of the spirit and valour with which you would have engaged in combat in the field if stern necessity had compelled you to try the issue of battle. The effective muater of force which followed the summons of Government produced a sound moral influence upon the native mind, and the courage And resolution you displayed from the first were well calculated to avert the calamity of a troublesome war. We feel a just pride in the fact that you, who have taken an honorable and conspicuous part in the important events of the last few weeks, were drawn from the midst of ourselves, and the distinguished manner in which you have acquitted yourselves inspires us with confidence that the sacred security of our lives aud homes has little to apprehend while we are protected by Volunteers so ready and able to reuder us adequate and timely help. The services which we now feebly but gratefully acknowledge will find an historic place in the records of this young country, and in its career of prosperity it will not forget the material assistance rendered in its hour of need. More especially with the settlers of this district will a fond remembrance linger that at an important crisis of it 3 advancement and its struggle Wanganui furnished for the maintenance of peace and order a body of citizen solders whose conduct reflected credit upon themselves and upon the district to which they belonged. We welcome you back to your homes with the assurance that the whole colony recognises the worth of services that can be so thoroughly relied on, and will join in the praises to which we have now given expression, W, H. Watt, Mayor. At the conclusion of the address His Worship called for three hearty cheers for the Volunteers from the front, and very heartily was the cheer responded to. Captain Watt then returned thanks to the Corporation and citizens of Wanganui for such a noble and unexpected reception. He spoke in the highest terms of the conduct of the men under his command, and contradicted and emphatically repudiated the grossly unfounded charges brought against the Wangauui men as to killing Maori pigs and robbing Native potato pits. Wanganui, of all the centres of N.Z. population, was the best represented, Nelson coming a good ' second; and the men under his (Captain Watt's) command, had the honor of being in the van of the march to Parihaka. Had any fighting to have been done, the brunt of the action would have fallen on tho Wanganui Volunteers. He was proud of the men under his command, and of the reception given them that day by their fellow citizens. Captain Watt then called for three hearty cheers for the Corporation and citizens, and his men gave them as only soldiers can do. Captain Sommerville then, on behalf of the Alexandra Cavalry, thanked the Mayor and Councillors for the reception, and spoke very highly of the men under his command. Although the troop had not been so far to the front as the rifles, yet the mounted xnen had done service of a useful and continuous kind, and of a nature which had won the highest praise from Mr Bryce. It woqtd not be too much to s*y

that upon the Alexandras had fallen the most delicate and responsible work in the district, such for example, as searching the whares for- arms. Indeed so much of this kind of work had the troopers to do, that their neighbours in • hix district would have to beware of their ;xpertness in breaking open boxes. (Laughter). The representatives of Wau«?armi at th-.. front had done such good service, that no Government could afford to pass lightly over or discountenance volunteering. Oapt. Sommerville, whose remarks were of a forcible and eloquent description, called for cheers for the Corporation and citizens, and we need hardly say that the gallant troopers lustily responded. Cheers were also called for Mr Bryce, but at first (owing probably to a misunderstanding on the part of the . crowd) were feebly given. Capt. Sommerville, however, in stentorian tones, urged those present to warmly honor the Native Minister, and the result of bis appeal was to produce the heartiest applause oi the day. Capt. Neill, on behalf of the officer commanding the district, formally dismissed the troops from active service, and the word to break off was given. Before dispersing, the men were liberally supplied with refreshments by His Worship the Mayor, and thus terminated a memorable occasion.

The following official despatch from Major Noake was read to the Wanganui Contingent by Capt. Watt :— Opunake, 17th Nov., 1881. — -Cattail Watt, — Before you dismiss your men from actual service, I wish, as yoar immediate commanding officer, to express my own satisfaction as to the general conduct of both officers aud men under your command, in the camp as well as in the field, whereby you have so creditably upheld the honor of your district It is pleasant to know that your services have been appreciated by the Government as they deserve to be, for I have been dej uted by the Hon. the Defence Minister to perform the gratifying duty of conveying to you and your command the thanks of the Government for the praiseworthy readiness with which you have given the colony the benefit of your services under the late critical circumstances. And I have still fnrther pleasure to say to you, on behalf of Mr Bryc, that he has observed with much satisfaction the steadiness and discipline displayed by you in the field, and he heartily thanka yon for the zeal and good connuct yon have shown. Be so good as to read the above memorandum t« your command. — M. Noake, Major. The Cavalry, after leaving the Drill Hall, proceeded to Taupo Quay, fronting the Ship Hotel, and were dismissed, Captain Som* merville officially thanking them for their services.

The Marton Volunteers, who came down' with the Wanganuia, were not officially dismissed till they reached their head-quarters. They were under the command of Captain Harris, and seemed a useful and sturdy body of men. They left for their home yesterday morning at 10.30 by special train, a large number of Wanganui volunteer*, accompanied by the Band, seeing them off. At Marton they were of course warmly received the wholo of that thriving and pretty township being en fete on the occasion.