THE MILITIA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1416, 30 March 1860, Page 5

THE MILITIA.

In consequence of the withdrawal of the troops from Wellington a portion of the militia has been called out for actual service. The commanding officer is Major Trafford, formerly Captain iv the Hstli Regiment. The first ballot w^s held on the 17th instant, when 300 names were drawn, but in consequence of removals deaths, and exemptions the 200 required were not obtained and a second ballot was Jield last Wednesday. The service is found to press very heavily on the country settlers of whom have to come into town every few days from the extremities of the district — 20 miles from the police office.

It is expected that as soon as the necessary instructions bave been received, the whole of the militia will be called out, and the men drilled ill the districts in which they reside— a duty the vast majority of the settlers will willingly perform, if it be arranged to interfere as tittle as possible with their oulinary a vocations. Meetings have been held in the Upper and Lower Hutt to petition the Governor to reduce the size of the districts, and we feel persuaded tfbat every facility will be afforded to make the \urt«4 as little onerous as possible. v siPiie arms' and accoutrements arc very defective. The rnuskels are the old brown bess b<ar ing date 1841, and the cross belts being of whit"

leather, are inappropriate "because dangerous. The uiaories have good double and single barrelled fowling pieces and rifles, and everyfeffort should be made to render the militia as Iktle conspicuous in the bush as possible —at present they would form capital marks for far less ex. perienced shots than their native opponents would prove themselves to be. The following: are the ofHcers appointed by his Excellency : — Major Commanding, Major ' Trafibrd, late" 65th Regt ; Adjutant, Captain i Kirwin, late 64th Reg.; Captains, Mr. W M, Bannatvne, Sir Charles Clifford, and Mr. James Coutts Crawfoid; Lieutenants, Mr. J. H. Bethuue, Mr. Park, Mr. John Varnham ; Ensigns, Mr. S. E. Grimstone, Mr. Haleombe, Mr. Alfred Hicfcson. It being impossible for Sir Charles Clifford to attend to the duties of Speaker of the House of Representatives and act as captmn in the militia at the same time, he has resigned, and been succeeded by Lieut. Park Ensign Grimstone receiving the vacant Lieutenancy, and Mr. G. F. Swainson being recommended as Ensign. The Wairarapa and the Wanganui have each been formed into militia districts, the Lists behg made up during this month. The militia will not be called out in either of these districts unless there should seem to be an actual neces;-' sity. ■ t ' / A volunteer rifle corps is being formed in Wellington and also in Wanganiii. / A Special Meetingof the Justices of the Peace residing within the Wellington Militia District, was held on Tuesday the 20th inst., for the purpose of formiug a Militia List for the year 1860-1. ■ There were present B. A. Ferard, Esq., Resident Magistrate, Sir Charles Clifford, Captains Carlyon and Rhodes, and Messrs. Fitzherbert, Lyon. Ludhim, Brandon, Schultze, G. Hart, Park/and Rcvans. Mr. Ferard was chosen chairman of the Bench. After the ordinary business had been gone through, Mr. Fitzherbert moved the following special resolution, which on being seconded by Captain Rhodes, was carried unanimously: — "That the following resolution of the Bench of Magistrates of this Militia District, convened by special notice to form a Militia List for the year 1860- 1, be forwarded through the Chairman of the Bench (B. A. Ferard, Esq.,) to his Excellency the Governor, viz : — " That the Bench of Magistrates of this Province being credibly informed that the aboriginal natives in this Province, have, under the Regulations of bis Excellency, of 14th July 1857, (by which the Regulations of Sir George Grey on that behalf were relaxed) for some time past been freely supplying themselves with arms and warlike munitions — consider it, their duty on the occasion of their being summoned to form a Militia List on the eve of hostilities with the ahoiiginal natives, to earnestly but respect, fully urge upon his Excellency to reinforce the stringent regulations against the sale of arms and ammunition to aborginal natives." This expression of opinion has not been uttered before there was occasion for it. In Sir George Grey's time the natives fuuud. the ereatest difficulty in obtaining arms sad ammunition ; but by Governor Browne's proclamation of June 1857, the regulations were so relaxed that they could and did obtain unlimited supplies. Native chiefs in this Province, to our certain knowledge, often found a. difficulty in purchasing a few ounces for sporting purposes, while within the last two years they have been able to obtain it by the keg. The Resident Magistrate appears to be thoroughly alive to the necessity of giving effect to the resolution of the Bench and has issued a notice to all holders of licenses, not to sell arms and ammunition for the future without special permission in each particular case.