TARANAKI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1731, 10 June 1862, Page 5

TARANAKI.

(FBOM oub correspondent.) Whilst you at Weliiugton are holding levees, preparing for thp assembling of the legislature, or other equally grand affairs, we in poor Taranaki are amusing ourselves with a little civil war about roads, and who is the greatest mau amongst us. Having no progressive industrial pursuits, nothing but a mere existence through labour to occupy the mind with.it is but natural that grumbling and disagreement should ensue, many a great Emperor bafore now has been foiced to amuse his subjects bya little war a broad in order to keep peace at home. If variety of Government could perfect us in Taranaki we ough soon to rise to greatness ; for we have first the Provincial Powers, ai.d then the General Government, who acts through duly authorised agents, and lastly the Imperial Government represented by the officer commanding the garrison. After our dismissal by the Colonel on parade, some few months ago, up to the24th of May, her Majesty's birthday.we fancied ourselves free men clear of all military responsibilities, this appears not to be the case. It was the impreßsion of us

ail, officers included, that the Taranaki volunteers formed no portion of the garrison, under this impression, being uninvited to attend parade with the military, we quietly and unassumingly assembled in an out of the way nook in order for our own satisfaction alone, to give vent in the usual wayjto sincere felt loyalty for our Queen, after firing the usual salutes, cheering, and disp'aying our colours, and just as we were preparing for a charge prior to dismissal, a uniformed officer appeared in the distance, we immediately began to speculate as to what business a rqal live officer could have with us poor wretches; some imagined that it was the Colonel coming to thank us for our demonstration of loyalty — but alas it proved to be far otherwise, for it was the garrison adjutant to arrest our adjutant for presuming to hold a parade without the colonel's permission. If we were wrong the error was not wilfully committed, but resulted from ignorance. Ido think that the colonel held a sufficiently exalted position, without loss of dignity to have acted with magnanimity on the occasion, he might himself have riddened up, when every man would have shown all respect for his station and have listened with a firm determination, of not again deserving it, to any repremand hi might though proper to have given, but he should have concluded by thanking us for our demonstrations of loyalty ; as it was we were suddenly dismissed with the feeling that we had been repudiated as. British subjects for presuming to show attachment to our Queen. So much for volunteerism, to be roughly used when required, and snubbed when not wanted. It is not probable that men will be willing again to risk their lives if afterwards they arc to be thus treated. The country is as unproductive as ever; how much longer are we to linger on in this painful state of anxiety. W. I. G. "" ■ '.. '■« i ju»i '. i 1 — -