WAIRARAPA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1989, 28 November 1863, Page 4

WAIRARAPA.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) OART£RTON,^M)I,ONTEERS. Sailors, old women (I ask pardon) asd fouls, mostly consider Friday an unlucky day ; why it should be so no reason can '■ explain —but it is so, like every other day in the week, when it so happens, and it has so happened this day for our gallaut volunteers, who have been making every commendable preparation to exhibit their martial appearance before Major Gorton, and for the first time have a few cracks with their riflesv It has been a day anxiously looked for in Greytown and Carterlon. Ladies were prepared to visit the parade ground, and children expected a joyful holiday, but bounteous heaven seems more in favor of Ceres than Mars, and copious showers, with gleams of sunshine, render it entirely unfit for ladies or children to, be out But the Carterton volunteers have braved the inclemency of the weather, and are , on the field, though drenched in rain. Major Gorton met the men about 10 a.m., and complimented, the company for turning out in such weather, and put them through various evolutions some of which they had not been previously trained to; yet the men, about 34 in number, made a tolerable effort at discipline, and especially so as many of the men present' Lad had but a few days drill, and one of those present attended parade for the first time. The Cafteiton Volunteer Company numbers about 60 men,' that would be increased if fighting is required, but now the settlers are very busy 'mowing; shearing, &'c., and it is , greatly to the- credit of the working men of Carterton that they are the principal persons that have attended drill,