VOLUNTEERING.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3154, 10 September 1892, Page 2

VOLUNTEERING.

TO THE KIHTOIi. Sill, —Being a volunteer, 1 ain indeed glad to see your contributor "Fusee ' in your la-t issue expatiating on the advant iges and piivileges of those who like myself are sacrificing a lot of time, not to say inconvenience, which often times means money, to acquire the art of soldiering for the defence of " our beloved country,'' 1 believe he hits the nail on the right place when lie .-ays that our present piivileges I'.') are not of an order calculated to attract and preserve an efficient, body of young men. The panegyric passed upon our company at the late inspection by Colonel Fox would seem to refute this idea. lint tho-e acquainted with the company weil know that neaily one half of them were recruits. A few years back the then company drilled even far better than now, but aft J r awhile, we find some of them petting " full-up," They leave. Some " recruiting " follows, and recruits take their places in the ranks before actually having mastered the manual exercise, and as a natural reducing the state of efficiency. What follows? Why the efficient are conspicuous by their absence—only turning up on wry rare or special occasions—having hist interest by tiie monotony of recruit drill. The effect: The old soldier loses his head when ho most needs it, as seen by his ridiculous mistakes. Who is ti blame? Certainly not our olHcers, who are all highly respected and able ones. Nay, it is our niggardly, and stingy Government. As "Fusee" tritely puts it, if volunteering is not a sham, but what it represents, then it should be encouraged in a practical manner by the Government. Time was when the company's funds wer. s . augmented byacapitation of £'3 per annum for each efficient member of the corps; this is now reduced by one half, 30-i (although no material benefit to the individual), he has also to learn to use his weapon at his own expense, and if his employment should be in an out-district;, ho is allowed the patronising privilege of paying his full fare to and from any special parades he may bo ordered to attend. As an in--tance of this, I may mention the occasion of the inspection of the company by Colonel Jvlwards in Auckland some three years ago when the whole of the expenses had to be defrayed from the company's funds. The wonder is that, we have not disbanded long ago ! lam well aware that if volunteer*, have a grievance they are cordially invited to speak out before the company after a parade, and are always listened to attentively and treated courteously by their officers, but your contributor's remarks were so concise and aotlv put as to demand corroboration from—Yours, ctc., A Volunteer,