HAMILTON LIGHT INFANTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3501, 1 December 1894, Page 10

HAMILTON LIGHT INFANTRY.

"The Hamilton Light Infantry mustered for their usual weekly drill on Thursday, "but on account, of the unpropitious we*tber there were not a sufficient number present f<ir,)t[he; p«r«de to,- count for. efficiency. •Captain Reid, however, intimated JhaT next, year one-Lalf of the strength wouldcount a parade, instetid of top.thirds as at present., The men were •cat ttirongh a number, of movements \si the, Captain and Colour-Sergeant, and' .acquitted themselves' very creditably, •The Captain notified the men that on Saturday next, Bth inst., those who had not qualified would.require to be on the tango for class firing: The NfarfiniHemy 'ifl° s &re novsr to hand, and when in Pox had inspected the butts,and had made the necessary .arrangements to secure a range, of 1000 yards to the Company, but he would not •*arictidri the use of the new rifles until rfhe marker's mantlet had bpen put into a •ffcoroughly safe Bhte. At the next ■parade a full attendance of members is tequired, as several matters of importance ifeave to be attended to. This afternoon & shooting match for the Howden medal -will be fired at the range, commencing at t o'clock, each man to provide his own ammunition. The shooting committee iope to see a. large attendance, as they •-consider that the men "do not take puffi dant interest in shooting, for with the .advantages the company pos«ea« in this •connection, they should be one of the best /shooting corps in the, colony,

On Thursday evening our representative, rat the request of Captain Reid, inspected ■same of the rifles and accoutrements of thd men of the Hamilton Light Infantry,' •which, were characterised as" dirty " at ■the late inupectiou and certainly, to the •jion-iniiitary eye, they seemed all that fjould be desired in the matter of cleanlU •Bess; Captain Reid remarking; that "he would give any man from now till the 'Hast day, in'the afternoon, to get them .any cleaner." With -regard to uniform, thei-Ciiptnin explained that, some of the men wore pur. out of the ranks because they we e not in full regulation dress, tout as the Government were thinking of ■alrerinjr the volunteer uniform _ of the • colony the company were of opinion that tthey were not justified iu going to the -expense of getting new uniforms until •the matter was settled. Some of the men ■feel the Colonel's strictures very much, and resent the whole company having to bear the stigma of being dirty because one 431". two io not take sufficient interest in their work,'while, with regard to the -drill thev say it should not be expected

that ,the ; volunteew of the colony, and especially those in the country districts, should be as proficient as the regular troops who have nothing else to do, while the volunteers have to attend, their military duties often at personal inconvenience and pecuniary loss to them* selves! ;