OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3502, 4 December 1894, Page 9

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

TO THB EDITOR. Sir,—l see Colonel Fox has been pretty severe on our Volunteers,. So far as I can hear, he found fault with fivery corps in the Province of Auckland. He evidently seems to think that Colonial Volunteers uueht to be like regulars. His comments on the Te Awamutu Rifles on the day of inspection was anything but complimentary; after telling them they were well mounted and clean and tidy, he wound up by saying they were no good, and that neither officers nor men knew their drill, and as a fighting force they would be useless, Now, that's i pretty hard on men that came 50 miles to k, go into camp • for a week, and get nothing ** for it. It is unusual to inspect a corps only two days in tamp, all the drill they had was six hours, so they could not know much. Had ho come at the end of the week it would have been different. So far as I understand he did D«t seem to know the drill himself, as I am told he made some mistakes, and was corrected by the drill instructor. After he left, the men I hear were seriously considering whether they would resign in a body or not, but ultimately they decided to see the week out. It does seem a farce to see a handful : of about 35 men inquiring- the services of foiir highly-paid officers-one at £7OO per annum, one at £4OO, one at £3OO, and one at £2OO, when one could have done the lot, Yes, to pay a man £7OO to tell the teers they are no Rood! Well, perhaps he's right, now when, they are not wanted. But time was, when the colonial troops proved themselves brave men in the face of danger, and if need be the sons, of those men who are now in the 'volunteers would be as good as their fathers. Captain Rigg —who was 'only elected captain a short time ago—is proving himself an'efficient officer, as the tone and discipline materially improved towards the end of the drill. He brought up one swaggering bully with a round turn, which had a decided effect on the moral tone of the company! To have descipline and enforce'fines men require to be paid for their services. There is no the Mounted Rifles would be an effective force in time of war. But the Government appear to throw cold water on the movement. At present a few men in camp can learn little or nothing. I would suggest that all the mounted corps should go into camp toother for a week once a year in some'central place, ■»»; the men would learn more in that time and be less expensive to the Government arid the men themselves.—l am,' etc,, ; v'■■ ■ ' Ex-Cavalry MANi Te Awamutu, Nov.,2Bth, 1894. TO THB EDITOR; ! Sir,—ln the issue of your paper of Tuesday last appears a letter,, which I feel it my duty to reply to, as it is untrue and misleading. I will only.refer to what I consider is worth notice. The person signing himself an "Ex Volunteer?' states that the Hamilton Volunteer company is to be congratulated on the last £IOO being paid and that the Government had treated the conV pany with extra generosity, not only having paid them £IOO yearly towards the hall, but have given them the revenue derived from theatricals, concerts,; lectures) dances, and skating rinks; also the .rents from the 80 acres of land atFrankton. Such statementsare wh()ll^unt;ue.- : The.company has never received bne^pienby.;(if,,revenue from any of the above, 'sourcesrbut"have' had to pay the Volunteer Hall trustees the,sum of 2s U per week for lighting the T h'all for parades and 1 band meetingsi' for the past three years. So inuch for .the, truth of his statements; He then referji, to the'men having to entertain a visiting shooting team bv putting their.hands itiiheir pockets. I' may explain that we are not allowed to spend the funds of .the companion dinners, etc., in entertaining heihadi been in the coinpa'nyJ don't think; he ,would, have been the "man, to/ pub,hi9 'hand in his; pocket to take anything out for such a pur«< pose, and on this ■'occasion 1 ' it was' done voluntarily by the men'of the'eompanf-; I trust, Sir, you will see by what' I "have written that " Ex Volunteer's" statements are totally untrue, and are solely written to mislead the public and prejudice them against the corps if possible. Some people: are never satisfied, they are, born with, a grievance and never get clear of it {others are born with a bee in their bonnet, and I am afraid ~E x?Vpljmteer": has a whole hive of them,, Sorry fetabetiipyour valnable Bpace.—Yours truiy,' ' ,;, _ ' «Tamks Reid, Captain. )