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No. 9. Sub-Inspector Captain Marshall to Major Gordon, Inspector of Volunteers. Sic, — Armed Constabulary Depot, 23rd June, 1874. In reply to your letter of the 9th instant (the delay in replying thereto being in consequence of my absence from Wellington), I have the honor to state that, as far as my memory serves me, the words you quote, or something to the same effect, were used to the Artillery Company at Napier, by you, at the inspection in March last. I accounted for the expression from your having seen the company at their preliminary drill as we passed them before the presentation parade, and also from their performances in company movement as part of the battalion on the latter occasion. I have, &c, J. Taylor Marshall, Sub-Inspector, Major Gordon, Inspector, Militia and Volunteers, A. C. Force. Wellington.

. No. 10. Major Gordon to Colonel Moule. (Telegram.) Auckland, 23rd April, 1874. I have suspended Captain Lipsey, Thames Rifles, for insubordinate conduct, for having, after I had given his company my opinion of its condition, issued an order, through the newspapers, disarming it; and for having approved of the absence of his entire company from a church parade, from which he himself remained absent, because of my remarks with respect to the inefficiency of his company. Letter on the subject will be despatched after I receive from you his capitation return from March, 1873. William Gordon, To Colonel Moule, Wellington. Major.

No. 11. Major Gordon to the Under Secretary for Defence. Sir,— Auckland, 11th May, 1874. When directing the assembly of the Volunteer companies of the Thames District for annual inspection, I was informed by Major Cooper that there was always much difficulty in obtaining (in consequence of the nature of their occupation) a large muster of his men for any special parade on an ordinary working day. I inquired, if a church parade were ordered would there be any possibility of a large attendance, to which he replied in the affirmative. Whereupon I requested him to appoint the days and hours for the annual inspection of his corps, for those men who could conveniently attend, and to order, as well, a Sunday parade, so that all could be present; and he accordingly promulgated the annexed district order.* In Compliance therewith, a portion of No. 1 Hauraki Rifle Volunteers, under the command of Captain Lipsey, paraded for inspection on the night of the 16th ultimo, 22 out of a strength of upwards of 70 only being present, and amongst them a drunken quartermaster-sergeant. I caused these men to be moved about by their lieutenant, but saw at once that they were quite unable to do anything. Then I practised them myself in rudimentary drill, and still found them scarcely able to turn to the right about. Before dismissal, firstly, I directed Captain Lipsey to take his drunken sergeant, whom I had caused to quit the drill, before Major Cooper, with a view to his being deprived of his stripes. Secondly, I inquired from Captain Lipsey if I could see the remainder of his men on the next or any other night, to which he replied that he "thought I could not," and he also intimated that about thirty of his men were serving in the Waikato Engineer Militia. I informed him that consequently they could scarcely now belong to his company, seeing that they had been sworn in to quite another branch of the colonial service, and should therefore be struck off his roll. His reply was that he had Major Cooper's permission to keep them on his roll. I then inquired if it was probable that I would be able to see his entire company, excepting those at Waikato, on parade on the following Sunday. His answer was, " I think not." I then addressed his men present in the following terms : — * Disteict Oedees. Militia and Volunteer Office, Shortland, Bth April, 1874. Major Gordon will make the annual inspection of the several Volunteer corps of the Thames District, in the following order, viz.:— Wednesday, 15th instant, at 1 p.m. —Engineer Cadets, at Volunteer Hall. Thursday, 16th instant, at 7 p.m. —No. 1 and No. 3 H.R.V., at Volunteer Hall. Friday, 17th instant, at 7 p.m. —No. 2 H.R.V. and T.R. Rangers, at Drill-shed of the T.S.V., Graharnstown. Saturday, 18th instant, at 5 p.m. —T.S.V. and Cadets and Band, Drill-shed, Grahamstown. At 7.30 p.m. —Naval Brigade and Band, Naval Brigade Shed, Grahamstown. Officers commanding Corps will bring their company's books to parade. There will be a general Church Parade opposite the Music Hall, Grahamstown, on Sunday, the 19th instant, at 10.15 a.m. By Order. I. R. Coopee, Major.