"WHERE THE MONEY GOES."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1561, 18 May 1887, Page 2

"WHERE THE MONEY GOES."

TQ THE EDJipB. Fjb, — Under the above 'Heading some now Daniol come to judgment essays to take somebody to task for certain things that have be?n o done m connection with the Ashburton Rifles, and for certain things that have been left undone at the rifle range. He signs himself "Argus," which is as good or as bad, as no signature at all, and so leaves your readers uncertain as to whether he is a member of tho corps or not. But from the tone of confident assertion with which his let* ter speaks the impression is left upon the reader's mind that the writer is fully aoquaintad with the subject on which he writes, ' He io npt, very from ij;, If ho is, well, I will not impute motives; that vb'iild'ift flattering him too much by imitating him. He chooses the norn de-plume "Argus" The mythological Argus had a thousand eyes— your '• Argus" of yes torday has enly two, and either one or both are what the Scotch call *• gleyed " —that is, they squint. If he had been tho many-eyed person he pretends to be he would have known the whole six yean history of that rifle range as well as the history of the company. He would have known that the company cameiptb existence iv tho year 1879; that ip labored fop existence under the tuostdj*'

advantageous circumstances imaginable ; that m spite oE cold neglect on the part Of Government, when volunteering was not the popular thing it is now, and the difficulty of finding officers able and Willing to spend the time and money neeeeaaryto keep the company together and m anything like an efficient sta'e, the Bifles are now one of the best companies m the battalion. He would also havo known that this happy consummation is owing m by far tho major part to tho enthusiasm and eelf-Bacrince of the last Captain, his two Lieutenants, and a few ef the other members. He would have known that that Captain's name was the only eeoarity the bank had for a long period, against a laige overdraft granted to meet the coat of the new uniforms the men recently were supplied with. He wonld hare known that none of the commissions held by tho officers I refer to were asked for by them, but wero literally thrust upon them. He would have known what an officer's uniform cost*, and that there are not very many men In ordinary middle class life who care to apeHd £30 right away for a comfortable set-out of uniforms and accoutrements, antf" at the same time accept tho collateral finanoial responsibility that an Officer must accept m any company that has not a plethoric bank account, and goodness, knows, tbe Ashburton Rifles never have been m that happy condition, He would have known that the £9 odd voted to'each of the three officers were spontaneous'offers of the company m full general meeting assembled, and that those eums and the " presents " of £5 each subsequently voted would not even now cover, oy a long way, the capitation those gentlemen have earned from Government, and paid into the company's funds, and the subscriptions they have paid to the funds of the corps. He ■would have known that but for those officer?, their enthusiasm, their wholeheartedneSß m the cause, and their ability m drill, and militarism generally, the company, would long ago have been relegated to tho realm of the disbanded; As to the range, the building of the butts, mantelet, firing stances, etc., and the general preparation of the range absorbed bo large a proportion of the company's funds, that for years after the work waa dons the Rifles were as a corps simply m poverty^ and it was only by tho efforts of the Captain, now Major, m raising honorary members' subscriptions, that the company was able to tide over its difficulties, and appear respectably among the other Companies m the battalion. 1 "Argus" ought to remember-that every mnn m tf-e company has now an undress and a full dress uniform, that nearly every man has a military great coat, and is m every sense fully equipped, that the incidental expenses m oonneotion with th& drill shed ara borne.by the company m the propurtiou offone-half, and thp ranee itse'f Is m quite gcsi ftiongh condition foe firing purporei notwithstanding all his oncers about it. If "Argus" would make a half- turn to the right |io that the moral obliquity of hia vision could be turned straight upon the facts la oonneotion with the range, his squinting eye would nee that to keep the butts In proper order would neoeasit&te • sergeants' guard continually on the ground to prevent the larrikiniam of young; Aahburton from destroying tbe Volunteer 'd property. The oost of renowing broken paddooks alono has been no small item. It is useless trying to keep a (signal haljftrd 00 the flig staff— it is stolon the ■eaond day after fixing. Tbe internal fittings oi tbe mantelet hive been destroyed times without number, and it is not long lince that the Major bad to prosecute some tads for breaking open the magazine and stealing the ammunition, As " Argus" prepared to tike hia turn at mounting guard on the range ? I anticipate the Answer, becanaa suob as he are usually first m grumble but last m praotioal help. The money paid away to aid tho3e offioers In the purchase of: full dress uniforms was not equal to half what they themselves had to pay, and the whole company, "Argus" apparently alone oxeepted, thought the money was well spent on so valuable officers. The ' ' presents " — well, does It not strike " Argua " that the Company received the biggest oompUtnent the C'lonel could give It when her chose his senior Major, his adjutant, and his battalion sergeant major from its ranks'? And ought not the men ia its yanks be proad to belong to a company that could afford Buch men to the field positions m the regiment, and yet have officer's left to fill their places In the Company ? I am afraid "Argus" Is bilious— certafnly he Is neither civil, goud-natured, or generoua. If he wants to know who I »m, he has only to get hold of the Company 1 ! first roll, and beading the Hat of privates, he will find ijhe name of Ynnrs Truly.