VOLUNTEER INTELLIGENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 4081, 25 March 1876, Page 2

VOLUNTEER INTELLIGENCE.

The Nelson volunteers are sending a petition to Sir Donald M'Lean, praying that his consent be given to an encampment, to be held during Easter week, in the Province of Nelson; that instructions do issue to his department to encourage such encampment, by providing all-stores needful thereto, including ration allowance; that all corps from other Provinces have such, assistance as his department can provide in joining such encampment.

Auckland and the Thames have feted their representatives at the Colonial prizetiring. On arrival at Auckjpnd railway station Bell, the Cavalry champion, was placed upon a gun-carriage appropriately decorated with flags for the occasion; and a number of his comrades having secured the ropes attached to the “triumphal car,” the procession moved off. The line of march was along Customhouse street, Queen street, and Abercrombie street, to the Drill-shed, the Artillery band playing inspiriting tunes all the time, much to the delight of the large number of people who completely bldckecl up the pathway on either side of the streets. At the Drill-shed' there were lunch and much speechifying. Bell, in returning thanks, made such a . manly, sensible speech as might have been expected of him ; indeed, the whole of the speeches were pertinent and marked by cordiality towards the South. We cannot say the same for those made at the Thames, where the chair, was occupied by Captain Hazard, who blew the Thames trumpet in fine style. “He believed the Thames was the beat volunteer district in New Zealand, and it was not fair that they should be so poorly represented, while Ltago had seventeen, nearly half of the representative! of the Colony. Otago, where volunteering was a sham, and volunteer companies were merely rifle clubs, that Province had far in excess of the numbers to which they were entitled, if the regulations had been fairly framed.” We can, however, endorse his concluding remark, that in proportion to tbeir numbers the Thames representatives did well.