Volunteer Items.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 8, 9 July 1897, Page 3

Volunteer Items.

The Manchester Rifles held a company parade last niglit whicii wcs very well attended- The men were iustructed in the manual and firing exercises by Lieutenant Barltrop. During the pveuiu;.' an election for Lieutenant to till the vacancy made by the resignation of Lieut. F. Y. Letbbridge, was held. Mr Owen Pkasnnts, who bad formerly been iv command of the corps, was proposed by Vol. Thos. Evans, seconded by Color Sergt. Milson and duly elected. On Mr Pleasants entering the Hall after the result had beeH declared, he was greeted with three hearty cheers of welcome back to the company. Mr Pleasauts thanked the men for the honor conferred upon him. He said it was only ill health that had compelled him to resigu abont five yeirs ago, but now be had quite re» covered, and would be able to give great attention to the drill and management of the corps, he had great pleasure in donning the uniform again. He recognised tbe fact that since he left the corps many changes had taken place, but still lie saw iv tbe ranks a few of the old faces. The drill had changed also, but he had every confidence that ho ■would be able to make himself thorougly conversant in a very short time with the contents of the new drill books which bad been placed at bis disposal by Captaiu Kirton. OwiDg to the dis tanco he had to come it was just possible he might not be able to attend each company parade, but he would make a point of being present at every capita tion parade. At the conclusion of big address Mr Pleasauts was loudly applauded. Tho parade tbcu fell in again and after uotuc more useful work had been done, was dismissed. Thursday the lull) instant will be a capitation parade at which every member is expected to be present.