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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 143, 9 October 1863, Page 2

W 7 e published in our last issue an official notice to the effect that the Government intend giving the people 14 days more militia drill. To this arrangement we, in the in. terests of the working settlers, strongly object. The loss of time to the settlers in attending drill is very serious, and is not compensated for by the advantage gained on the score 0£ organisation. We are now sufficiently or. ganised for all practical purposes, and if an emergency should arise, the authorities have

only to call out the men and they will respond to call unanimously, and they will be placed in a far more efficient state by sis or seven days consecutive drill, than by fifty days of irregular and very imperfect exercise. The people are more dissatisfied with and disheartened at the serious interruption Of their peaceful pursuits, consequent on the calling out of the militia, and justly so, be. cause the Government appointments of officers are so extremely absurd, that it gives to that which is a very serious affair, the appearance of a practical joke. Yet we must all acknowledge that the system of arming the people is good, but is entirely deprived of its flavor by the inveterate habit of favoritism which marks every move of the Provincial Government. In these appointments Major Whitmore gave us a lucid idea of the value of his military knowledge. We will return to this subject presently.