Hawke's Bay Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1868. THE PRESENT CRISIS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIV, Issue 612, 14 September 1868, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1868. THE PRESENT CRISIS.

Nulliiis addictus jurate i?i verla mayistri.

The removal of our small force of armed constabulary from this district to the "West Coast, at a time when it Is known that there is an armed body of rebels, including the escaped prisoners, encamped at no great distance from some of outlying settlements, shows, on the one hand, the concern with which the Government regards the attitude assumed by the West Coast rebels, and the effect our reverses there is calculated to produce on the wavering, and, on the other hand, the straits to which they are driven to find men to meet and subdue the cannibal insurgents. Such being the case, we would offer a suggestion which we feel is worthy of some consideration, as calculated tu meet the circumstances of the case. In the several Provinces of the Hiddlo Island there are well-equipped bodies of men who have been enrolled as Volunteers, who have had their drillings and have their respective staffs of officers. By the conditions of their enrolment, too, they are held liable lo servo the Government in any part of the Colony where they may be required, and we think the time has at length come when these several corps should be called upon to do active service in this Island, where their help is at present so urgently required. Up to this time the Volunteer movement in the South has been but holiday pastime. Pleasure and display, diess uniforms and exhibitions

uf skill as marksmen with the rifle are all very good ami proper as preparation for actual service against the time when such may bo required ; but u iiut to bo mod in such a a emergency, most prolitiess and vain. Wo cannot doubt their willingness to respond to the call of duty, and almost wonder that then' services have not as yd been voluntarily placed at the disposal of the Government,