THE RIFLE CORPS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 712, 3 September 1859, Page 3

THE RIFLE CORPS.

To the Editor of Me Lytlelton Tithes.

Sir,—ln your issue of the 17th instant appear* a letter pui-porting some " information relative to> tlie Canterbury llifli's " under authority as follows t " lam directed by the Coimnaifder, Captain H. Ay Scott, to request you kindly to make the following information public," and -bearing the sign^-manual of " J. F. Ballard, Honorary Secretary." The above, as regimental ordw the Ist, challenges a remark or two, which with your permission, I wilL make as briefly as possible. How can a man b» a commander before he has men to command P If so, then 1 believe intended commandant would be moreliketlie thins:. The " Adjutant, upon whom. remits the chief labor of making soldier* of the men* is chosen and -paid by the Crown, Inferior officers, whose services will begiatuitous, will be chosen by the men from amongst theinaelves."—At least h<> says Captain Scott through his Secretary. Now, I should like to know what constitutes the inferiority of the other officers P For unless it be that " their services are gratuitous, and they are to be chosen by the men," I know not what else could doit. Can any man pretending to military knowledge say for one moment that a captain is an inferior officer to an, adjutant-? I rathe? think not. Of all the adjutants I have ever known, and they number more than 50,1 never knew owe to rank as captain, and but very, very few as brevet, while the rest were lieutenant and adjutant. Were captains of companies to be told they were inferior officers in any way, let alone inferior to their adjutant, they would ask were you serious ? Could you prove you were so ? Any military man knows that in nine cases out of ten adjutants rise from the ranks, and that although respected as such and considered very useful men, yet in no instance are they deemed superior in rank, if only from that, to the other commissions by purchase or interest. An adjutant may be said to be the colonel's orderly, the working jack of the regiment) and the obliging man to boot, ever ready to take a ttirn of orderly for a young sub either bent on urgency of pleasure or private business. Such is an adjutant. The " information* goes on further to say, " that in no case whatever will the men be subject to martial law except in war time." This is •wrong. They are subject to militia law; when at drill as well, which you see makes a difference. So far for the Honorary Secretary's letter, to which allow me to append a comment or two. On the supposition that ■" the 168 hours" is meant —which I believe—to signify but fourteen days, arid on a like supposition should the staff be only for so long employed, then I cannot see as volunteers why they-should want pay for merely the same time that the other men volunteer to give for nothing. Should they give extra time*.!!, can. see why they should fee paid; but not without it. Again, as militia staff 1 can make out why they they should be paid, but not as volunteers. Or, will the staff be non-volunteers, while the rest; of corps are otherwise P Sir, it would appear tome that the volunteers will labour under all the digad* vantages of the militia without any of their ad* vantages.: You will ask me why do I think so. I will tell you. Ist. They will stand a worse chance of being well officered. Again, they will have to pay for their own uniform, instead -of. tneir being found in it by the Government. And last, but not least, they will in other ways be more out of pocket. For instance, say: a volunteer's expenses are as follows: —Dress £5, 14 days Ibss of work at even the Government price; 55., £3 10s $ extra cost of living for the 14 days; at _ 10s. per diem, £7, will make £15. But this sum is so much below the mark, that I shall at once say £30, and this merely for the Christchurch. men j while those from. Lyttelton, Kaiapoi, Rangiora, or equally far off, what with their bub and grub, loss of time and travelling charges, will be fully up to the tune of £50. M.P.C.'s., although volunteers for service in their country's good, are allowed a small sum; allow me to suggest, through your agency, a like sum at all events for a volunteer rifle when on duty. I have no hesitation, in saying—as time will prove-—that the militia is in. every respect'preferable to any volunteer corps, and will yet have to be resorted to—if & corps we ara to have. .

Yours very 'obediently, WESTBY H. PEECIVAL. Chmt'chureh, Aug. 24 .

[We have before us another letter from Mfi, Percival, complaining of misrepresentation in out report of the last Rifle Corps Meeting. That report was communicated, and on inquiry, we are led to believe that it Was not altogether correct. We are ready to apologise for any errors which we may have given publicity to 5 but. having done so, we have complied with the general purport of the' letter, the publication of which is prevented by the tone of some of its portions*—Ed,. L< T.]