The Lost Regiment.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 15 November 1890, Page 2

The Lost Regiment.

The following story is going the rounds : — The 65th Regiment vrae i 20 years out of sight, till at last the London Piin'-h discovered it to be in New Zealand. f .lhat island (says a writer in the Sydney Morning Herald) at the time — 25 to 50 years ago — was the very pick of stations in .lie British Empire for officers without :iv ans, and men who could turn their hands to some u-e when their discharges were purchased or their terms of service expired. The corps finding iis-lf in such clover asked nothing better than to be let alone — a wish which the easy-going authorities of the Horse Guards diecovered a ud good naturedly complied with. The result was that efficers, non-com missioned officer*, aud men became a so>t of commune or niir. The fu 1 privates were let away for months at a stretch to plough and delve mid blast, a small percentage of the earnings -so ot least it wa« whispered — finding its way upwards, bt'iug promoted, in fact. These knowing lads made themselves popular with the natives, ton, !-o that in the sixties, when trouble commenced in Taranaki, th Maoris would baw? out " Lie ; own, iclceii yfifth. w-'re going to sh ot "' No wonder the new troops that came in the wa'<e of Genet al C meron called the 65th the " L'ivil Maoris." and no woi der that many a >tiff stand-up fight in the buff behind the canteen wa-> the result.