A Volunteer Under Arrest.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 57, 9 February 1885, Page 2

A Volunteer Under Arrest.

[Napier Evening News.} ;! A most unpleasant affair occurred at the parade of the Rifle Volunteers last night. One of the mcii was intoxicated, a»d" presently showed this m the course of the exercises. -Lieutenant King, who was m command, ordered him to be taken m charge, inarched to the rear, and disarmed. The map. then become abusive, flung off \m tunic and helmet, and defied, his officer. A small crowd collected, and a considerable hubbub followed. The -two or thiee men m whose charge the delinquent was placed could do nothing with him, and a. sergeant's guard; was sent for from .the .mi m body* who continued their .exercises under Captain Gaineri ; The guard wasordei ed to take the man tot he: police Station 1 , but evidently desiring to use , persuasion rather than force, a good deal of time was wasted, as the ofFen~ der wcfuld not be persuaded. Some among the crowd interposed and i&- i quested Lieut. King to accept j an apology, but he refused, and indeed, the prisoner showed not the least desire to apologise. King lost his temper and his dignity, arid continued to repeat : — " March Ijim oil', men. - Serjjeant, do your duty. Sergeant, you have got your stripes ; do 1 your duty. Take' him at once to lW i j«olict'-statiou.- If he^wilt-.iXoij go quietly, I >indhim band an<!foot,and take liiia iv a sliug. March him off, men. Sergeant, do your duty. Fix swords. March' ''Kim bff 'sergeant/' •"■" ' At length' ,with their swords harmlessly directed to the starlit /tieaVehs, 'the guard marcluVd the man to the police station, accompanied by : a ciowd' bf bbys, sjnginii as they went the " soldier's " refi-am" " Roll the old Chariot along.". Some remnants of respect fur the feel* ings- of the, prisoner no doubt suggested iHat the" other 'familial' air jand words " Will you go; oh, will you go ?" would be mtlier too { rough on hiui; seeiug that he miist go. The doors of the station closed upon the principal actors, and the painful scene ter»ui. natnd. . : t „ , . , ! This ni'orning the' offender, -whoso name is John Frakliu, was charged ; before the Resident Magistrate with drunkenness, and with liehaving m an insubordinate manner to his supe. rior officers whilst on parade. He j pleaded guilty to both charges and pleaded the first admission m extend* { ation of the second offence, and m- | •• disposition as the cause of ; the first. J Aliijor Routledge and Captain Garner gave accused a very good character ; he was well liked by his comrades, and thi« was the first time anything had been 'brought against him. The accused was fined 10s and costs for drdnkeimesfi, .m default 48 houis ; and for insubordination he was fitied' 20s and costs, and : 86iiditor'» fee 20s. : (Mr Corn ford appeared for the Company.) His Woiship said be would have made the fine heavier but tor the goad character given the accused. . >