The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 36, 12 February 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1870.

Br the local papers we see that Colonel Harrington is at present on an official tour, inspecting the various Volunteer corps in the southern provinces, and, we are told, that he is shortly expected, in Nelson on a visit of a similar nature. Iv Canterbury there has been some difficulty, owing to its being harvest time, in obtaining full musters, and therefore the Colonel will be partially prepared for the sight that will in all probability greet his eyes on the Nelson parade grounds. There was a time when the volunteering spirit was strong amongst us, but now all that is changed, and an Inspection Parade is the occasion \ for some twenty men and officers, chiefly the latter, appearing on the ground. But this state of things is not confined to Nelson; in Auckland, the papers are commenting upon it, and in Wellington the muster roll is called over in vain, not more than one-third of those whose names are upon it replying to them. In fact, i volunteering has degenerated into a mere [ farce; so long as the novelty of the thing j lasted, and the uniform had all the polish 1 of freshness upon it, so long did officers and men attend parades regularly, and get through their work in a creditable manner, but now the drill has become stale aDd monotonous, and the brilliancy of the scarlet coats is fading away, and no funds are provided either by tbe General or Provincial Governments to replace thera, and consequently the ranks have dwindled down to something less than a quarter of their original numbers. But we do not attribute this melting away of our volunteers entirely to the fact of tbe novelty having worn off. Of course, there were many who joined the force for the sake of the uniform, or, perhaps, because for a short time it was all the rage to handle a rifle, but there were others again who entered into it heartily, and would still, were they well supported, adhere to it, but that they see that the whole system ie a rotten one. No means exist of maintaining discipline, and without discipline, volunteering is simply playing at soldiers. Under the present regulations, a man, on being found fault with by his officer, coolly turns round and demands his discharge, which the Captain, subject to a short notice, is compelled to grant — and this is what is called training men for the defence of the colony, forming a nucleus for a future army, and other equally absurd expressions. If volunteering is to be carried on at all, it must be under very different, and far more stringent regulations, and, unless such are adopted, we hope that the General Assembly will, at its next Session, do away entirely with what is at present nothing more than a ridiculous farce.