HIGHLAND BRIGADE MEETING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 16, 13 May 1871, Page 6

HIGHLAND BRIGADE MEETING.

The adjourned meeting of the newlyorganised Highland corps was held at the Empire Hotel on Tuesday night last at 8 o’clock —Mr George Crawford in the chair. .About thirty persons were present. The Chairman regretted that the meeting was rather thinly attended, though they could not expect a better attendance under the circumstances, as several meetings were on that evening; many of the corps were absent in the country, and others at Wanganui. He had not received from the Government any notification that the services of their corps had been accepted; but he believed such a course was not usual; and as the Government had officially announced it in the Gazette, they might look on the matter as settled. As everything of a preliminary nature was settled, the Chairman said the only thing now to be done was to swear in members and elect a captain and officers, as they could not go on any further without officers. Major Paul had kindly consented to attend the meeting in order to swear in members, of the corps. A conversation took place on the matter of dress, and as to the election of officers, during which the meeting were favored with two scales of prices for Highland costume, which were widely divergent. The Secretary read a letter received by Mr Sidey, from Mr Winslow, Dunedin, advising the corps not to think of an expensive uniform, as that was the chief reason why a Highland corpßin Dunedin came to grief. The writer gave the following prices:—Bonnet, with £3 18s; kilt, £2 15s (which not one man in fifty could properly put on) ; sporran (not to be procured in the colony) £1 15s; and that the officers* outfit would cost about £SO. The writer concluded by advising the adoption of the undress of the 42nd Highlanders. MrLockie then produced a regulation list of prices for one of Her Majesty’s Highland regiments of the line:—Bonnet, £2 9s 8d ; coat, 18s Id ; kilt, 13s 9d; plaid,

6s 3d; shoes, 8s 3d; hose, 3s 9d; sporran, 10s 6d. To provide against the contingency of members of the committee being absent from town, the names of Messrs Moffit and Macdonnell were added to the committee. The meeting was then adjourned till next Monday, when members will be sworn in and rules adopted. Begarding the election of officers, the meeting seemed to be of the opinion that that was a matter better deferred until some proficiency in drill had been attained, when the members would be better able to decide as to who would be the best men to select. A vote of thanks was given to the Chairman.