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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1230, 27 March 1880, Page 2

We are sure that people as a rule like to see other people enjoying themselves, and that yesterday, when the volunteers from the south passed on their way to Christchurch by railway the general desire was that they might have ;i pleasant trip. But some of the southern volunteers have somewhat marred the occasion, as a number of northern volunteers did at Dunedin when returning from the Invercargill Eeview. These men. as will be seen from a telegram published in this issue, entered a shop at Ashburton and pillaged it, the proprietress being rendered helpless through sickness. We do not for one moment suppose that these pillagers knew that the proprietress of the little shop which probably contained all she had in the world was sick. Nor do we think that such a knowledge would have deterred them from indulging in such a rough and inhumane practical "joke." That they were drunk there can be little question. Such men, we suppose, would view any interference with their imbibition of intoxicating liquors {is unwarrantable. Perhaps they have a right to abuse themselves to their hearts' content. But when they drink till they lose all the characteristics of manhood, save what remains of their physical semblance to it, it is surely time for some one to interfere. This drunken freak should cost these men something that would convince them that the game was not worth the candle. The proprietress |of the store will, we hope, be able to mnke an example of the delinquents that will prove a salutary lesson to them and to others. For the sake of the reputation of our Volunteers, it is to be hoped that their more sensible comrades, who are no doubt cognisant of the act and the names of at least some of those who performed it, will not endeavor to screen them from the hand of justice. Most people have heard of soldiers, when in action, perpetrating such deeds, either in joke or earnest, and have felt for the victims. But one can scarcely realise the fact that, in this Colony, men who should be possessed" by a spirit of the greatest good nature at such a time and on such an occasion, have imitated some of the worst traits of soldiery induced perhaps under the somewhat extenuating circumstances of privation and hardship, "We cannot help thinking that such disgraceful orgies as these should not be permitted to occur. The Dunedin scandal of about a year ago should have taught those in authority over our "Volunteers a little caution. But there is, perhaps, less excuse for yesterday's outrage than for the bacchanalian night-fcrawl of Dunedin, Surelv these men should have been under the eye and surveillance of their oflieers while in transit for Christchurch. Too much strictness cannot be exercised in the treatment of such men while on such a journey. The more stringent the discipline, the better the man and the more efficient the soldier. In each carnage there should have been f.httioned an officer, whose duty it would be to keep the men in his charge under perfect control, and onlv permit them to leave their places under his escort. This may appear to be too much interference with the liberty of the subjeot, But v.e think that "a lit tie reflection will convince most people that if men become soldiers they should be subject to the discipline and restrictions of their position. We cast no reflection on the thousands of admirable Volunteers that form our Colonial army. The misdeeds we have mentioned are fortunately confined to a few. But good and ; bad alike should be subjected to the strictest official supervision in order that such occurrences might bo rendered almost, if not quite, impossible. To return to the Ashburton despoilers, we suggest that, failing the meting out of other just punishment, they should be drammed out of their corps. We suppose that the operation would not make much impression on the minds of such unprincipled men, but it would prevent them from repeating their blackguardly revel, and act in a salutary manner upon obhers who might be inclined to be similarly festive.