VOLUNTEER AMALGAMATION.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 514, 1 May 1880, Page 3

VOLUNTEER AMALGAMATION.

Sir, —l bad not intended to join in the controversy respecting the amalgamation of the Volunteer companies in Patea, but the letter of “ Volunteer’’ in your issue of the 29th instant compels me to notice a personal attack on myself. I deprecate exceedingly that cacwthes scrihemh which makes any person with a fancied injury rush into print to air his grievance, and this is especially the case in this question. I know of no support or patronage given by cither the general public or the Government which would authorise the interference of public opinion in a matter which concerns the private business of the Patea Rifles; and Ido not understand how the general public can ho supposed to be better judges of a technical difficulty than the men (who understand their own affairs), and the most of whom, 1 am sure, have no desire to “ wash their dirty linen” in any place but at home. As to the attack on the officers, I will say this, that the officers were the chosen of the men by election, and consequently have been a mark ever since for the disappointed ones. This is not a fault so much of the officers as of the elective system, and until a corps is formed all the members of which shall bo major-generals, I do not see bow it is to be avoided. The officers of botli Nos. 1 and 2 companies have, so far as I have seen, fulfilled their duty in a manner the men have little to grumble at. They have taken interest in both drill and target practice. Again and again have I seen the whole, of the commissioned officers present, when only lialf-a-dozcn of their men took the trouble to parade to meet them. Nor arc the men to blame. The corps was not formed in tho way most Volunteer corps are formed. It. was a Defence Force, organised for the sake of providing tins district with arms, and training tho settlers to use them. No one who saw tho first drill at Mr Hirst’s shed, and compares that drill with the last inspection evolutions, but woidd he ready to confess the enormous difference in the utility of the corps as an armed force. Most of the men this time last j'ear. hardly knew the butt from the muzzle of a rifle, and could not load one with any danger to the enemy. Now no man need he ashamed to stand in the ranks,of tbo Patea Hides. To tho officers, and especially the noncommissioned officers, the credit of this improvement is due.

'l3ut much remains to bo done. Those who joined in a time of danger showed their courage and readiness to help to defend the district in which we dwell ; but they did not possess either the love of Volunteering for its own sake, nor the patience which would sacrifice time and amusements for the purpose of improving in military drill. A time has come when the corps, if it exist at all, must get past its infancy,' in a military sense ; must be ready to team battalion movements so as to bo able to join Wanganui or Taranaki on field days. Before this can be done, a groat deal better and more constant attendance at the drill shed must be the rule. The personal attack on myself in “ Volunteer’s” letter centres in aninsinuation which nobody could mistake, when he says; “ Members of No. 1 company have never been allowed unlimited leave of absence and then been credited with attendance thus strongly imputing that members of No. 2 company have been so credited. The captains of Volunteer companies have almost as many forms and returns to fill up as the officers of the regulars ; with this difference, that they receive no pay for the time they devote to the services of the country. Will the gentleman who skulks under the signature of “ Volunteer” kindly inform the public who would bo benefited by the accounts being falsified ? —I have tbo honor, &c., EDWARD TREGEAR. Carlyle, April 29.