The Canterbury Recruits.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 992, 29 October 1881, Page 3

The Canterbury Recruits.

The Christchurch Press of Friday week says : —The men selected by Mr. Coleman, to the number of 161, assembled at the Drill-shed yesterday afternoon, at 2 o’clock, when they were inspected by Colonel Packe, who expressed his satisfaction at their appearance. The recruits were marched to the railway station, and were received with cheers by the crowd assembled there. A special train was in waiting to convey them to Port, and on its arrival at Lyttelton crowds of people had gathered near the station, as it was expressed, “ to give the boys a chee.r” The Lyttelton brass band turned out and marched in the van of the not by any means “ awkward squad ” to the steamer jetty, where the Hinemoa was lying in readiness for the recruits to embark. Mr. Colemad took his stand on the bridge of the steamer close to the gangway, and addressing his able-bodied detachment, none of whom had been permitted to board the steamer, he enjoined silence while he called the roll. As each name was uttered, the owner of it responded with aloud “ Here, sir,” and bounded upon thejgangway, and thence on the deck of the steamer. Without wishing in any sense to moralise upon the scene as reflecting upon the overdue state of what might be termed the highly genteel labor market, it could not but have occurred to those who took a survey of the 161 recruits as almost incredible that such a number of well and stylishly dressed men could have been enlisted in Canterbury. The majority ol them were new arrivals or recent arrivals probably, and there were young men there the native-born sons of well-to-do-parents, youths whose love of adventure, more than their need of employment, prompted them to offer their services. Be it said to the credit of the whole 161, that not in a single instance was a recruit when his name was called found to be, to use a common phrase, “ with the sign of drink upon him. J ’ Mr. Coleman has undoubtedly done well in bis selection, and if the other parts of the Colony contribute as handsome a body of recruits to the force as left by the Hinemoa yesterday, there need be no apprenension that in physique anything will be lacking in our representatives at the front ” Many hearty cheers were given by the crowd on the jetty as soon after four o’clock the steamer left the wharf, and three hearty cheers from the steamer rang out for the Lyttelton brass band, when the lines were cast off and the order given “ full steam a-head.”

For continuation of news see 4<th page.