Volunteer Intelligence

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1044, 4 March 1882, Page 2

Volunteer Intelligence

The J Battery Volunteers and Band paraded at the drill shed on Thursday evening last. Colonel Whitmore, who is on a visit to Gisborne, attended, accompanied by Captain Porter. Many of the townspeople were present and took a large amount of interest in the proceedings. The men were put through their drill by Captain Winter, after which a squad immediately fell in and manned the sixpounder. Sergeant Nelson, Drill Instructor from Napier, has had the men in hand for about a month, and they certainly showed great proficiency in handling the gun last Thursday night. The Sergeant, who is a thorough soldier, speaks in high terms of praise of the efficiency and obedience of the Corps while attending to their drill duties. After they were dismissed, Colonel Whitmore addressed a few remarks to the Volunteers present. He was sorry to hear that the J Battery had no fieldpiece of their own, and stated that he intended to do his utmost to procure one for them. Volunteering in the Colonies, the Colonel observed, should be encouraged in every way, and it was only right that the Volunteers here should have every encouragement. He thought the gun drill was gone through very creditably considering the short time they had been learning —only a month. At the Finance Committee meeting the question of the Easter encampment was brought up. After some discussion it was finally decided that Captain Garner, of Napier, be communicated with, in order to ascertain if the F Battery could come to Gisborne, or the J Battery visit Napier, so as to amalgamate the two Corps at Easter. We believe a wire was sent to Captain Garner on the subject, yesterday, and no doubt the Napier Volunteers will readily agree to join our local Volunteers in having a good Easter campaign.