ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 25, 4 January 1864, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

*WB DO NOT HOLD OURSELVES RESPONSIBLE FOB THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY 008 CO-RESPONDENTS. (To the Editor of the Invercargill Times.) Sib.— -Ha ving reside"d in Invercargill for a considerable period, and knowing the deep, interest' you have at all times manifested towards the wellheing of the : community "at large, "together with the fact that the columns of>your very valuable journal > are at all times easy: (of 'access, particularly when your fellow colonists tire -oppressed, or. require a grievance of serious" nature to be redressed, I venture to address -you. Unfortunately our Taranaki papers, if -I '-am justified in so terming -rthem, are only accessible to a chosen fevr. lam one of two hundred and fifteen men who -arrived here -from Otago arid Southland as military settiers! aridvolunteers in.. August, and in consequence of tne inducements" lield out to me by" 'the recruiting sergeant , (Mr Mace),': I thought my -fort unp was secured.; nevertheless^ taking all matters into consideration'a better or a '"milder/ climate you need'not wish 'W" : de3ire;and' as for the/inhabitants^ generally, and the young ladies particularly! why.a nicer orJleoeriter kind of people you could not meet at this : side of -the beautiful Lakes of Killarpeyl JJut as; there -is another Vecruitir»g; sergeant {Mr Carthew), sen* to Otago to enlist about.one hundred more military-^etflera for this district, arid as I^h^ye two brothers Duncan: and Patrick,knock"ingfabout either at "Fox's or the Hogb/iirn, or: per/haps'at the Bluff .railway, and fearing that they ; may:take-'example/;:by' me, I hope you. will insert 'tins i letter, in order ; that 'they may Know how -we are getting- on here,, and what they iriay ;expect if they : e6mo.over amongst us. --'We beraiin August, and were immediately placed undei- the command of aa officer named Jamie Wurst,; who very/kindly handed us 2s 6d,a man, to enable us to procure some grub, and in the afterno^Q we were marched to the, blockhouses in the " vicinity of the town, served out withrifles/ammunition,!percussion caps, blue shirts, and highlow boots, and told oS for sentry duties, : the allowance of rations issued to us daily being one pound of meat (beef), arid one arid bne-fourthlh.of bread^ (sbort.cbmmons and noniistake for. Winton Bush -and Manuherikia.boys.) "Mr Wurst Coirimarided Lus until the latter end of September, arid: employed some of: us, favorites of course, /tO -point and work about .his home, this was not a bad boon, as it exempted i«s frbmi : simtry dutyVifcridi '.: afterwards enabled us to mount' the ladder of ascendency. Tl-i- officer became so universally admired among us that, upon the eve of his being returned- to /assume'his.positipn in his-own;corps (No 2 militia); ;we acknowledged his semees;in a very -irespectful mariner, and confined our intentions' and i good ; opinion of him to writing, whiph; we presented him/ and which he did not -fail to forward to Sir George, requesting * that His /JSxcelleacy ■ , would/ be 1 gra.ciously pleased to grant him a Captaincy. Some people here tliink that this was t»0 p^ on ~his part; 'but Ithitrk it /was'not altogether si outlandish as that of one of Branigan's discarded troopers, who applied^^ fotf a^Lieut.-Colonclcys bi k .owrse both were ritfusod, and the Governor has al

i Heast jipap ; 7th is,.oceasiorlui/ proved/himself ja7yery | l^V/ell nbwpfcfr EdltprAtw badl / "as the*bld peeler Wns :^sbme pedple'sayhe/sawsome/ -' Service, and got a bnl lin the/thigh on Jthe^ Ovens. I /in 1853, whcn.<:abtur>nig;Bungaree Jack,:and alsp7 * a'tiptlter Gr^efcTpalled ;Toby*/afc?Rockg | /hamplbn^nHß6TL '' H^^rp-MrTW^str'sh^ / U nne wojltl-^ of command/ and can' neverj fail ■to command esteem and respect. With the exception of the late Mr. Trumpeter King, a ; .more popular man has never assumed command in *7'Tar^llu;'^'Abbut^ . commotion toolcplace: amongst. us, as the appointments were about, rtojbp .fiiaile— promotions, I "hitiah ; such a'class of applications was never known BrftaWs/ilost/^ sailors,- barbers',* bakers;* Srtldters-j peelers, weavers, drapers, besom-makers, hawkers; : cooks,.-ginger-"bread tand .lollipop retailers,: sly-grog • sellers; and retailers, besides car enters, shoe-makers; farmers, ' blacksmiths,: wheel Wrights, musicians, printers, and I believe 'gentlemen executioners, lawyers, doctors * or, quai'ks^in abundance, and. B,pme gay gentlemen " -lbafersVbut' I. re£ret*tb inforfti'you'that only a few of this respectable body,pf._mechanics asd artisans Ao., were seltfcted-as'-fit? to wear the golden ,' epaulets Bu as this is only one. of d series! of /letters which-* I' intend forwarding you for insertion, and my; having to describe „ .the- £ general* demeanour,' previous occupation and lineal descent of 11 captains, 11, lieutenant*, 11 ensigns, some subordinates jand other myrmdio'.s. I will defer it to next mail, particularly .as, the„steasner ls.abput Jeaying; and 'besides it -is- fitter 'to-cOrnmenee at' the fop of tb§ register list. , But I .think,.. ,you must be jvery hard - --lipl for 7 good'"- men*' in Otago and Southland, when His Excellency's ministry are compelled -to select a full private of the Taranaki Braves to proceed to Otago and South- . land for.tlw.p.urpoße of ,raising.;or.enli3tip^andther pompany/bf men., and A for. which/ service, when ' effected, a'-captaincyawaits ! thefbrtunateindividual. Can it be true that there are rib Cameron's j'M 'lCelLar's.M -Leans, M'Nabs, Lalors or Campbells among you qualified to command your own people ? ; -*. Why» . _ c ? ea _.^ y.P u JTere hard . up, you havej an Indian hero of high standing in your Resident Magistrate Captain Mat hew Price, besides a Bali laarat officer,- in Mr /T. K. Weldon. What is still stranger-/ they have soma 58th and 65th Color- Sergeants/ who are qualified to hold .appointments of any kind, andi the authorities are so deficient of common senseirrespective of justice— that they cannot see this; but this is the Commanding Officer's business, riot mine. Butas MrlPatrick M?Rea)/a f poor/wounded Larice-Cbrporaf of No." 6, "was tolling ihe yesterday. Major St. John. / Herbert, C-.8.-,gan:pld officer and favorite of your invercargiilitcs, and a scioh - ; of .hat house situated so pleasantly tin tlie Kates, and known as Muekross with its 305 windows; is about to assume command of us as Lieut.- Colonel. We expect a great change in -our. Ami-Military administration here shortly. //VV/e . had . a grand turn out yesterday- ori-Poverty Flat, bommemorating the anniversary of tho Primitive Methodist Sabbath ••:'; School.'- There->" was -7-a lot «f: nice young women -there, arid they'did no t appear in either Wellington boots, or crinolines as yourlhvercargill ladies used to do when I wasamong you, but I suppose the streets are bettor now; I beg to remain, yours, &ci: -D.OIfCAK StTLLIVAW, -.- I No* 6 Company, Taranaki Militia. Taranaki, Deo. 10th, 1863.; ' "