A Volunteering Danger.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 102, 16 May 1885, Page 6

A Volunteering Danger.

Amid the spontaneous and highly-gratifying spirit now animating these communities, there is a " rock ahead," to which it is advisable to draw timely attention. From Invercargill and elsewhere come reports of proposals to form Irish companies ; in a district in Wellington province a German corps is being formed ; and it was seriously proposed the other day in Auckland to organize a loyal Orange company of Volunteers. The danger to which we refer is palpable, and consists in the likelihood of circumstances arising which would render Volunteer Companies so formed totally unreliable and worse than useless. What, for instance, should we do with a body of German Volunteers in the not unlikely event of a difficulty arising between this colony and the German Empire over some South Sea question? Or supposing our Volunteer forces to be called into the field at any emergency, how ehould we keep the Orangemen from turning their fire on their brothers-in-armsinthelrishcompanies, a,ndvicevena ? The danger of allowing distinctly foreign companies to form part of the defence forces of these colonies was forcibly shown at a meeting held in Melbourne to form a German corps,at which 250 people attended. The speeches, with one exception, were all delivered in German, and here are the sentiments of one speaker :—" Germany, he j urged) had spent an enormous amount of money in training her male population as 8oldiere, and he did not see why the bene fit of this expenditure should be given to England. Germany wanted her own soldiers, and if the Germans in Victoria wished to enrol as soldiers letthem go on behalf of the Fatherland to Ne«v Guinea, where their services might possibly be required." Though these views weredieavowed by other speakers, there can be no doubt that Germans have very kindly feelings towards their Fatherland, and though not fond of war, would fight in their country's cauBe in preference to any other. In these isolated colonial communities, excitement over disfant events sometimes teaches a high pitch, a* we have witnessed during the Franco-German war, and at the time of the Fenian rising in Ireland; and at such times the existence of armed bodies of men, with sectional and national feelings and prejudices would be distinctly inimical to good order and tranquillity. While | in no way disparaging the loyalty and j bravery of thoee with whom the proposals for such corps have originated, we therefore hoH the better way would be for naturalised foreigners, Irishmen, and Orangemen toeurol in the ordinary Volunteer corps in the district where they reside. They will thus completely identify themselves with the community, and will best testify their desire to act the part of loyal coloniBte and subjects of her Majesty the Queen. This was the course recommended to the Germans of Melbourne, and the advice is equally applicable to this colony, where we are happy to say the Orangemen have shown their good sense by refraining from forming separate companies.

The first prize in the Druids Art Union drawing -a freehold allotment and house at Melbourne, valued at £450 -was won by Mr £, Baetia, a settlor at Palmerston*