THE TARANAKI VETERANS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 46, 19 March 1909, Page 3

THE TARANAKI VETERANS.

ANNUAL GE-UXION. 1 lie laranaki \eteians Association were iinfortuniUe ill the choice of the dati. on account of the weather for their shooting mutch, which was'held yesterday on the lille lange at Waiwakail.o. I lie shooting was for trophies and ensli orders presents! bv the local busmen people, Mr. (.;. Allium and Captain John Jtluck having received leady response on tli>;ii- re(.-nt ( aptain Standisli, vice-president of the Association, was in charge 0 f the arrangements. Many „[ "u,,. vl , t e ra „, showed that the eye had not lost it, fuming or ihe hand its steadiness, and some excellent scores, were registered. I litortnnatoly, the full score-siloU is not available. The highest score was made by .Mr. (.'.Oliver, of Mangorci, with a total of 07 (the possible 3.5 at 2111 yards and 32 at 30(1 yards). M,-. A. Oxenl.ain also made a possible at the 200 yards. Tile competition was concluded in the ruin. THE DINNER.

In the evening there w;,., a goodlv gathering of the veterans at the Troeadero, where a capital dinner was served by Mr. George Ilalc, the proprietor. After thoroughly enjoying the repast, the company settled down to a '•free-and-easy." Captain .Mace, X.Z.C., presided, and proposed the health of his •Majesty the King, the sentiment being vociferously honoured. Captain .1. C. Davies, in response to a request lor a recitation, related a humorous story concerning an incident that happened on active service in .South Taraaaki. His Worship the Mayor. Mr. (i. Tiscli, proposed "The Army and Navy," and ill doing so compared the old-time

" wooden walls of England," as represented by Lord Nelson's " Victory," and the modern ironclad "King Edward VII," both of which he saw during a recent trip to England. Captain Mace responded to the toast, stating that, in tile old days the colonial volunteers' preference was for the navals. lie related an ineuient in whicjt the Taraiiaki Volunteers were practically reprimanded for inarching in front of the regulars. It was frequently stated that in youth Africa the first organised volunteers fought for England, hut, as they all knew, the first organised British volunteer force under lire was in tiie i'aranaki Maori war, the volunteers not only fought side by side with the Imperial troops, but had also led them into action and brought their rearguard out.

r ; J' Walker, who was present in the lighting in South Taranaki, explained to the gathering a misconception that existed as to the date and locality of the light at Te Ngutu-o-te-.Manu. Mr. W. F. Gordon proposed the toast of "The Jlilitia and Volunteers." lie recollected many of those- who took part in the battle of Otuutau and other engagements. Forty years ago he had had the lionour of being in the band which played the volunteers down to the Wellington wharf when they left for I'atea, prior to the battle of Te Ngulu-o-te--\lanu. In mentioning the valour of the militia and volunteers in the early days, he quoted the words of the late Colonel MucDonald, who said the men who covered the .'etreat from Te Xgulu deserved to have their names inscribed in gold and encircled with laurels, !lnd amongst those men the colonel hud mentioned their comrade Captain William Xewlaud.

Captain Bellringer, of the Taranaki Killes, in responding, lie considered it an honour to be amount men who had done so nmeli for their country. When he took up volunteering first, oni.v a few .years ago, he was struck by the paucity of the records of the old volunteers, and he was fortunately able t" secure the aid of -Mr. I'onn to compile a history of the Killes. He hoped someone else would take up the matter or compiling the history of the iarauaki Militia. He then presented to the veterans a reduced facsimile of the Xaranaki Itilles' colours as a memento of their early days. Captain -Mills, of the Taranaki Guards, added his tribute to the men who had protected the homes of Taranaki in the early days. He had an idea that greater attention should be given to the eadel movement. He congratulated the veterans upon their shooting performances of that afternoon. "The Mayor and Borough Council or >"<nv Plymouth-" was proposed by Captain J. C. Davies.

Mr. Tiscli responded, and extended a cordial invitation to the function to be held at Moturoa, in reviving the anniversary day of Taranaki. Jle concluded by toasting "The Veterans." The chairman responded and thanked the local volunteers and other people fur coming together with tlie veterans for the enjoyment of that .social evening, lie would like to see this function made an annual one, and thai it .should grow, every veteran bringing along a friend, and thus adding to the enjoyment. He impressed on the veterans the necessity for " aiming up to man" at the anniversary celebration in the course of a week or two; at the unveiling of the hatchment*; and at the unveiling of the monument on Marsland Hill. He had always hoped to sec this monument erected, and lie believed now that he would live to see it; though at one time he "thought it was a case of 'pickles.'" Captain Black thought the toast of "The Veterans" would bo incomplete without giving credit to Captain Mace, N.Z.C., for valour in the field. To him was due the credit for promoting the movement to erect tlie monument on Marsland Hill.

Captain Mills proposed " The Ladies, response being made by Scrgmit 11. Newland, Privates JJ. liva and \V. Jving. " The Press " was proposed liy the chairman and responded to by the Daily Sews reporter. A hearty vote of th:;,iks was accorded to the nenniilUv who had arranged tile day's and evening's enjoyment. In proposing this. -Ml'. J. Andrews, of Tikorangi, paid a tribute to the energy displayed by Captain Black, secretary-, of the Taranaki branch. The health of the .committee was drunk with musical honours, Mr. G. A. Adlam responding. Veterans contributing to tile musical programme were Captain •). C. Davies (Mounted Volunteers), Lieutenant K. Wells (Volunteers), Colour-Sergeant Oliver, Sergeant Frank Oliver, Sergeant: John Dull'in, Private G. A. Adlam (Korly third). Private John O'Donncll (Fiftyseventh), and Private l.ovcridge. Sergt. Dnll'in's song. "The Diehards."' was composed by himself. Other items were given by Captain .Mill-. -Messrs. Perry ami Staples, and one of the markers. Mr. AY. Perry played the accompaniment*. "Aiild Lang Syne'' brought a very sociable evening to a close at about IUO p.m.