VOLUNTEER MEETING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1332, 25 April 1885, Page 2

VOLUNTEER MEETING.

A meeting of the members of the proposed Geraldine Corps was held in the Young Men's Club rooms, on Wednesday evening. Mr W. M. Moore was voted to the chair. After reading the minutes of last meeting, which were confirmed, the Secretary reported that when the Defence Minister was in Timaru he had telegraphed to him to know whether the services of the corps had been accepted or not. A reply had been received in the affirmative from Mr Ballance's private Secretary. The Chairman said the telegram was the only official notice they had as yet received of their acceptance. As the corps was anxious to get to work, he had written to Lient.-Col. Lean, asking him for information re their enrolment, etc. Colonel Lean had referred the letter to Captain Newall, whose reply the Chairman now read. Captain Newall's letter stated, inter alia, that the corps' application had been forwarded to Wellington, and there was hardly time, since Mr Ballance's return thence for him to have sent his official reply down. The forms of enrolment and requisition forms would come down from Wellington at the same time. He thought that as far as could be seen from from the Volunteer Act, and from Captain Newall'a letter, they could not proceed with the enrolment till they had the forms. Mr Ward said they need not wait for the forms. He thought if the oath was now taken before a Justice of the Peace the forms could he filled in afterwards. The Chairman, for the information of the meeting, read the enrolment form given in the Act. He (the Chairman) thought they had better wait until the forms were received. He expected they would have been down in time for this meeting. Mr Pearpoint then proposed, and it was resolved —"That the enrolment be left over until the forms are obtained, there being other business before the meeting which will taue some time, and the enrolment would take the whole evening." The Chairman said lhay could choose their officers at this meeting, and, he would ask them them to propose two

gentlemen aa Lieutenan* and sublieutenant. For the former loffice Mr B. H. Pearpoint waa unanimously elected and Mr Geo. Ward for the' Utter. The election of the non-commissioned officers waß left until after the enrolment. The Chairman said it wus his duty, as Captain, to appoint a Committee to assist him in managing the affairs of the corps, and he would submit the following names to the meeting for their approval :—Messrs R. H. Pearpoint, Geo. Ward, T. Hughes, E. Hardcasth, G. H. Patrick, J. Farre'l, and L. Newport. The meeting having signified their assent to this selection the Chairman suggested that a Committee be formed to draw out a set of rules. Mr Ward suggested that they should writ* to the Temuka and Timaru Rifle Corps for a copy of their rules. He had no doubt that as a lawyer was at the head of the latter corps, he would see they had A good set of rules made out. Mr Pearpoint said that as these rules were formed from the model set given in the Volunteer Regulations, a Committee should be formed to discuss and draw out rules from the model set. After some discussion Mr. Pearpoint put his suggestion in the form of a proposition, the following to form the Com-mittee:-Messrs Moore, Ward, T. Sherratt, F. Worner, and the mover. This resolution was put to the meeting and carried. At the suggestion of the Chairman, Mr Pearpoint added to the resolution—" That the Committee make enquiries re a drillshed, and also select a section on which a hall might be built at some future time, the Committee to report to next meeting." TLe Chairman suggested, and it was agreed to, that all the members meet on Tuesday evening next, irhen it is expected the enrolment forms will be down from Wellington, and the members could then be sworn in. The Chairman, and Messrs Pearpoint and Ward arranged to meet Captain Newall at Winchester on Tuesday morning next. This being all the business, a vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.