IRISH VOLUNTEER CORPS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1339, 12 May 1885, Page 3

IRISH VOLUNTEER CORPS.

An adjourned meeting of the intending iagmfaera of the proposed Irish Volunteer HJorps was held last Saturday night In the Staf'Hotei, Temuka. Owing to the inclement, state ef the, evening, the attendance, was hot so large as was anticipated, dnly about 30 persons being present.. On the motion of Mr McS. Geitlemun, Mr O'Halloran took the chair, and explained what had been done since the previous Thursday ereniug. On that evening he had been appointed one of the Committee to communicate with Col. Lean. He had telegraphed .to that gentleman to the effect that ail Irish Volunteer Corps which, had been formed offered their Bervices, and asked whether there was any chance of their being accepted. The reply sent by Major Newall was that it was impossible to say, but that they should make the offer by sending a list of the names to Wellington. He thought the answer encournging. If there was no chance he believed Major .hewall would have said so at once. He had now a list ready for anyone to sign that wj&hed to do to. From what he had heard from such of the Temuka Bifles as he bad apoken to, he believed they would have no difficulty in getting the übb of the Volunteer Hall by paying for the lighting of it and also of the rifle range. Lieu- . tenant Findlay had promised to be present, . but owing to' business engagements he had not been able to come. He believed the expenses would not be great, as they could do with, undress uniforms for the present. On the motion of Mr Corcoran, seconded by Mr Quinn, it was decided to aign the list and forward it te the Government. Twenty-seven names were then placed on the list, and 34 others were accounted tor, besides several whoee names had been given in but were still " doubtful. .On the motion of Mr, Corcoran, seconded by Mr Angland, it decided to give lists to certain representatives in •ach district, so as to get names on them,

and to le»ve the principal Hat at the Star Hotel; also, that the Hits be returned to Mr O'Halloran on or before Wednesday next. On the motion of Mr Quinn, seconded by Mr O'Halloran, it was resolved — " That Messrs O'Halloran, Quinn, McS. Qentlemuo, iand Twomey be appointed a sub-Committee to receive the lists and forward them to the Government; and that they have power to convene either a general or a Committee msetiug at any time they deem advisable." Mr Quinn proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman. He had given them a good deal of information and had evidently taken great interest in the matter. He hoped the corps would be accepted, and that their present Chairman would be placed at its head, and, if he were, he was sure he would do honor to himself and give satisfaction to the corps and to the Government under which they lived. (Cheers). Mr McS. Gentlemun seconded the motion, and it was carried by acclamation, j

Mr O'Halloran, in responding to the compliment, said that anything he had done had been a pleasure to him. He would always be only too happy to forward the interests of the corps.

Mr Corcoran said that before the meeting concluded there was one matter they ought not to forget, and that was to pass a Vote of thanks to Mr Twomey for having originated the movement. He had met some opposition in the beginning—at least, he could see from reading the report of the first meeting that he had met with a good deal of hostility—but by energy, perseverance and courage he had overcome it all, and he had now the satisfaction of seeing around him as stalwart, and fine a lot of Irishmen as could be found in any town in New Zealand. If they were accepted, as be believed they would be, he had not the slightest hesitation in saying they would be a credit to themselves and the country, and the honor of having called them into existence, belonged to Mr Twomey.. He had therefore great pleasure in moving a vote of thanks to Mr Twomey for having inaugurated the movement. Mr John Angland seconded the motion. The Chairman, in putting the motion, said no one was more deserving of a vote of thanks than Mr Twomey. He had worked perseveriogly"; he had met with rebuffs and opposition of which the meeting knew nothing ; but he had stuck firmly to his purpose, and he hoped he would yet hare the satisfaction of having originated the crack corps of New Zealand. (Laughter and cheers). Mr Twomey said that thanks for anyhe did was to him a sensation seldom experienced. He had frequently striven to deserve thanks in this district; he had done his best in many instances, but he supposed his best was never deserving of recognition, for in no instance had he before now received the very cheap recompense of a vote of thanks. Thanks for what he had done in this matter was quite unnecessary, because anything he had done was to him a labor of love. It was true he had met with a little opposition before the matter was properly understood, but he had the satisfaction to see that not only those who were opposed to him in the beginning, but all Irishmen in the district —without any regard to religious opinions, from the grey-haired grandfather down to the grandson—had I flocked around him to prove to the world ; that they were loyal and true when required. (Cheers). This made him feel that he had done right, and that compensated him [a hundred times over for any trouble he had taken in the matter. It was to him greater pleasure than he could express to see all clasacs of Irishmen uniting so harmoniously together for the purpose of preparing themselves to defend this beautiful land from any fcreign invasion, and it was to prove to the world that they were raady to do so that he had taken the initiative in this matter. He knew that Irishmen were unjustly accused of disloyalty, and he thought that by proving that they were loyal they jrould be raised in the estimation of their fellow colonists. He earnestly hoped that it would have this effect, and that henceforth their fellow colonists could feel certain that in the hour of need they would have the Irishmen with them shoulder to shoulder and ready to do aud to dare all that was necessary for their mutual protection. He thanked them most sincerely for the enthusiasm with which they had passed the vote of thanks; he thanked Mr Corcoran specially for the very flattering and eloquent manner in which he had inoved it, and he earnestly hoped that if their services were accepted they would be a credit to themselves and an honor to this colony and to the land of their birth. The meeting then adjonrned.