SCOTTISH BATTALION and NAVAL BRIGADE.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3397, 11 November 1879, Page 2

SCOTTISH BATTALION and NAVAL BRIGADE.

The members of the Hobson, Victoria, and No. 3 Auckland Volunteer Companies xv: re entertained at a dinner at the Naval Hall by the Naval Brigade and Scottish Battalion after the review yesterday afternoon. There were about 350 present, and au excellent cold luncheon was provided by Vol. Forgie, which was evidently enjoyed by those who partook of it. Major Murray occupied the chair, and Lieut. Gaviu the vice-chair. After the usual loynl and patriotic toasts, the Chairman proposed " Our Guests, the Auckland Volunteers." This toast was drunk in bumpp.rs, and with musical honors. Major Derrom, in responding, thanked the Scottish Battalion, Naval Brigade and Thames Volunteers generally for the handsome manner they had been entertained while on the Thames. Major Murray had requested him to cut everything short, and he was sure if he did not ho would be cut short himself by being i left in the mud. He must compliment the Thames volunteers on the excellence of their discipline aud their esprit de corps. They were superior to the volunteers of his own district, which he must say was in a great measure due to employers of labor. In the Thames the Volunteer movement received every encouragement. In Auckland it was different. The volunteers were mostly young men, and they had to go down on their knees almost when they wanted to get| awny to drill. (Lieut. Connolly : " That's i!ot true." Confusion.) He said emphatically yes—it was true. Lieut. Connoly was only one employer of labor, and it was probable that it was because he was a volunteer that he was an exception to the rule. (Cheers and cries of " No, no.") Lieut. Connolly's contradiction of his statement was in the worst possible taste. (No, no.) He further thanked them for their kind treatment to the Auckland corps.

Major Derrom proposed the toast of the " Thames Volunteers," which was drunk heartily, and briefly responded to by Major Murrny. " Our Next Merry Meeting" was drunk with cheers, and the Aucklanders marched off to the steamer accompanied by a large number of their Thames comrades.