CAPT. SMALL REPLIES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4242, 5 August 1882, Page 3

CAPT. SMALL REPLIES.

(To the Editor of the Evening Stae.) »ib,~When I saw in your journal some extracts from my pamphlet, " Suggestions relating to the Defences of New Zealand and the Re-organisation of the Volunteers." I anticipated a critique of some sort upon its merits or. otherwise from a pen capable of dealing with the subject, and was prepared to accept the same in a proper spirit, if adverse. Judge of my surprise and amusement when I perused the so called Review which appeared in your issue of the Ist nißt., under the norn devlume of "General Utility." This is the first time I have been made acquainted with the original idea that a man's dress or decoration was a.weighty consideration to be taken into account when criticising his writings. Surely, Sir, " General Utility " must be a lorn genius, whose talents are lost in such.an obscure locality as the Thames. The London Times should engage him to write reviews, as his contributions would undoubtedly astonish its readers. With regard to those medals of mine, which ; appear to bo tit*; orn in fhe flesh to one or two others besides my present critic, en passant allow me to remark they were not won at the rifle range, nor yet among the ammunition waggons, neither were they !stf>lpn. but were presented for actual service : one from the Imperial Government, and one from the

Colonial for two distinct wars and two

different services. He.goes on to say, " This is the first time I recollect seeing Volunteer service in time of peaceadvanced ,8s a military-careej." Oh, fie ! This sort of reason would render of no value all the - experience which our worthy.Commanding Officer has had in his career as "an officer of Volunteers. " Captain Small throws out a most vindicative insinuation on the capability of- the Pariliaka contingent." This assertion is about as truthful as the greater part of " General Utility's " letter, as the public may judge by reading all that is said in the pamphlet about Parihaka, when it will be seen that tlie Parihaka force is dealt with as a whole, and that neither the T names nor any other district is particularised. Perchance it may be that " General Utility" found the cap specially to fit himself, and hence the mistake. My reviewer proceeds, " The Captain bemoans the loss of Major Ccoper, when there was rot a greater grumbler than himself at the Major's partiality and favoritism for a particular corps." Just so, and Captain Small alw&ys will growl when partiality and* favoritism are indulged in by any Commanding Officer. For instance, if such grossly partial conduct as permittingoneor two companies two parades in the month to count as monthly inspections whilst the remainder are only allowed one parade, the result being that the Government would be led astray as to actual comparative attendance. If such proceed - ings as this or of a like nature came under the writers notice he would certainly

grumble,, and he hopes to some purpose. The idea of the absurdity of Government servants being Volunteers without remuneration remains to be proved?; I uphold that it would be both workable and right, and

am agreeable to contest this point, with your permission in future issues. " General Utility" condesendingly admits " There are some good points in Captain Small's scheme, but they have been advanced times before by other men." As he does not mention to what point he refers, this is a mere assertion of no value. • With regard to the concluding insinuation " that I " carefully guarded " against the pamphlets issue in my own district, let me say that I have no objection and never had to the whole of its contents being published in any newspaper, providing its reviewer was not a personal enemy, so that the volunteers and public might be in a position to judge for themselves, and not through the medium of a jaundiced case personal attack upon the writer as is the in " General Utility's " miscalled review. If in future this person or others desire to vent personalities, let them have the manliness to sign their names; on the other hand if they deal with principles by all means use a norn de plume if it pleases them. Another genius, yclept " Ensign," adorns your issue of yesterday with such a tirade of inextricable confusion that he

intends probably to crush Captain Small and annihilate his pamphlet. If general -abuse, including such terms as egotistical, incapable, conceited, inefficient, &c, be taken, for argument, then indeed the Senior Captain is vanquished. The whole letter bristles with animus, which is the only clear feature in it. " Ensign," when you write again, please gaard yourself from exhibiting your enmity in such a palpable manner, as such a course only condemns ithe writer, and renders his production worthy of. the greatest contempt. Who may you be, anyway, as an authority upon Volunteer matter ? Capt.

Small's experience has been acquired as , follows :—IB6O, one year in the Earlton ' Rifles, Victoria; 1861-62, two years No. 1 Battery Melbourne Artillery: 1863-68 about two years Commissariat Transport Corps, and three years Ist Waikato Regiment; 1869-82 Thames Volunteers, with an interim of about fifteen months in

the Engineer Volunteer Militia. With regard to. his Tr'ansr jrt service there is no „ occasion to be sajfettied, it was one of which as a rule more hardship had to be endured than in any other branch; daring that period opportunities were presented of studying the workings of the various line regiments to a greater extent than there would have been under other

circumstances. Your advice to "retire gracefully" is respectfully declined, although you and a few others I could name would rejoice at this consummation . of your hopes. What do you mean by this sentence, " I should very much like to see it, and a smart independent inspecting officer to put them through." Is this an insinuation that Major Murray is not a smart or " Independent inspecting" officer. Now Ensign you must not talk of superiors thus, or you might get into trouble. When you write again, Hammer and Iron, sign your name like a man.—l am, Ac, J. Stobjiont "Small.