THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Véritè sans peur.” Wanganui, January 29, 1863.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 328, 29 January 1863, Page 2

THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Véritè sans peur.” Wanganui, January 29, 1863.

Recent events in. connexion with the Volunteer system forcibly recall to recollection the famous address of Bombastes to his army, consisting of two soldiers, a drummer, and a fifer, whom he dismisses in the following terms : r “ (Confidentially) Meet me this evening at the Barley Mow, I’ll bring your pay:—you see I’m busy now. (In . a loud commanding tone) Begone, brave army, and don’t kick rip a row.” In the case of the Volunteers, alas t there is no pay fosthooming, the last decree on the subject being, that the. money promised to* full companies in aid of their equipment is not to be paid. The Volunteers are henceforth to be clad in the livery of the state, to be assumed while they are in the service and given back when they leave it—their successors no doubt, re assuming the cast-off garments as far as they may have escaped the-moth. Whether or not the object is an economical one, the result will prove so in a double sense. There will be fewer uniforms needed at first,, and these few will satisfy all the requirements of successive Volunteers for some time to come. Perhaps the resolution of the Fox Ministry to give 25s to each meinber of any company numbering 60 men was the most effective, as it has been the most direct encouragement given to the Volunteer force since its organization. But this encouragement is now withdrawn, and with it the one great spur to companies to keep their number up to the mark. Under this stimulus the Wanganui Cavalry Troop had completed the required numi T ber, putting forth exertions to obtain recruits which they would not otherwise have made. Now that the number has been completed, the strongest incentive to maintain it has been withdrawn ; and it will become small by degrees and beautifully less, until it shall reach the appearance on paper which it: did, not long ago, on horseback. And so with Volunteer companies generally. This last alteration, however, is but a sample of the system which lias been followed for the last three years in giving alternate encouragement and discouragement to the Volunteer force. During that period there has been more legislation, more commands and ' countermands, more memoranda and letters about the New Zealand Militia than perhaps were devised and issued during any period of the same length in the course of the Peninsular War. Each successive Ministry have shown their interest in the movement by undoing most of what had been done by their predecessors, and issuing new regulations which, whether better or worse in the abstract, weie worse in reality, because disgusting, on account of the change, to the men carry-

mg arms. It is to this constant issuing of new regulations and conditions of service, more than , perhaps to any local causes, that the present., low state of the Volunteer force throughout this island is attributable. In no place except Taranaki, and scarcely even there, does it present a decent, appearance. Where "first, as in Auckland and Wanganui, all was life and zeal, there is now apathy general and conspicuous. Merely local causes could not have produced such indifference, if not disgust. But the alternate patting

Ministry, arid by the several Ministries in succession^-all, of -course, we are to believe, well-meant; but some, we know, excessively provoking—are a cause quite adequate to the production of the effect. Local mismanagement has no doubt had something to Ido. with it. ’] he vacillation apparent at Head-quarters has been exhibited by local commanding officers. Discipline has at one time been, too strict, at another too lax. Parades and drills, following each other in such rapid .succession as to irritate arid disgust,Gbave been succeeded by _ months of torpor,, to be ended by another burst of ill-directed activity. The attempt to drive every man- into the ranks, whatever his moral or physical disability, has been followed by the acceptance of any excuse, however unsatisfactory. . Now, this want of a well digested system, both of general and local management, has already done much injury, and if continued will no doubt ultimately ruin the - Volunteer force. Not much matter, some may say, for all the good it will bver do. As on most subjects, there is a good, deal to be said on both sides. But most will admit that an efficient force of Volunteers—'Volunteers not in name but in reality—may be of great use iri the preservation of order, and even in defence of the countiy, and that moral as well as physical advantages are gained by those . subjected to a course of efficient discipline. The question is, how is such a system to be established arid maintained 1

For anything we know to the contrary there could not be a better officer at the head of the force than the one at present in command. But we think some benefit might be got by the establishment of a Board or Council for the control of the Volunteer force. This Board might consist of a lew military men and as many Volunteer officers of the highest rank in the force. Such a permanent Board of Management would . insure consistency and stability to any system introduced. It could suggest measures to the Government, and could revise measures proposed by the Government. It could settle disputes arising in the force. It would give Volunteers- security that they would not enrol to-day under one set of regulations, and be disbanded to-morrow, to be enrolled the riext day under uew rules; and it w-uuld also give them confidence in the general administration of affairs relating to the force. We do not know that there is any legal objection to the estab 4 - lishment of such a Board ; and we have little hope that the Volunteer force will ever be effective unless some such mode of management be instituted.

A rather important case under the Scab Act was decided by the Bench of Magistrates on Thursday last, in a manner which has : surprised' us., ... It would ill become us to set up our opinion in, opposition to the united wisdom ol the Bench, especially when, as in this case, one of the Judges happens to be one of the very legislators who 1 made the law., which he is now administering, and should therefore know.what It means. : But still we ea,nnot help thinking that the Magistrates have in this- case allowed their anxiety to put down a very reprehensible practice to overrule their judgment in regard to the proper meaning of the statute according to which their decision must necessarily be given. The defence was raised on the ground of the defendant having acted merely as an agent or servant of the proprietor of the sheep, said defendant having parted witli the sheep when they left his ground, and therefore not being liable because he happened- to assist in driving them into town. The clause: of the Scab Act which touches on. this point runs as follows :- ■:/.

“2.' If any person shall, by himself his agent, or servant, drive, depasture, or suffer to stray, any sheep or lambs infected with either of the diseases known, or called, “.Scab or Catarrh, ’ aersos or upon any land not being the property of or rented by such person, and not being land of which he shall have the right of pasturage, or upon or along any public way; he shall be subject to a penalty of not less than £lO nor inore thans £IOO. ”

Five out of the- seven.. Justices on the Bench at.the timer.concurred in thinking that the clause, “ If any person by himself,” is quite indefinite and* means any one whatever —principal or subordinate. On the contrary, we should think the meaning of this clause is qualified by the words following, “ his agent, or servant,” and that its reference is limited to the principal, to whom alone liability attaches, the i agent' or servant having thus no responsibility whatever. If this is not the cas e_if the magistrates’ opinion is correct,, then shepherds in Wellington. Provinceno longer enjoy that simplicity and freedom from care, which from time immemorial have been consdered the characteristics of their calling, but must be constantly harassed by the apprehension of pains and penalties' for simply obeying their masters’ orders. We hope the defendant in this case will carry out his intention to bring it before the Supreme Court, so that the meaning of the clause in question, may Le authoritatively settled.