LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 332, 26 February 1863, Page 3

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

. . - Wanganui. Before I>. S. Durie Esq.. R. M. Feb. 17. Wirihana was fined 20s and costs 7s 6d for drunkenness. Ob as Williams was fined 10s for drunkenness.

Feb. 18. James Boyle was fined 5s for drunkenness.

Feb. 23. Frederick Ellis was convicted of desertion from the 40th regt., and handed o\ er to the military authorities. He was found out at Foretell.

Dramatic Entertainment. —Mrs. Foley and her party continue to delight the audiences that frequent the Concert Hall, with their vivid representations of life and manners. Those who saw Mrs. Foley on 1 uesday evening in the tragic part of Baehel Hyland and the comic character of Gertrude —both well sustained—must a lupre the versatility of her talents. Air. Webster is not only admirable in genteel comedy parts, but can declaim and act in the more difficult line of tragedy with great beauty and power. Air. Howson’s forte lies in broad farce and in all charsc ters he .elicits roars of laughter- Air. Singer’s execution on the Pianoforte and Harmonium, is an agreeable variety in the intervals, and altogether an excellent evening’s entertainment. It appears that we are to be favoured with only four more.

South Wharf.— This whars was commenced last week. We believe the contract has been taken by Mr. Mailman for £175, the Government supplying the timber. It is expected to be finished in about 10 or 12 weeks. • Drayman.— A letter with this Signature the other week should have been referred to sooner. The p gravel complained of as obstructing the road was not removed sooner because the punt had grounded and®could not 9 be got off till the tides began to-make. Wood is still left at the same place of the road, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Mi\ Nixon who will, we suspect, take other means to enforce the clearing of the road, if his rfiendly caution is without eifW,. Herbrt’s Prizes. —Our townsman-mi-; ittbert G.ray. who gained the first pri/e offered -by Messrs. Hebbert to tlic \ olun-

teers of this colony for good shooting, received his prize by the steamer last week. It is a. short - Enfield, made by Hollis & Son, with a barrel of about twice the thickness of that of the medium Enfield used bp the Volunteers, a correspon-dingly-small bore very nicely finished,’ and a neatly ornamented stock; It is lb lighter than the medium .Enfield, and seems a good weapon, just such a piece as the too notorious -Gumming might choose if he were again fitting out for Africa. ’ ■ ■ _ ’

Earthquake.^—There was' a shock felt here on-Monday at 1.5. a.m. The motion lasted about a minute, and seemed to corne from the South. The Magnet was not affected by it, as is said to be the case in japan.- Not the slightest damage was done—not even a plate broken. ; New Auction Noons.—Messrs. Taylor ■Watt and Co., open, their new moms to-day with -an extensive sale. These -rooms worthily complete the large range of buildings on three sides of a largo .quadrangle, in which these gentlemen carry on their extensive business. The auction room is on the ground floor and measures 42 ft by 24 ft. The room above is. 60 ft. by 24 ft., and there is a large opening iu tho middle of the floor which gives ample light aiid air to the lower room, and which will also give accommodation if the lower room is overcrowded by a large number of buyers. There is a neat rostrum for the auctioneer at one end of the room. Behind is the counting house, with a small fire proof room for books &c., and every other convenience.

VOLUNTEER MEETING

'I he meeting adjourned from last Wednesday, was held yesterday evening in the Rutland hotel. There was as full an attendance as at the previous meeting. The Regulations drawn up by the Committee appointed for that purpose were, submitted to the meeting by 1. Powell, Esq., the chairman, ? and after some explanation respecting various clauses had been given, were carried unanimously. These Regulations are the following, and in order to show more:distinctly the alterations in the old Regulations we have printed in brackets the : words deleted, and in italics those substituted. Omit ting the matter in brackets, the l'eader has the Regulations as passed.

Whereas by a Circular of the 4tli Feb., from the Major Commanding the local forces of this district (enclosing copy of a despatch from the Colonial Secretary, dated the ‘22nd January last), the General Government have invited an expression of the sentiments of the settlers of Wanganui with respect to any objections they may have to the existing Volunteer .Regulations, and requesting suggestions with a view to their amendment. In compliance with the above a meeting was held on the 18th instant for the purpose of obtaining the views of those interested in - the matter, when the following suggestions were adopted as amendments on the present code of Volunteer Regulations. VOLUNTEER REGULATIONS.

[WHEREAS by an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand, intituled “ The Militia Act, 1858,” it is enacted that it shall : b'e lawful for the Governor in Council from time to time to make, vary, and abolish Regulations under which the services of Volunteers shall be accepted in any Militia District; Now, therefore,' His Excello aay the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Executive- Council of the Colony, -aiid in exercise of the powers in this behalf vested in him by the said recited Act, doth hereby make and ordain the following Regulations under which the Services of Volunteers, shall be accepted in any Militia District .within the Colony]:— Preamble.— lt- was proposed that, for the future, all connection with the Militia should cea-se, and that a spjccial Act be introduced at the next session of the General Assembly, constituting the Volunteers as a distinct force, superior to the Militia.

1. All such Regulations heretofore made are hereby abolished. 2. There shall be no limit to the term of service, of any Volunteer : Provided that any Volunteer'shall be entitled to be discharged, at the expiration of One Month’s notice in waiting given by him to the Officer Oommanding the body of Volunteers to which lie may belong of liis own desire to be so discharged; and, in case such Officer Commanding shall be satisfied that urgent necessity exists for the discharge of any such Volunteer before the expiration of the said Mouth’s notice, he may give him his discharge accordingly. - 3. JEvery Volunteer shall attend to be trained and, exercised at such time and pla -ea as .shall be [appointed] decided on by a majority oj each troop or company by notice in any Gazette or Newspaper, or by verbal order issued by or by the authority of the Officer Oommanding the body of Volunteers to which lie .may belong : Provided always "that no Volunteer shall be compelled to' attend on more than [one hundred and sixty eight hours] fourteen days in any one year. 4. No Volunteer shall be absent during any part of any time appointed for training and exercise ; and every Volunteer who shill offend against this regulation shall for such offence; [forfeit and pay any such sum not■ exceeding £1 as shall-be fixed by the officer commanding, as aforesaid, which sum, so fixed, shall be recoverable in a summary way by any officer of the body of Volunteers to which the person so offending may belong.] have his term oj servitude sufficient to entitle him to a grant of land or other reward extended—for the jirst offence, one month; for second. offence, three months : for third offence, six months ; and fourth offence, in any one year,-expulsion. ■ - ’• '• ! 5. No'Volunteer who shall, previous to the issue of a summons under the foregoing Regulations, produce to such Officer Commanding as aforesaid a Certificate signed by a duly 'qualified Medical Practitioner, that such absence was unavoidably caused, by illness, or satisfy the Commanding Officer of Ids illness, and no Volunteer who shall be absent, having duly obtained leave of absence from such Officer Commanding as aforesaid, shall be liable to the penalty set forth in the foregring Regulation. Provided always, that any Volunteer so absent on leave shall.attend drill on'some other day, to be named by the Commanding Officer, in lieu of the regular parade day on which he was absent. 6. If any Volunteer’s arms or accoutrements shall, in the opinion of the Officer Oommanding as aforesaid, be in a defective or dirty state, he shall forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding-two shillings and sixpence, to be fixed and recoverable in a summary manner [as aforesaid] by the Officer Commanding the district. 7. If any arms, accoutrements, or other Government property shall be lost, destroyed, or injured in any way other than on service, a line not exceeding jive times the value of the arms, accoutrements, or other Government property shall be paid by the ."Volunteer in •ffi.isif. charge they were. Such fine shall be fixed by a -i nf Officers appointed for that purpose by the Ofhcci ck« •• as aforesaid

upon: consideration of the circumstances, and if not paid to them on demand, may be recovered by the Officer Commanding as aforesaid, on behalf of the Government, in- any Resident Ma- • Ms brate’s Court in the Colony. ■ ° 8. If any Volunteer shall not deliver to the Officer Commanding as aforesaid, the arms, accoutrements, and other Government property entrusted to him as a Volunteer, within' [three] fourteen'- days after an order to that.effect shall , have been given to him by the Officer Commanding as aforesaid, he shall lie liable to a penalty [of] not exceeding Ten pounds, to be' . recovered in a summary-way. ■ 9. All Commissioned Officers shall ---b-s appointed by the and naihes "for 'that - purpose shall be submitted to him (tlu’ough the Officer Commanding as aforesaid for Ilia approval,) by the Troop or Company to which they are 'proposed'.to he appointed. No Commissions will-be issued (un’ess to Officers -who have held commissions in the regular service) until the candidates,are found fit after examination. 10. All Non-Commissioned Officers shall be elected by the Troop or Company to which they are to be appointed, and shall be examined by the Senior Officer of such Troop or Company, and ifgpassed as competent shall be appointed by the Officer Commanding as aforesaid. . ■ ; .11.- All Volunteers shall be subject to -the" provisions contained in .the- following Sections of the “Militia Act ISSB,” —namely, [l,] 3,5, [6,] 7, [B,] 18, 19, 20, and 22, and in tho following Sections of. the “ Militia Act Amendment Act I860,”—-namely, 10, ( 1.1,. 13, 14, 16, and 18 —these ' being altered to suit' the- proposed new Act. . ; .- 12. General Parades of all the Volunteers in each district shall bo held On a fklay iu each [quarter] half year to be fixed by the: Governor: [OO. Each Troop or Company which shall consist of sixty Volunteers or more shall receive from the Government annually the sum of seventy-five pounds ] . 33. Each Volunteer, ■ after [four] ft re years* service as-, such, sha-lb-beat all times thereafter exempt, from attendance for training and exercise in the Militia; [half] the whole period of . service of Volunteers under former Regulations . [this day abolished,] shall he allowed to reckon. 14. Every Volunteer shall take the following " oath, to be administered to him by the Com- . manding Officer of the bony of Volunteers iu which lie intends to serve, or by'[the Adjutant of Militia] either of the commanding officers of the troop or company he intends to join : — • I, do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful and hear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen 'Victoria, and that 1 will faithfully serve iu the ’ until I shall be lawfully discharged. > •’ • 10. In the construction of these-regulations, the phrase “Officer Commanding ” shall, incase of his absence from the District, or incapacity to act bv reason of illness, or any other cause, mean the officer of the same body of Volunteers next in seniority. 16. lathe case ofauy Volunteer Officer being killed on service, his family shall be entitled to such pension as they would have been entitled to hail he been an Officer of the same rank in ’ her Majesty’s regular service; and,.in the caseof a Non-commissioned Officer or Private being •killed on service, he shall, for the purposes of ■ such pension, he taken to have ranked vyitii an Ensign of lI.M. regular forces; and in the event of the itemise of any Volunteer before the e.vpird- : lion of his term of service, his family shall be entitled, to the same privileges as if the said term of service had been, completed. 17. 'ln . the event of any Volunteer being, so seriously wounded or otherwise injured when on service as to prevent his Obtaining a livelihood, ' he shall be entitled , so long- as he is so disabled, to 'receive a ptension according-to the scale named in the foregoing clause.

} ' This meeting would suggest, fmv ythe consideration of the CploaiaPCrOvermnent,. the advisability of the following - 1. That each Volunteer should he entitled to receive a grant of laud for each five years during which lie sliali have served ; such grant to be ;of uniform amount without regard to the recipients’ rank in the service* . 2. The creating of a. New Zealand Colonial Decoration to be .given to any Volunteers who mays'distinguish themselves in actual service. 3. That Companies of ' Volunteers should he distinguished by names and not by numbers ; and that when there., shall he -two or more Companies in one district-their precedence on parade shall be determined by the result of a competition in ball practice every six months. 4. That where practicable, the ammunition for ball practice shall always be taken to the filing ground.by some,member of the paid staff. 5. That in the ease of cavalry corps, forage for the horsos should be provided on parade days by the Government. 6. That all Militia officers he excluded from auy Board of Volunteer officers that may sit in this district.

The meeting approves of the proposal in Colonial Secretary’s despatch, Clause No. 0, and, seeing by Clause 5 that uniforms have been ordered, propose that the different companies accept the same, provided they are approved of by the respective companies..

RANGITIKEI

'A fatal' accident took place ■in the Lower District last Thursday- John McKenzie, the eldest son of Mr. T. U. McKenzie of Fointzfield, was helping to draft cattle at Mr. McKelvie’s, when one of the mob charged his horse and knocked if over. .The young man fell under the horse and was so severely crushed internally in the dower part of the body, that, lie only survived two hours. He was carried' home and died before the Doctor arrived, who, however; could have done nothing for him. The deceased, who was about 17 years of age, was a youth of great promise, and his sorrowing relatives are deeply sympa* th-ised with bv all in the district.

VOLUNTEER MEMORIAL FROM RANG IT IKE 1 AND TURAKINA.

We understand that the following Memorial has been drawn up in this district, and will be numerously signed :

To the Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Auckland. .. . . ; , We, the undersigned resident settle.is in the RangatikLElectorrl District, having read the Circular published by the General Govern neuf, upou the Volunteer movement, asking adv ce as to the best means of inducing settlers to join the Volunteer Corps and giving permanence to the Volunteer organization,; respectfully beg to submit the following ideas for the consideration, of the Government.

We may preface our remarks by stating that the substance of. the following communication has not been hastily arrived at, but has been frequently .discussed, and after mature deliberation .has been considered the most efficient means of permanently .establishing and making popular the Volunteer Service.; ‘

We are of opinion, that ap Volunteer’s at the present time are fnp’t; sufficiently distinguished g on* Miiitia-jiien., but afe, turder the,present Militia Act, commanded and lia 1 le to be called out as Militia men, and are not sufficiently under the control of the officers chosen \y themselves

and are in some respects placed in a subordinate position to the Militia, a special Act should be passed in .the next session of the General Assembly, to be called the “ Volunteers’ Act,” whish act should strictly define all the duties, privileges, and mode of organization, of all Volunteer Corps in the Colony of New Zealand. Arid, whereas by the ‘ Military Supplies Customs act 1862,’ it is enacted , that it shall be lawful fot the Governor to declare what articles may be issued free of duty for the supply of Her Majesty’s sea and land foree? : Now,.we would ask that all first-class men (hereafter to be defined) in the Volunteer Force should be placed in the same position, and be entitled to receive the articles paying Customs duty, free of such duty—all such articles being defined in the N ew Zealand Gazette published on Thursday, January 16, 1863. ' We propose that all Volunteers should, join the Force.as third-class men, and sh ould — rise~ Tnt<r"tlre second - class —upon obtaining a certain number of marks from their officers,, certified by a General Inspector of Volunteers, for good conduct, attendance at parade, good shooting and judging distance, efficient drill, good order of, arms &c. An additional number of good marks would pass men from the second into the first class. The not obtaining the requisite number of marks will keep men in the third and second class. Thus the general efficiency of the Volunteer Force will be very great from the efforts made by all its members to. rise into the first class.

That after a service of five years, all Volunteer officers and privates should be entitled to. a free grant of land i n the same pro.poi*tion, according to rank, as officers and men now obtain in Her Majesty’s sea and land forces after their discharge and settlement in the colony.

Although we have not entei'ed into details in this communication, we shall be prepared to do so at a fitting opportunity, should the Government desire it.

That our readers may see the precise extent of the grants requested in the above Memorial, we may mention that the articles delivered free of duty to the Army and Navy, in accordance with the Order in Council referred to. above, are the following : Chicory, paying a duty of 3d. per lb.

The articles are delivered on the’requisition of the Commissariat officer, and as regards the medical comforts, on that of the principal medical officer at the station. The duty-free supplies at present issued to. the army are, per man, per annum : 3 lbs. 13 ozs. tea ; 7 lbs. 10 ozs. coffee ; 45 lbs. 10 ozs. sugar ; 10|- ozs. pepper ; the d,uty on the whole of w-hich amounts to 7s. Tobacco may be drawn for a Company by their Captain, the quantity being left to his option. It, however, and rum are considered indulgences, and, are Only issued on." field service. The Land Grants are : To a Commissioned Officer, 400 acres. „ a non- do do 80 ~ „ a Private - 60- „

Chocolate, „ » 3d. „ ,, Cocoa, „ ». 3d, „ „ Coffee, „ „ 3d. „ „ Medical comforts, including Spirits, paying a duty of 9s. per gal. "Wine, ’ „ ,, 3s. ,, ,, Ale, Porter, and Beer, paying a duty of 6d. per gallon, in wood, and Is. per gallon, ip bottle Oilman’s Stores , duty, 4s. per cubic ft Mustard, paying ,, 4s. ,, „ ,, Pepper, M „ 4s. ,, „ „ Bum, „ „ 9s. „ gal. Sugar, „ „ Id. „ lbTea, )» ,, 4d. „ ,, Tobacco, „ Is. 6d. „