VOLUNTEER REVIEW.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1999, 26 May 1885, Page 2

VOLUNTEER REVIEW.

The review of tho Wairarapa Rifle Volunteers was held in Masterton yesterday in a paddock convenient to the town, kindly placed at the disposal of Major Bunny by Vol R. McKenzie. At a quarter past 10 o'clock the Masterton Volunteers, to the number of fifty, fell in in front of the Courthouse, Captain Donald being in command, the cadets numbering 32 rank and file under Captain Grundy, A large crowd of holiday makers stood by and were evidently pleased with the smart and soldier-like appearance of the volunteers and cadets. The company was parched up to the station to meef; tjie trail] that was to bring the other three Wairarapa Companies up. The band, M'ldpr the leadership of Mr D. fapwprth, played lively march ttqnes, and wfis no doubt the attraction that induced some two hundred of the public to follow. The train arrived just as the local corps reached the station, and the visitors were loudly cheered on alighting, The weather was everything that could bo desired, and quae a marked exception to the generality on the Queen's Birthdays, The various companies fell in in the order of their seniority. Greytown was first company, numbering 33 rank and file, under Captain Webster and Lieuts, Cameron and Varnham, Masterton followed, with 50 rank and file (including the band, which numbered 10), under Captain Donald and Lieut. Cameron. Carterton came next, with 34, under Captain Bennett. Then came Featheraton, with 34, under ActingCaptain Lieut. Brunskill, and Lieut. A. Donald. The Cadets followed, Masterton, numbering 31, under Captain Grundy and Lieut. Thompson, being the senior corps; Greytown, with 23, under Captain Porritt and Lieuts. E. W. Porritt and Tully; Carterton, 20, under Acting-Captain A. Moore and Lieut. Darroch ; Featheraton bringing up the rear with 27 rank and file, under Captain Bunting and Lieut. Toogood. Major Bunny was in command, with the stall', and Sergeant-Major Bezar. The Honorary Chaplains of the Corps were present, represented by the Revs. Paige (of Masterton) and Weston (of Greytown). The Honorary Surgeons were conspicuous by their absence, The who e marched down to the town, preceded by the band, and drew up in front of the Courthouse, and after <i short halt, proceeded to the grounds. Queen-Street was lined on both sides, and eager onlookers occupied all tl]e windows and balconies available along the route, and when the men had arrjveel qn the field, there could not have been ltssp than }2OO people, including the 300whoVere taking part in tho active proceedings of the day, The men having been drawn up into double line, ten rounds of ammunition wero served out,

and a fen de joie fired. The right hand man of the front rank- started, the firing, and it ran 'down • the whole front line, and up the rear rank. The third round was decidely an improvement on the iirst and «jfr>nd rounds. The order was then to fix swords, and the band struck up " God save the Queeri," the male portion of the spectators standing with hats raised during the time the National Anthem was played. Major Bunay then called for three cheers for Her Majesty the Queen, which was responded to lustily, amidst waving of hats and handkerchiefs. Bayonets were then unfixed, and the. companies were put through battalion :drill by.Captain Bennett, who manoeuvred the companies fairly well. Officers.and"' men were placed at considerable disadVanV tage by being unable to obtain moreJtfrequent instruction in battalion drill. There should be, if possible, 1 a monthly meeting at one or other of "the townships for this purpose, and until some such arrangement is made the men will be as strange to the manoeuvres as they were yesterday. Bayonet exercise was indulged in, and on the order to " prepare to receive cavalry" the men formed square in capital style, and blazed away at the imaginary enemy at aerate that would have secured them againstatnv number of troops. Fortunately the inunition which had been served to them ran short, and the square having been brought into line the companies broke off for refreshments. To supply some two or three hundred soldiers withrations ata momenta notice would have taxed to the utmost a much better arrangement. than was provided yesterday for the Volunteers. However, the men got over all difficulties in very good spirits, and soon despatched the sandwiches and tea provided. After the recess it was deemed advisable to take advantage of so many Volunteers being assembled together, to "judges distances; this occupied some able time, so that there was no opportunity to have the bayonet competition which . was expected, and shortness of ammunition prevented the officers from putting the men through the skirmishing exercise, About half past three o'clock the march past and salute took place, Major Bunny standing on a hillock where the " Union Jack" was flying. The various corps marched past in very fair gjder, but not with the solidity of Rcfflws. The local corps was at a great advantage in being uniformly dressed, The Cadets had evidently been well drilled, and deservedly were praised for the manner in which they marched past, and went through the day's drill generally. The various corps having been brought'into : olose order, were addressed by Major Bunny, who congratulated them upon the manner in which they had gone through their drill. He said it was two years since they had met to celebrate tho Queen's Birthday. Last year: the • lamented death of the Duke of Albany had caused a postponement, and then wet weather had set in, and they had been unable to meet, and he must say that considering they had only twice met • as a whole under his command, theyhjigone through the various manoeuvres ' that day with credit to themselves and ' 'satisfaction to him (cheers). He trusted they would meet again that day twelve . months. The Cadets were a credit to their fathera, and to the whole district (cheers). He should liko that they could . meet more frequently, It was impossible for single companies in country districts to comparo favorably with Wei- . lington, where the whole companies could meet every evening for battalion drill, but he thought if the services of the Country Corps should be wanted, altliMgh their uniforms might not be equal td®slQ Town they would give a very good account . of themselves, (loud cheers). He concluded by again expressing his great pleasure at the way they had gone . through their exercises that day, and was heartily cheered on concluding. The whole company was then marched back through the town four deep, preceded by the band, whilst the shouts of the people along the line of the procession, showed in what estimation they held men who voluntarily devoted so much time to prepare themselves to defend their country. .. At the Post Office a halt was called and those who intended staying were dismissed, and the remainder marched to the Station en route for their variflU destinations, The Ball, The annual ball of the Masterton Rifles was held in the Theatre Royal during the evening. Thero were about a hundred couples present, many qf thq visitors having stayed behind in order to attend. The band qf the corps supplied very good music, and dancing waslfcept up till the early hours of the moi'ii^p.