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Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 235, 2 May 1868, Page 2

Final acceptance of the services of the Westport Volunteers by the Government having arrived, it is now intended to proceed at once with the official enrolment, election of officers, arrangements for uniform, &c, &c. For this purpose a meeting will be held at the Court-hourt on Monday next, as announced in another column, and we earnestly hope it will be as large and enthusiastic as that held when the idea of the corps was first mooted. From that date may be said to begin the recognised existence of the body, and having made so good a start Ave trust there will be no falling off in interest nor a disposition on the part of a large majority to look back after having once put their hand to the plough. As was publicly stated by Mr Pitt, at the dinner given to Dr. Eockstrow, the Westport people have been most earnest in the cause hitherto. They freely and promptly came forward when there was a probability of their assistance being required, when they were almost unarmed, when the only gain to be secured was the very probable prospect of a broken head or limb or even worse, and their sole reward a consciousness of having done their duty. Their conduct, in a time of danger and difficutly, was deserving of the highest praise, and the public can ill afford, even though the then clouded state of affairs is passing or has passed away, to spare the disinterested services of any portion of a body of men who behaved so well when real peril stared them in the face. It is a well established truism that to maintain peace it is necessary be prepared for war, and there is no doubt that the cause of order will suffer nothing from the fact of a well drilled and well armed body of Volunteers being resident in our midst. At the same time it is our anxious and heartfelt hope that beyond Westport may they never be engaged in anything but their drill and rifle practice, and that the only contests in which they may ever be called on to take part will be at the butts in prize and match firing. Having made so good a commencement it would be a great pitv to find that from any cause whatever "the promised strength of the corps fell away, especially now as arms for a large majority have not only arrived but been distributed. When drill has advanced a little further practice firing will commence, and then really begins the pleasurable part of a Volunteer's career; and what is more, those who never let a gun off in their lives have just as good a chance of becoming top scorers, if they pay attention to the instructions given them, as the most veteran sportsman who has bagged his scores of brace on the wing. Strangely enough, in our own experience we have known men in Victoria who now are numbered amongst the crack shots of that colony, who scarcely knew the difference between the muzzles and the stocks of their pieces when they joined. On every score we trust that but few defections from the experimental, we may so term the first roll, will be found, and that the muster on Monday will, at least, be enough to form two tolerably proportioned companies from. This portion of the work accomplished, the next question, and the most important perhaps as far as the welfare of the corps goes that they will have to decide for some time, will be the nomination of their officers. Of course, all know that in volunteer parlance the members only " recommend" those nominated for the different grades, but in point of fact the Government really allow them full discretion, and only reserve the power of approval before appointment, in order to hold a wholesome check pver any improper selections that might, under certain circumstances, be made. To this portion of the programme we would urge the members to give their most mature consideration, for on the officers they select will the prosperity and the credit of the corps depend. Whoever is chosen requires a number of attributes scarcely ever found in one man. The captain, for instance, should possess daring, judgment, coolness, should have his heart in the cause, have an imperturbable temper and resolute firmness. He should be a man that would not be likely to be carried away by either interest or passion, should be in a position to secure the confidence of his men, and should be at all times and places, in his own conduct, the beau ideal of what a volunteer should be, but above all things should be a working man in tho cause. By a " working man" we

refer to no position in life, but simply to a man who has the credit of his company at heart, and who spares no pains or trouble to render his men efficient, but at the same time, imposes no frivolous or vexatious duties on them. There are many in the corps fully fitted to do credit to the captaincy, but we would not for a moment presume to point out one or other, and in making the above remarks, we wish distinctly to be understood, as not referring in the least degree to any individual. We merely wish to prove the importance of the election of officers generally, for on a judicious choice, as we have before said, everything depends. The Westport Voluuteers have hitherto earned nothing hut good will amongst those whose opinion is worth speaking of, we have no fear that their subsequent career will bring about any change in that feeling.