"NO AMMUNITION."

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 159, 15 May 1873, Page 2

" NO AMMUNITION."

To the Editor ol the Waikvto Timi:s. Sir, — I trust that Inm not intruding on jour valuable space if I draw your attention to one of the many bungles which have been made in connection with the murder of poor Sullivan. When Mr D. Jones came into Cambridge with the information that the p.n-ty had been attacked by armed natives and one of his mates killed, Major Clare sent a verbal order to Cuptam Runcim.ni, Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers, ordering him to procure- leu men of the C.C.V., and to follow Major Cl.ireN paitv, which had started to recover the body. lean only presume that the ten C.V. were intended as a support to the p.irty under Major Clare, and, consequently, that had his men attacked, he would havo relied on the assistance of the Volunteers. Captain Runeimnn immediately proceeded to C.imbiidge, and had no difliculty in procuring the men, though our members are scattered, being mostly farmers, ready and willing to go out and do whatever was required of them. "We hate never had a single round of ammunition sened out to in except for practice, and consequently the men wer3 there with their Snider carbines and revolvers. Captain Ruuciman paraded with his men to the magazine, where the- resent- ammunition is kept under charge of the Constabulary. What do we lind ? That the 30 rounds per man is immediately M>r\cd out. on application to the officer commanding, who is under orders to proceed as a support to n party gone forward into a district known to be occupied bv a number of armed hostile natives ? JVb. It is not regulation ; no order lias been received to supply tho Volunteers. In fact, the Sergeant in charge has gone with Major Clare's party, and taken the Ley in his pocket ! The man on guard, or rather in charge of the magazine, refuses to give a single round, or to permit Captain Ruuciman to get it out. Here we ha^c ten Volunteers ordered to proceed to support an advanced party, and expected to go out without a single round of ammunition. Too much care cannot bo taken to pro\ ido against surprise, and yet horo we find n body of men sworn in as Volunteerscalled out for a curtain duty under their Captain, told that they must remain in camp ns no ammunition can be given, the key being away. Captain Buneiman did all lie could to get it given, ottering to give the constable an order for it, so as ta hold him harmless ; hut no, tho ten Volunteers must remain in Cambridge, unable to act, even if the settlement w.is attacked, bv tho Maoris. The men consider that they have been made fools of, and it would be only, fair that the thirty rounds per man he issued at once ; any man making away w ith it to be severely punished by a heavy fine. Surely we can be trusted with 30 rounds per man! In Mich a case in that ju>t mentioned, we look for determination and no sticking to rules and regulations, and rather than remain without tho ammunition, and thereby endanger the lives of the party perhaps trusting to the assistance of those Volunteers, it would have been better to have taken it at all risks. A Volunteer Force ii an advantage to a district in many ways, not tho least being that it encourages steadiness and good conduct, in those young men who nre members of it, and is a means of defence ready at hand if it is not rondered usoles-> through the absurd sticking at rules in cases of extreme nei-e-wt > . The Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers are disgusted at the men being made- such fools of, and it has given rise to very ill-natured remark* regarding tho corps. Another such buuglo and damper to the men, and tho Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers w ill be a thing of the past. With whom the blame rests it is not my placo to say, but it would be well if the Government would see that its servants (Volunteers) are properly armed and supplied with means of defenco whon called to act in opposition to armed Maoris. — Yours, ifcc, Grkyback. 11th May, 1873.

At flip Stafford (England) quirt it sr-^ions, held two months a<»u, one of the niugibtralcs (Mr Ehiell) oxpiretl m lus seal on tlio bench.