THE HAMILTGN CONTINGENT.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 920, 16 May 1878, Page 2

THE HAMILTGN CONTINGENT.

The Hamilton contingent of the Te Awamutu troop of Cavalry Volunteers concluded their half-yearly drill yesterday. I Since the drill in November last, the contingent has been largely augmented in (number till it has reached the very respectable strength of 56 men and officers, and some ten or more honorary members. The attendance throughout the weeks' drill has been good, and the efforts of Sergeant Major Frazer to bring the corps inte as full a state of efficiency as the older corps of Cambridge and Te Awamutu have beon met by the men, and especially . ' the recruits lately joined with such a

thorough painstaking attention to their duties, that the corps is now in a position, though half its number are new recruitsto take up its position on the review ground, at Ohaupo, with credit to their, officSrs , and themselves. Though several" had? v jpined Twit a fow days previotit3o/ meeting for drill on the oth instanfef 11 werl dressed ill the unifornxpf the owrp, andvHamUtbhymay Be ctftigratulated|jpn. having turned .out so largo a mustor^of Stalwart, weß*mountedV smart, youngfmen. for the def enco of th^ cUatrici.y |M , Yesterday, • the Cpntingentft^ent ott^to the Butts in charge of Sergeant Johnson, and, in the evening, the week's drill was hrought to a close with a Volunteer Ball »in";the , large'room''ofrPearce ! 8 Commercial Hotel. The affair was in every way ;a sdc6ess.' TKe 'Corp did the host with .spirit and liberality. A large- number of ! Timtatibns'wef^'ls.sued l ' and Very many of these Wero accepted. The l?all-room was handsomely decorated by Mr Masm, the greenery .feeing relieved here and there with the motto of the Troop or a star, constructed of swords which glanced s brightly", amongst the foliage. Amongst the guests, wero several native chiefs of importance —Tu Tawhiao .-(the'-' Kiiig'is soriYJ Te Ngakau, Major To Wheoro, and : others. t The Biipper was laid out, as oh other occasions, in the two rooms opposite the ball - room, arid' ; on this occasion Host Fearee •even youtdid his; former efforts, 'lhe supper was both recherche and- abundant — the wines were excellent — while, in the, dance room, the capital music of six : jnetmmontnli&tß of th'e'Waikato and Cambridge Reed, Band, under the leadership of Mr ;C D. Mackintosh kept up; the excitement, and all went ' merry as a marriage bell'.' Dancing vriv pursued with spirit utitil a late hour ill the morning, and' it Was generally . acknowledged that the affair was^ one of the most successful of its kind that has been held in Hainiltbri?^ • We had almost forgotten to mention that $: meeting of .the. Corp was held yesterday afternoon, when three new members were balloted for arid aciiepted.l This' brings the full strength up to 56 members. An election of additional, non-commis-sioned officers took place, when Trooper W. Hunt were elected Sergeant, and Troopers E. B. Cox and James Wood — Corporals. 1 — —