CORRESPONDENCE. CAVALRY CARBINES.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1518, 28 March 1882, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE. CAVALRY CARBINES.

TO THE EDITOK. Sir,— Some surprise has been expressed because Waikato has for some years seat no representative to compete at the New Zealand Rifle Association's meetings at Nelson, and the cause has been assigned, by most people, to the apathy of the volunteers in this part of the colony. That there is, at the present, only i a half-hearted interest taken in the movement, I am free to admit, but that this is owing to the men themselves, I deny most emphatically. In no part of the colony, not even excepting the Thames, was there ever a more thorough interest taken in volunteering than in Waikato, in times past. It must be borne in mind, also, that when the settlers here first banded tbemselves together and donned uniform, their action was prompted by no love of pleasure merely, but by what seemed to them to be the necessity for protecting their homes and their families. The cavalry were not drawing-room 'soldiers; they were ever ready to, and often did undergo hardships at the call of duty. They have aby no means dull record. Why, then, it may be asked, have they fallen so low ? And by way of answer I would say there are many causes. In the first place there is no longer any real necessity (the danger having vanished) for them, .and the best men, industrious settlers and fathers of families, have gone out of the ranks, and their successors, in many cases have failed to come up to the old standard of excellence. The original purpose having been accomplished, the cavalry entered on a new phase of existence. The old danger was gone, surely enough, but, none the less, there was a necessity for the preservation of a martial spirit among the people, and for the instruction in a knowledge of the use of arms which might, should occasion arise, be of the first importauce. Thus, therefore, commenced the second epoch of the cavalry's existence. It was hoped that it would never enter upon a third ; that its pursuits thenceforward were to be of a peaceful character, but it was not surmised that the movement would die of inanition, a consummation exceedingly probable just now. However, my object in writing you was to give some valid reason for the lamentable want of energy which, the cavalry volunteers have shown so far as rifle, or rather carbine competition is concerned. The reason can be given in a very few words. The weapons which were served out are not, never were, and never can be made to be worth a groat as " arms of precision." Why the Government, which, to "some extent at least, has encouraged other volunteer corps to attain proficiency in the use of the rifle, should have repeatedly overlooked the claims of Waikato I do not know. Such, however is the fact. That our men can shoot, even after practising with such apologies for firearms as the present carbines, I have only to point to what they did at the Thames, at Easter, 1880, when (using a Thames rifle) a Cambridge man made the second score of the day, as proof. No lack of enthusiasm, but a bad carbine, keeps the Waikato men from Nelson. — I am tec, Around the Target.

Examiner to wide-awake schoolboy "When an Englishman comes to this country, what is he ?" Boy : "An Eng lishman," Examiner: "When a French man comes to this country, what is he ?' Boy: "A Frenchman." Examiner " When an Italian comes to this country what is he ?" Boy : ' ' An Italian. " Examiner : " When an Irishman comes te tliis country, what is lie ? Boy : " A policeman." The oldest brewery in the world is said to be that of " Dobran," neai Pilsen, in Austria. It was established in the year 1378, when a sort of grant was given to the founders— a prescriptive right to brew " old " and " white " beers. The five hundredth anniversary of this brewery was, not very long since, celebrated with considerable rejoicings. Mr Herbert Gladstone, who has just arrived home from Ireland, will hardly have seen anything worse in the way of living than he might have found in his father's parish. It was stated before the Hawarden magistrates, the other day, that a family of father, mother and eight children slept in one room without ventilation. In another case, father, mother and six children slept in one room, and the oldest son was 15, and the eldest daughter 21 years of age.— Frisco News Letter. A curious "tariff of applause" has been drawn out by a Paris actor, detailing the sums paid for each separate clap and exclamation of the claque. An ordinary round of applause costs 45., the price rising to £2 for ''unlimited recalls." A laugh 18 worth 6s Bd, and a "hearty laugh costs 8s ; groans followed by applause at the end of a murder scene fetch 10s 6d, and murmurs of horror 12s ; while such exclamations as "How amusing!" "How clever he is:" vary from 22s to 15s. The other day an Irish landlord started at the head of a considerable body of police to distrain for long overdue arrears of rent. The secret of this visitation had leaked out, and not a single head of cattle or other portable property could be found. On entering the last house on the list, however, there stood a little donkey, with its hindquarters towards the door, and on its tail there was fixed a big placard bearing the defiant legend, "No rent!" During the recent residence of the Court at Windsor, the Queen paid two visits to the royal vault. It had been intended to decorate the sepulchre with frescoes, but the project was abandoned, and only the walls under and around the recess at the end (in which lie the coffins of George 111. and Queen Charlotte) have been ornamented ; but seeing that the place is never entered except by the officials when there is a funeral, it seems a foolish and absurd waste of money to make any alteration whatever. It is a very large vault, and ia lighted by two oil lamps. Most of the coffins lie on the shelves, but those of George IV. and his successor, and of the Duke of Kent, are on a stone table in the centre j and on another table, near the gate by which the vault is entered, is the last coffin placed there — that of King George of Hanover. The Queen has ordered that oak coffins are in future to be used for the Royal Family, and all the crimson and gilt coffins in the vault have recently been placed in oak cases. — Frisco, News Letter. The new pure cash system now being initiated by G. and, C. will certainly prove si benefit to the" public. It has been a great success in Sydney and Melbourne, and when strictly carried out the customer who buys at an establishment where the goods arc marked low to ensure a rapid sale must be a great gainer. G. and C. sell their drapery, millinery, and clothing at such prices for cash as gives the buyer the advantages of a shareholder in a co-operative society, without the risk of being called upon to bear aportion of the loss should the j ear's business prove unsatisfactory. .Garlick and Cranwell will aim to retain the confidence which the public have hitherto shown them, and are determined to give the pure cash system a fair trial; whether thejr gain or lose the first year Country buyers on remitting cash withordei will be supplied with goods at .co-operatve prices ; iust the same as though they made a personal selection. Furnishing- goods, such as carpets, floor cloths, bedsteads, beading , and general house furniture, the largest portion of which is turned out at our own factory, willbe marked at the lowest remunfwtive' prices, and 1 a discpunt of five per cent, will be allowed to those wtio'pay at the time of purchase, G. and p. 'having realised the entire value of their stock* 'during ' thetr*late cash sale, the present stock is,'?»iw ( And cheaply bought,— An inspection invitedrrGAiuicK and Cranwbll, City Hall Furnishing Arcade^Queen street, Auckland,