Hutt Valley members of the Wellington District Militia 1860

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Hutt Valley Biographical Index and Genealogies website www.hbig.gen.nz Wellington Independent 23 Mar 1860 The Militia List – Meeting of Magistrates A Special Meeting of the Justices of the Peace residing within the Wellington Militia District was held on Tuesday last for the purpose of forming a Militia List for the year 1860-1. There were present B. A. Ferard, Esq., Resident Magistrate, Sir Charles Clifford, Captains Carlyon and Rhodes, and Messrs Fitzherbert, Lyon, Ludlam, Brandon, Schultz, G. Hart, Park, and Revans. Mr Ferard was chosen chairman of the Bench. The List having been formed, Mr Fitzherbert moved, and Mr Lyon seconded:- “That the names of members of the General Assembly and of the Superintendent of the Province be expunged from the List.” Carried by 4 to 3. Mr Fitzherbert also moved the following special resolution, which on being seconded by Captain Rhodes, was carried unanimously:= “That the following resolution of the Bench of Magistrates of this Militia District, convened by special notice to form a Militia List for the year 1860-1, be forwarded through the Chairman of the Bench (B. A. Ferard, Esq.,) to his Excellency the Governor, viz:- “That the Bench of Magistrates of this Province being credibly informed that the aboriginal natives in this Province, have, under the Regulations of his Excellency, of 14 th July 1857 (by which the Regulations of Sir George Grey on that behalf were relaxed) for some time past been freely supplying themselves with arms and warlike munitions – consider it their duty on the occasion of their being summoned to form a Militia List on the eve of hostilities with the aboriginal natives, to earnestly but respectfully urge upon his Excellency to reinforce the stringent regulations against the sale of arms and ammunition to aboriginal natives.” Wellington Independent 23 Mar 1860 Militia Meetings at the Hutt On Monday evening last, a Public Meeting was held at the Highland Home, Upper Hutt, to consider the best means of bringing under the notice of the authorities, the hardship which will result from the men drawn for the militia, residing in the Upper Hutt, being quartered out of their own locality. Mr French, on being called to the chair, read the notice issued by Major Trafford, and the leading article from the “Wellington Independent,” of Friday last, for the information of the meeting. Mr Freeland, Mr P. Wilkie, Mr Heese, and others, addressed the meeting on the necessity for endeavouring to confine the services of the militia to their own locality, as the principal object of calling it out was to put them in a state of training, which could be better done by their assembling in their own neighbourhood, than by walking into Wellington. A petition embodying the views of the meeting was then submitted and directed to be forwarded to Major Trafford; Messrs French and Heese being appointed a deputation for that purpose. On Wednesday the deputation waited on Major Trafford. The Major expressed himself as fully alive to the hardship that must result from men being drawn so far from their homes, and would do all that he could to lessen it, by limiting their calls on duty to two or three out of every eight or ten days, provided no unforeseen circumstances should render more frequent attendance indispensable. He recommended the formation of Volunteer Corps which would make their training in the militia lighter; and pointed out the propriety of their petitioning the Governor to alter the boundaries of the present district, by which means the Hutt might be formed into a separate district, and the central place of meeting be fixed conveniently for its inhabitants. A similar meeting to the one above reported was called for at the Lower Hutt last night; the report of which has not yet reached us. Since the above was in type, we have received a report of the Lower Hutt Meeting, at the Mechanic’s Institute last night. Mr Ludlam, Captain Carlyon, Mr Fitzherbert and Mr Betham were the speakers; the meeting, which was densely crowded, unanimously adopted a petition to his Excellency, praying him to constitute the Upper and Lower Hutt into a separate militia district. HBIG SUB Militia 1860 Last updated 19 June 2013 Page 6 of 11
Hutt Valley Biographical Index and Genealogies website www.hbig.gen.nz Wellington Independent 27 Mar 1860 The Militia … The ballot of three hundred names has resulted in only about one hundred and forty efficient men being enrolled for service. A fresh ballot to complete the number required (two hundred) will take place on Wednesday. The duty of mounting guard at the barracks now devolves upon each company of twenty-five men every fifth day: after the extra number has been drawn it will only fall to their lot about once a week. This duty is felt to be most irksome by the very large number who have to come into Wellington from the Hutt and Porirua, as the second day is so broken into, before they can reach their homes, as to render it useless for all working purposes. To obviate this, we would urge that the whole Militia should be called out and the men residing in the Hutt and other Country Districts be mustered for training &c. in their own neighbourhoods. An hour or two spent early in the morning in this way, as frequently as may be found necessary, would interfere comparatively little with the ordinary avocations of the country people. Besides which, we are persuaded that such a mode of drill would have a far more efficient effect upon the Militia men, and be less likely to continue that fighting talk of which the natives complain, than the present system, for the few who are drawn are lionized in their respective localities, and feel it incumbent on them to act accordingly. The Companies who are mounting guard since Friday complain sadly of the lazy life they are compelled to lead. Eight of the men are on duty every two hours, thus giving them sixteen hours of leisure. During the whole of this time they have nothing to do to break the monotony but sleep – which, from there being only a bench to lie on, some of them find hard to accomplish. If they were instructed in their drill, it would not only relieve the tedium but add to their efficiency, otherwise they will never be anything better than an armed mob. The rations allowed are miserably short. Country people have good appetites and even those from the Town find it impossible to make a pound of bread, and a pound of meat with bone, sufficient for twenty-four hours. The arms and accoutrements are of the worst possible kind. The Muskets bear the Tower mark of 1841 upon them and are enormously heavy. The cross belts are of white leather, two inches wide with an enormous brass fastening in the front; the whole rendering the wearer about as conspicuous a mark for the Maori rifle or gun as could well be imagined. These muskets are of little or no use… Wellington Independent 30 Mar 1860 The Militia In consequence of the withdrawal of the troops from Wellington a portion of the militia has been called out for actual service. The commanding officer is Major Trafford, formerly Captain in the 65 th Regiment. The first ballot was held on the 17 th instant, when 300 names were drawn, but in consequence of removals, deaths, and exemptions the 200 required were not obtained and a second ballot was held last Wednesday. The service is found to press very heavily on the country settlers many of whom have to come into town every few days from the extremities of the district – 20 miles from the police office… HBIG SUB Militia 1860 Last updated 19 June 2013 Page 7 of 11
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Hutt Valley members of the Wellington District Militia 1860

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