Th« touch of reality which was ghjfen to the late enoampment at Pot ter's paddock by the Samoan incident shows tie that our volunteers are more than mere holiday soldiers. It has been too much the habit in some quar ters to sneer at the volunteer forces of the empire, and to belittle their usefulness in war time. But the be haviour of the United Stateß Volun teer army in Manila has shown con clusively that the fighting spirit in heres the race, and, while not for a moment thinking that in an emerg ency they would prove equal to "regu lars," yet they have iff them the stuff of which regulars are made, and, given the necessary conditions, are capable of being made in a short time very useful troops, only needing the necessary time and drill discipline to make the equal to the best troops In the world. Even though the Samoan incident should not result in needing the services of our "boys," it is grati fying to know that they are as willing as ever their forebears were to be^r arms in the honorable cause of their Queen and country. While hoping that it may be many a long day, be fore our troops are called upon to face a real enemy in battle array,, there can be no doubt but that the experience of camp duty and field tie tits will stand then* fa good stead should that day ever come j&nd in the meantime our- confidence in our own capacity to take care of ourselves :e strengthened by incidents like those to which, i &ay© just *»fcflf«3»

MINING NEWS.
(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.)

AUCKLAND, April 8. THE SHAREMARKET.
