THE VOLUNTEERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2236, 25 September 1889, Page 2

THE VOLUNTEERS

Some of our volunteer readers' having expr aged a wish that we should pnblish Meut. Col. Enme's report on the inspection of the Aihburton corps we should be hnp-y to comply, but for the inlthl lifficuHy which is encountered m the faot that io his report on the Now Zealand fcrceo, bb presented to Parliament, no specia mention Is made of the looal coips.

The following extraots from tho rep- rt m question will, howover, ductless bo acceptablo • -

11 Officers. — Many of the oo'p3 wore ander-offioored, notne, indeed, hiving only one officer on their strength I elso fool it my day to report that m many corps there were offioera who were quita ur.fitad to command, which remark is eqaally applicable to both captains and subalterns, [n some oases this nnfitness was due to ignorance ; m others it was personal anfitness to control and m nags men — e.g , unduo familiarity whilo under arms ; m Other instances it was physical iucap^otty. Ti)is inability to control and deal with tbe men frequently exhibited irself la a reoi; rooal want of confidence m the men towards their officers, a state of matters which must be subversive of d s ipllneand efflci ncy . Other offioers wore too old and icfirm for active eer vice, while some had dffec'ive vision. The dearth of ofSoen execcieodt my mind considerably, as did alar> the faot of so many resigning their commissions after a few years service. One great cause, if not the greatest, is uuqueatlooably that of expense, not only tbe firat outlay, but tbe annual drain on an officer's pocket.

Non commissioned Officers, —l found • Urge number of good onei, sod a largo number of bid ones, and various shades between (be (wo clauses, What has been stated as to tbe fitness of the offiaeri appliei fq tally to the non commissioned iffioeru; indeed, they seem to oopy the faults of tbe cffioees, and especially those faults which relate to the maintenance ef their position with the rank and file. From my experience of their defects, end •a the 1889 drill-book (jast lesaed) throwi more onerous and responsible duties on the non-oommtasloned effioere, It Is suggested that dletrlot adjutants and their »taffsee that their super numeiatles are mote thoroughly Instructed Id their duties, etc., to enable them to Intelligently and firmly take their proper itatui and Instruct thone nnder them.

Bank and File — With the rank and file I was agreeably ourptlsed, esp dally with the coun<ry o rpi ; and no doubt, with good offioers and efficient non-com* missioned officers and instraotorv, they could In a short time be m*de Into very valuable citizen-solditrs , la some oases parhapa, It woald be well to apply the physical test, but these are tl § :xo ptlonr. Their de*lr<s for drill seemed ntrong, apd the amount of attention given to it vary commendable, while their behavloui daring Inspaotlnns was admirable.

Inspection states Of the corps inspected there were present on p*rade— offioart 233, rank ard file 3894 ; total, 4127 ; and absentees— offioers 29, rank and file 1008; total 1037. And of the oadet oorp* Inspected there were present on p»r«da— officers 46, rank and file 752 } trtal 798 : and kb'enteas — offioers 9, rank and file 274 : total 283. Some of the Inspections. had to be carried out daring shearing time, and o'hera during harvest, whioh to some extent accounts for soma of the absentees. The corps whleh from theli drill physique, oleanllneu, and general smartness deserve special mention are the South Frsnklyn Mounted Elflis, the Wellington and Wangannt Naval Artttciy, the A, B, 1), and -E. Batteries Artlliery> Auckland Guards, Han era Rifhi, flutings K'fhs, Kumara Rifles, Rangltlkel Boy»l Rflas, Walmate Rflas, and Wei. l.'ngton Olt? R fles ; while of the oadet corps the Wan&ranul Wavuls, the Kelson College oni K^'apol Oidats speolally merited my approbation. The mounted sword-drill m the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry acd the Otago Hussars was very indifferent, and had evidently been negleoted ; and the Herttiung* Light Horse is In all respeots very far behind any otber oavalry corps intpaoted. The men's accoutrements and appointments were dirty, their horses 111-oarad for and anything but fit for a hard day 1 * work, and the officers and noo -commissioned officers were, to say the least of It, In< different drills.