VOLUNTEER OFFICERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 513, 21 May 1909, Page 4

VOLUNTEER OFFICERS.

It? a note appended to pur' report'of the of members of the dominion Scoiite,, published in yesterday's, issue, it was suggested that, according to the roading of Clause 77 of the New Zealand, Pofence the election whiph tool? place at that meeting was invalid, as. the" attendance^-twonty-four—was below that apparently stipulated fpr jn the clause under mention, viz., that not less than two-thirds of the enrolled strength of tho company must be present at such eleotions. One of our representatives, in tho course of some further investigations on tho subject, was informed by Major T. W. M'Donald, Assistant Adju-tant-General, that considerable misapprehension appeared to exist'on the matter, and'wo do not wonder at it, 'for tlie clause is very clumsily worded. It was qofc generally known, our informant stated, even by highly-placed officers in some cases, that when the statutes of the Dominion wore consolidated last sossion, Clause 77 of the Defonce Regulations was amended, the proviso (Section 48, Defence Act, 1908) now reading as follows: "Every volunteer corps may elect nil the company' officers thereof holqw tho rank ,of field officer, ns also nil tho honorary, but not any other, staff officers of such corns; and before tho nnmo of any person is 'submitted to the Governor for commission as an officer of any corps of tho volunteer force, such person* shall be elected by not leas than ttiothirds flf such enrolled members qf the corns All Ann present at a meeting convened by advertisement published once nt least in a newspaper circulating ju the district." The words "as arc" make the difference between the old clauses and the now. I Under tkp old regulations it waa jjonqrally

hold that at least two-thirds of the enrolled strength of the corps were compelled to be present; under tho amended clause, only two-thirds of such enrolled members the corps as are present at tho meeting are stipulated for at the election of an officer, Figures will mako the comparison clearer, and-in studying those let it bo rcmombercd' that the staffing of a company is the most important part of its organisation. Suppose, for example, a company with an onrollod strength of sixty is proceeding to elect an officer, its captain, for instance. Under the old regulation an attendance of forty would apparently be required; under tho new regulation, three out of the company could hold an election. The thing is utterly absurd, We npto Major M'DonAld's argument in favour of -the: amendment, but cannot entertain' the suggestion that because experience has shown that the old clause could bo exploited by a section of men who desired to obstruct an election, an amendment which allows the destinies of a corps to be controlled by a more handful of men is in the best intorosts. of that corps.. The matter should be placed on a clearer and more satisfactory fo6ting, or, better still, tho appointments of officers should be removed altogether from tho control of tho men.