THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2532, 29 March 1871, Page 2

THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

The Ww Zealand Herald of a recent date c ntains an able article on the necessity of cncourging the Volunteer force of the colony. The limited space at our disposal precludes us from transferring the whole to our columns, bat we copy the concluding paragraph : “If the colony of New Zealand is willing to pay L 50.000 a year for the presence of an Imperial regiment, the movements of which it would scarcely expect to dictate, even if the services of such a force were ever called info active operation, surely it should be willing to pay as much for gu number of thoroughly drilled and efficient men taken from its own population, and subject to its orders in every respect? And yet such a force the colony might posses for half the sum it is willing to pay for the mere presence of a regiment of the line. Twenty-five thousand or thirty thousand pounds pet annum spent on our Volunteer force would ensure the services of a full regiment of Rifle Volunteers in either island, of some four or five full troops of cavalry, and of a sufficient number of artillery corps. Anns, such as the .Spencer repealing rifle might be furnished them, which would in'actual value quadruple their numbers ; and heavy guns for the defence of our piincipal ports might also be obtained, and placed in position.. There is very little doubt that the mother country would largely assist a determined action of

the colonists, in providing for thoxr own per • raament defence, by the presentation of suitable guns for the protection of our harbors from hostile cruisers ; and with suou a vote as wo have aupgeste 1 by the Parliament, the men to hand’e these guns, and tbo or !i-------nary infantry and cavalry corps, could b - maintained. ‘ Volunteering, instead of being taken np as a mere boyish whim to be soon laid down when the novelty had worn off, and the discouragements incidental to the service as at present conducted, came to be experienced, would take a wider and a deeper root. The capitation allowance for dress and other purposes should be libera*, the anus the best that could be provided, the prizes for shooting numerous, and ot themselves worth competition, and conducted under such circumstances and in such a manner as to give fctfit to the contest, wh.le convenient firing grounds for practice would be provided for tho men. We should have our.held days and our sham fights, and these should be made the special fea'ure of the holiday on which they,occurred.. The members of the force should be made to feci proud of their service, and in return a thorough discipline, an efficient state of drill, and du understanding that they Would servo where necessary, should be exacted. If the movement is to’ flourish, we must, as the people inf Great Britain did, feel proud of our Volunteers, duel make them feci proud of themselves.