The Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3274, 18 August 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 1873.

Some men have curious ways of going about matters. Ph.edrus tells us that in his time there was a set oi busybodies, “ troublesome to themselves, and a perfect nuisance to others.” They must have been the progenitors of our present race of grumblers, who seem to think that they are privileged to find fault with things as they are, without taking a single step towards making them what they ought to be. This class amongst us, like Angelo, consider it strange to Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it. In this captious spirit, our Volunteer system has been condemned by several politicians. They tell us volunteering has degenerated into a number of shooting clubs, but they do not point out that this is the result of a bad system, and that the men have no right to be blamed for that for which they are not responsible. If the test of efficiency be the ability to score a superior number of bull’s-eyes at given distances, they who succeed are clearly entitled to the preferred reward, and to the merit of fulfilling the duties required of them. It is quite a different question whether or not the system is bad, and if so, who is to blame for it. We have no hesitation in saying it is time a revision took place. Wby the organisation is inefficient, as is affirmed by officers well able to judge, is, as stated in a lecture by Lieut,-Colonel A. Strange, F.Pi.S., that

—neither the governing classes nor the masses are qualified to discuss it intelligently. The governing class, because it is for the most part composed of men in whose education, as even the highest education was conducted thirty or fifty years ago, science occupied an insignificant place ; and the masses, because they may be taken to he virtually destitute of scientific knowledge.

The only remedy is to avail ourselves of such scientific information as is offered, and on that evidence make up our minds to act. Before going further, however, we may say that to call the Volunteer forco of Otago a mere shooting club, is really untrue. It may be applicable to other Provinces, but certainly not to this: for the end tor which the Volunteer force was instituted has been faithfully kept in view by most of both officers and men ; and in spite of the inefficient provision by the Government they have perseveringly attended to their drill duties. It is not the riien who are in fault, but the organisation. Considered as a means to an end, it is defective. It costs a good deal of money, and for the same or less amount a better article could be had. Let us glance at some of its faults. In the first place it is wanting in permanency, for there is no security that a volunteer may not leave the force" through one motive or other—through pique or mere whim—-at a three months’ notice. There is no doubt a difficulty in all free countries in securing the voluntary services of efficient men in the array, for there is, in all, a natural distaste to submit to the selfsacrifice involved in perfect drill and complete discipline. The very tone of voice of a military commander sounds somewhat too despotic to men accustomed to the utmost freedom of action, and in every day concerns to own no master. It has been thought necessary, therefore, to introduce a system in the formation of companies, that, so far as we know, has never been found to work well. Any number of men from thirty to sixty can form themselves into a company, and claim to have a captain and ensign. The consequence might be, and has approximated to it, that every fifteenth man might be a commissioned officer—a rather formidable arrangement so many commanders and so few to command. But, apai-t from this, it is quite possible, should at any time the Volunteers be called on to act together, difficulties may arise in a variety of ways. Instead of one wellconsidered and uniform system of internal government, not only would the army present a motley appearance through difference of dress, but each company would have its own way of going about some portion of its work ; for at present each provides its own uniform and frames its own bye-laws and regulations. Let us take the Dunedin Volunteers to illustrate what we have said. We believe that the force numbers 378 of all ranks, of whom 23 are officers ; or one officer to every 17 men. Comparing this with the Imperial Army, it will be found that there every sergeant oversees a greater number. It has been suggested that instead of these small companies acting in some degree independently of each other, and thus cultivating a sort of rivalry, not so much in prowess and superior fitness for service—although we are glad to think that has not been lost sight of here—as in independence of organisation, the force for Dunedin and Port Chalmers should be limited to 400 men, divided into four companies of 100 each. That tw6 of them should be Rifle Companies, one an Artillery, and one a Naval, Torpedo, or boat service. Each company should have attached to it four officers—viz., one captain, one lieutenant, one sub-lieutenant, and one surgeon. It is estimated that such a force, well-organised, armed, and drilled, would be equal to any emergency that might arise, and that, by doing awey with companies in the interior, excepting at ports like Oamaru or Invercargill, and reducing expenditure in a

variety of ways, a really efficient force might be organised at about half the cost of our present service. In our remarks on this subject, our object has been to interest the public in the matter, so that their support may be given to a re-organisation of the Volunteer force, through which it may become fitted for national defence. We have received a variety of valuable memoranda and statistics forming a complete scheme, which we shall present in a special article, as they are too technical for general reading. What we have already written, we believe to be in accordance with the general opinion of the Volunteers themselves. They have a right to ask, and deserve the most careful and warm support of all classes of the community. It is the fashion with many Avho ought to know better to speak slightingly of the Volunteer system ; but we would ask what are we to substitute, or on whom are we to depend in case of need, if they do not come to the front 1 We may be told that their services are never likely to be needed. We hope not; but so long as human nature is what it is, we want men like Washington—“ first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of their countrymen.” And if we work cordially with our citizens-soldiers we believe we may have them.