OUR LEGISLATORS AND THE VOLUNTEERS.

Evening Star, Issue 3275, 19 August 1873, Page 3

OUR LEGISLATORS AND THE VOLUNTEERS.

In the debate on Mr Steward’s motion for the appointment of a Select Committee to consider the present condition of the Volunteer force, the mover said there was a very strong impression entertained by the public, as well as by the officers and members of the Volunteer force, that some change was required to be made with regard to the organisation of the force, if it was to be made efficient. He spoke himself as an officer of Volunteers ; and from his experience could state that the regulations were neither satis factory nor workable in many parts of the Colony. Some steps should be taken to bring the force into a state of efficiency. During the recess a circular had been sent round to officers commanding districts, together with a draft Bill, with regulations attached, which it was understood was to be submitted during the session by the Government, requesting them to forward draft regulations, embodying their opinions as to what they considered desirable to be adopted in the districts under their command. A large number of suggestions had been made, and he was quite prepared to expect, when he arrived in Wellington, that there would have been an annomxoement that a Bill would be brought down by the Government this session.—The Defence Minister explained, with reference to the question of Volunteers, there was an opinion generally entertained in the Middle Island that they could enact regulations that would ha applicable to other parts of the Colony, but it bad been found that many suggestions, valuable in themselves, would be utterly unworkable in the North Island. The Government had not at present deemed it advisable to bring down a Bill on this subject, hut they would be very glad to have the suggestions of honorable gentlemen connected with both islands, with a view to an amendment of the present Volunteer Acta, enabling certain regulations to be made from, tim,e to time to suit the various localities. Dor instance, on the frontiers pf the Waikato, the men were not Volunteers in name only, but in reality, and were constantly doing duty as Volunteers, so that regulations different to those that would obtain in districts where the Volunteer movement was more a matter of parade and show would have to be made.— Major Atkinson considered the course suggested by the Defence Minister the right one to adopt. They should make the Act very open, and leave it to the different districts to adopt certain rules and regulations suited to their particular condition and requirements. —Mr J. E. Brown hoped that an instruction would be given to the proposed Committee to inquire into and take evidence as to the propriety of abolishing the Volunteer force in the South Island. The Volunteer movement had become almost a perfect farce in the South Island, and involved a great waste of public money. The force was nearly useless for auy purpose, either for defence or for internal protection. His remarks did not apply to the Volunteer force in the ortb Island, as he believed that force had done a great deal of good fo, be necessary, and that it should be retained,' Bio would certainly support any measure that would Dermaueufily abolish the Volunteer force ip the South. —Mr Stafford quite agreed with the laat Speaker that in the

Middle Island the Volunteer Associations were, as a rule, becoming very little more than shooting clubs. He did not mean to say that in one or two localities the Volunteers were not regular in their attendance on parades for the purpose of learning drill and discipline, but as a rule the companies were simply bring clubs. Let the House understand one of two things. Was the country to pay for an efficient force, or was the force to be maintained merely for the purpose of display? If the Volunteers merely desired to remain in the force for their own amusement, let them do it at their own c,;.st.