The New Volunteer Regulations

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 33, 28 August 1886, Page 3

The New Volunteer Regulations

[pee united peess association.] Wklmngton, August 2G. The following is tlio precis of the new Volunteer Regulations, which after under-going some further revision will bo sent to the various corps throughout the colony, for their remarks and suggestions. The first alteration is indicated, but not absolutely laid down. The firing of Yohmterrs has retrograded under the* system now ia f.>rce tii.w last fuvv years, and the average sJi.i.itiiij* has fnilcii off. Military sli>int!;t!s is not the work of a few men l.ut. tiin uwragii oinVietH-y of the whole i.ucc «:it-ftj;od in an action. It has Icon 'An: efore found necessary to mfiiat ispou fit) rounds, ins-tend of 40, I .* i iu y, tijv-d under super-vision and t* reward by the average shooting: of cui-ps ami not by individual shooting. In ii-.J^r to insure decent use of their WKip-ms, Volunteers will be required to ji-«st into second class, as a condition of drawing their capitation, but the « mount of points required to get into the stHMnd «lasß has been required to get into the second class has been reduced from 32 to 20. The term " district" adjutant is defined, which is an. improvement, and draws a proper distinction between district adjutants, who are roally brigade majors, and adjutants who are appointed to battalions. The medical department is re- organised, and placed on a better basis in the new regulations. There are regulations t© cheek the practice of inducing specially efficient members of one corps leaving it to enter another and Volunteers will not be allowed hereafter to leave corps till they have served one full year after enrolment, unless in special cases of private .affairs, requiring a change of residence, &c. One leading feature of the new regulations is the examination of officers. A council of education is to be formed to carry out this duty, and the existing boards will be responsible OHly for the officers not seeing the papers beforehand and answering them without reference or assistance. The council will fix marks for every paper, and each will be indicated by number. When the time is passed the papers will be collected aud sent back, and the council will award such marks only •as hare been earned. The boards will* examine in drill. Field officers' ■■and adjutants will le personally examined by the boards The Volunteer capitation remains this year at the old rates, and it is understood, as. regards country corps, that it is proposed to institute a principle of payment by results next j'ear. Instead of 12, the garrison corps will now have to attend 18 drills, and to earn capitation each man must, have fired 60 rounds under supervision, ■ and get into the 2nd class. If for two successive year a Volunteer fails to gain admission to the'2ud class (20 points) he will cease to be a Volunteer. A difficulty has arisen sometimes through the staff being' unable to attend at all country drills. . To obviate this and enable them more easily to earn their capitation, the officer commanding is now empowered to act if the staff are not present, certifying upon however, the numbers present and the nominal roll of absentees. Camps are now allowed to count as two daylight drills, otherwise the rules regarding them are are little altered. The regulations under the head of discipline are slightly modified and made a little more stringent, but not oppressively so, the status of battalions and battalion officers is defined to prevent the clashing of authority. The establishment is now fixed on a war as w©U as a peace basic.