The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 1886. Militia to be Enrolled

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 68, 9 December 1886, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 1886. Militia to be Enrolled

It will be interesting for Volunteers, and men liable to serve in the Militia to learn that the new regulations are under- j stood to abolish the distinction between garrison and country corps, to alter the strength of companies, and to distribute capitation rateably according to proficiency. As to the strength of compauies, there will be a maximum, beyond which number the Government will not supply arms. There will be a minimum, below which a company may not exist, and an intermediate number upon which capitation will be paid. Capitation to the full extent annually voted will be paid to those companies whose members attend 1 8 Government parades, and go through other tests of { proficiency in the year. A lesser sum will be paid to such as qualify on a lower standard, and a still further reduced amount to those corps qualifying only to a point which may be said to mark the irreducible minimum of proficiency. Compulsory retirement of officers is not to be introduced, as once intended, and reserves are to be abolished. This should affect recruiting next month, for, in consequence of there being no Volunteer reserves, it is an open secret that the first-class militia will be enrolled, so as to be immediately available to be called out. This will doubtless have the result of increasing the number of candidates for admission to Volunteer corps, which may only be recruited in January and July. Officers commanding, however, are likely to be careful not to admit any who are not likely to prove steady members, devoted to their duty. We expect that in the circumstances the competition will result in permanent advantage to the Volunteer movement. It is pretty well understood that the few " Queen's bad bargains" to be found in almost every rifle corps will now be weeded out, and the companies brought to their proper strength by the addition of young men who really intend to fulfil honorably the obligations they undertake when sworn in.