The Feilding Star, Oboua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published. Daily. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1896. DEFENCE OF WELLINGTON.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 179, 1 February 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oboua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published. Daily. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1896. DEFENCE OF WELLINGTON.

Although the Defonc,? Minister has I said little or nothing ,pn <;ise subject, yet the ..Government have not allowed to $><w# unheeded the unsettled . aspect of European affairs, and although things look m®*-& pacific now than t\i&y did a few .dacys ago, the Defence Depiitirr^Bt iias 6ee» jnstfUißted to take certain pf&jfltfiiorKiay s^cps in the direction of improving fj3e,de- | fences of Wellington 1 , and' training tb@ Volunteers, so that the latter may be | ,esScient and understand what is re/jaiceci'^f them should they be called oat. T<o tfesLp end-instructions were issued to *ua*i £he forts to-day, and they will ->r?&iip>ip ,ea&ip pill M onday . ' : oqlQo\}^px;;^iii : -^^c^l^^4j and •v J0 Vbiunteei's^ will o«Hif^ foi^ ,■• j list as; tuptigii' ; lic^t-iiW. forc^e «^s ■ / t^rieatiaiuig tli^ity.' We are iaj^ria-

-1 ed by the New Zealand Times that at the end of last year the Minister of Defence decided to carry out the recommendation made by the Military Adviser in his last report to form a fort on the reserve in the Botanical Gardens, and to place <a gun there. Arrangements are now being made to mount in the plice indicated one of the largest eight inch guns at present in the colony. The carrying out of the work has been entrusted to Mr J. A. Wilson, resident engineer. Recruits are now being added to the Permanent Artillery. This action of the Defence Minister will answer a, double purpose. Tt will show indubitably how far the Volunteers 1 , are to be depended upon, and at the same time be a powerful incentive to the best of them to continue to take a practical and active interest in the work they | have professedly undertaken to do in j the defence, of the land they live in.