A Volunteer Officer.

Manawatu Herald, 15 July 1893, Page 3

A Volunteer Officer.

Colonel Fox in his report to Parliament thus refers to the Wanganui Albert Rifles and their M.H.R captain : —

Officers.— Captain Willis : I found this officer not efficient as regards bis drill, and, judging from the state of the company, I consider that he is not a good commanding officer. Lieutenant Day: Absent without leave. Lieutenant Skipwith : Only recently appointed ; was nervous on parade. He has done much for thjs corps in aiding it pecuniarily to buy uniforms, and in attempting to keep the corps together.

Drill. — The men who were on parade were well turned out. Captain Willis told me that he had not told off the company, and I found he had not taken the trouble to see that his guides and markers were told of!'. He was quite- unable to drill the company correctly, but seemed to be under the impression that mere commands were all that was required of him, the knowledge of whether the commands were rightly or wrongly obeyed being quite unimportant matters. Lieutenant Skipwith, under the circumstances, was too nervous to do him self credit ; and I believe the same to have been the case with the coloursergeanfc (Simpson), who appeared to be a smart, intelligent man. The remaining non-commissioned officers who were guides and markers, were not efficient as such. Lieutenant Day, the senior subaltern officer, had absented himself wilfully, evidently fearing to face the inspection.

I consider that under a good commanding officer this corps would be in an altogether different state from that in which I found it. and I have hopes that it may find an officer before the commencement of next year, otherwise there will be no advantage gained in allowing it to exist longer.