A Defence Scheme.

Manawatu Herald, 24 July 1900, Page 2

A Defence Scheme.

When the House of Representatives met on Friday evening the Bight Hon. the Premier, as Minister of Defence, made a statement concerning the defences of the colony : — There are eventualities that may arise in connection with the adjustment of affairs in China he said, and taking the outlook as a whole, it is prudent for us to complete our harbour defences, increase and fully equip our volunteer corps, give a military training to our youths, encourage rifle clubs, and, in addition, create a reserve force equal for any emergency. He urged that it would be of advantage to the Mother Country and to the colonies, if the moneys required for harbour defences and for arming the defence forces were raised by the Imperial authorities, and advanced to the colony, which should pay interest, thereon at the rate of 3 per cent per annum. In the calculation of this interest, the difference between the rate at which the colony could raise the moneys, and the rate at which it is obtained by the Imperial authorities would form a sinking fund to pay off the principal within a reason. •

able time. In addition to the .803 rifles now in the colony, to provide volunteer corps in the South Island, the new corps enrolled and to be enrolled, the men in the Imperial reserve, and to have a reasonable stock in reserve, thirty thousand magazine rifles are required ; the cost of same with freight, etc., added, would be about £120,000.

The defence forces of the colony should be divided into the following classes, viz. : — (A) Permanent artillery for harbour defences ; (B) ordinary volunteer forces ; (C) Imperial and colonial reserve forces ; (D) rifle clubs ; and (E) cadet corps. The number of officers and men now enrolled totals 11,600. There are in addition some 90 corps offering their services, which, if accepted, would bring our total volunteer force up to over 18,000 officers and men. The total amount required for capitation would therefore be £54,000 per annum. To this must be added for accoutrements, water bottles, haversacks, bandoliers, etc., £1 per head per annum, or £18,000, which would bring the total cost up to £72,000.

Estimating the strength of our volunteer corps at 18,000 men, we may reasonably expect that 8000 of their number will enrol in the Imperial reserve. This number, together with 2000 men of the Maori race who would join the reserve, would bring the number up to 10,---000. Putting the capitation on those efficient at £5 per capita, the annual oosfc would be £50,000, to which must be added the pay during the time the men are in camp, say about £50,000 more. Therefore there would be in this colony 10,000 men available, at an annual cost of £10,---000.

A rifle club should consist of not

less than twenty or more than forty members; and in localities where volunteer corps have been formed, only ex- volunteers who have had not less than three years' service should be enrolled. In localities where there are no volunteer corps, rifle clubs may enrol members who have

not had volunteer service. Members

attend a prescribed number of drills -«■ and parades in the cour 'c of the year, the instruction being in respect to handling arms and firing exercise. The Government to supply rifles and ammunition to enrolled members of rifle clubs at cost price. After one

year's enrolment, having attended the prescribed number of drills and they shall be entitled to receive a certificate as being efficient, and shall be allowed a free grant of one hundred rounds of ammunition

to be used at matches or at practice. Cadet corps should be established. They should be under the control of the Education Boards and the Education Department. A light rifle similar to that used in the colony of Victoria should be provided for the use of, say, twenty of the elder boys in each Bohool. The cost of giving one-fourth of them rifles would be £8750. In addition to the schoo' cadet corps there are to be cadet corps and the enrolment of these youths would be of material advantage. The number likely to be enrolled ia estimated at 5000 ; the cost of rifles and equipment estimated at £8 each would make a total of £15,000.

The report was referred to the Defence Committee.