Volunteer Intelligence.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1, 29 May 1885, Page 2

Volunteer Intelligence.

The Victorian Pefehce Minister has | given every encouragement to a schtme whereby nearly evury young man m the Colony may become ,»n expert rifloman. The conditions are of the simplest pos- ! »it»le character. Those who desire to ; join a club can do so without any pr«» Hmin sry examinntion as to height, ! tneasureineut, weight, or condition of health. No fee is to be enacted, and no 1 drill demanded. RihVs will he sold or hired to them at a nominal sum, within the means of .the poorest, while the necessary umunition will bo suppliod at- the cost price paid for it m England. The project has been taken up witli great eutliusiaain throughout the Colony, and at present 200 clubs are m existence, with a total membership of nearly 4500. In little more than twelve months they have purchased oi hired 4000 Enfield niuzzle-loading rifles, 1400 Martini-Hen-ris, and over 900,000 rounds of ammuoi tion, at a coßt of £8000. It will be noted that at a cost of less than £2 per man a-year, and without any charge whatever to the Defence Department, a powerful force of young men is gradually but purely qualifying itself to become worthy of being entrusted with a large amount of confidence. The men soon become expert marksmen, and bow valuable such ah accomplishment is to combatants was shown by the Boers, who were alrift.to pick off the artillery at' their gnus and officers on horseback at extraordinarily long ranges.