The Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1871.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 212, 7 September 1871, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1871.

The annual report on the Armed Constabulary Force, recently laid on the table of the House, furnishes a large amount of interesting information relative to the occupation and general efficiency of that body during the past year. Tabular statements which accompany the report show that the men at the various stations have been kept fully employed, during such time as was not devoted to military avocations, in carrying out useful works, and this has been productive of the best results both as regards the diminution of crime, and the health, vigor, and activity of the men, who by being thus inured to constant active employment, are prepared, if called upon suddenly to take tbe field, for the hardships and fatigues inseparable from long marches in a rugged country. The old breech-loading carbines which were found to be limited in range, wanting in precision, and subject to foul and get out of order have been replaced by the long and medium Snider rifles, but those are now found to be too long and too heavy for bush warfare, and it is suggested that Snider carbines with knife bayonets should be substituted for them, and that; the arms at present in use should be handed over to the militia and volunteers. Officers commanding stations have been required to furnish sketch maps and reports of the localities about their posts, and by these means a thorough knowledge has been evinced of the various tracks, positions, and capabilities of tbe surrounding country that can not fail to prove of service in operations against an enemy. Libraries have been established in the various districts, and a large supply of books ordered from England, so that in a short time the means of instruction and amusement will be amply supplied to the members of the force. Instructions have been issued that athletic exercises should be encouraged in every possible way, aud the men have been employed in erecting suitable buildings for gymnasiums. lo addition to the manual labor in which the men have been engaged, they have also been employed on the telegraph, in carrying mails and dispatches, and in taking the census. To give some idea of the useful works upon which the members of the force have been employed, we will quote a few instances from the reports of the district officers. At Ngaruawahia, a redoubt has been erected, and a brick tower built, the whole of the bricks being made on the station. The interior of the fort is a quadrangular building, with a court-yard 10 feet square iv the centre. It contains one guard room, one cell, two small rooms aod one large one, the whole capable of comfortably housing a garrison of fifteen merj. At Hamilton, and Alexandra, some miles of roads, side-cuttings, and embank-, ments have been made ; at' Tauranga, a considerable amount of road-making bas been done, and a 30-acre paddock fenced, ploughed, aod laid down to graßS. At several places redoubts have been erected, and barracks built, and at all the stations large vegetable gardens have been cultivated, to tbe supply obtained from which the medical officers attribute in a great measure the healthy condition of the force. In the Taranaki district an excellent system has been adopted with regard to the management of the canteen, which at one time led to drunkenness, and proved a great annoyance. Now, says Inspector Tuke, " I have taken it entirely into our own bands, placing a trustworthy man in charge, and dividing the profits as follows : ! — Hospital, 7£ per cent; Library, and Rifle Association, 5 per cent; Periodicals;---2\ per cent ; and the surplus to defraying ! the expenses of a general mess, extras, &c. The accounts ; are carefully audited monthly, and no credit over £2 a man is allowed.on any pretext whatever." Since! this management was instituted, not a 'single case of inebriety, owing to the cau- ' teeoi has occurred. j

On the 30th Juue, 1871. the force consisted of^ 723 officers and men, aud>l27p horses. During the year 239 metJ, had been enrolled, and 292 struck off tirtTolls* as follows: — discharged at their own request on completion of service, 96 ; medically unfit, 63 ; dismissed for misconduct, 101 jdeserted, 3 t ,;,redoctioq, { -21* deceased," 5. One l 'thing** sUik'eV uVas somewhat strange in reading -this statement, namely, that, while in most of the reports from the various district officers we hear the discipline and efficiency of the men highly spoken of, ia the return of those who have, been struck off the rolls during the year, we find no less than 104 dismissed for misconduct. _. The : . two accounts are certainly at variance. Referring to the large number discharged at tbeir own request, Colonel Moule suggests that there should be an alteration in the term of service from one to three years, . as in the event of the force having to take the field and the probability of rough, work, J the greater part could, aud'doubtless some ; would, claim their discharge on giving the required three months notice. It certainly appears to be highly desirable that some such arrangements should be made, as it would. not speak very highly for our military organisation, if, after going to the expense of training* and equipping a body of men, we should suddenly find ourselves at the very moment we required their services minus a defensive force. It seems strange, to say the least of it, that the defence department had not foreseen this long since, and guarded against the possibility of such, a disastrous state of things occurring. We trust that no time will be lost in acting upon Colonel Moule' s suggestions.