OUR DEFENCE FORCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 263, 7 November 1871, Page 2

OUR DEFENCE FORCE.

To the Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail, Sib, — I read with much interest yonr, remarks on the subject of /'Defence," and as you hold it to be tbe^dutyiof every man who knows, or presumes to. know, !anythiog about the matter at .issue to have his say, I am encouraged tohaye mine, the more so as I have had considerable experience in military arrangement's/both of the Orderly Room arid the Field. . ,-■ • ' As I propose to treat^thel subject in: detail, I crave your, iudulgence and that of your readers if my remarks are somewhat, prolix ; they shall not be 1 irrelevant. : On a careful perusal of the debates on the matter at issue, the laudatory records on one side, and the condemnatory oh the other, I note with surprise that men who claim- to be authorities have exhibited themselves wholly unprepared with any definite scheme or system of defence, and appear to have merely wasted the time of the House in a tirade against the hapless Volunteers. ....... I estimate, at its intrinsic value, and cast it to "the idle winds that I. regard opt " Colonel Brett's extravagant statement that 2000 disciplined men could be marched from North to South defeating our Volunteers; , because there can in no place be, at the utmost, more tban five handred brought against us, and in most localities tbe numbers would range from oae to two hundred and not beyond. I am not disposed to lay much stress" upon the remarks of the ". experienced Prussian general " for a singularly experienced Prussian, now a ..naturalised Nelsonian, auihbrity has been frequently heard paying a similar compliment to the British Imperial troops of the" Continental Army. ' . ', '■ Would it' not be rather suggestive ■to enquire, how comes it that the Maoris have become better disciplined. than the Volunteers ? Let the Government digest the answer and take a lesson therefrom. Passing over Colonel Brett's plaintive lament that' a 'Volunteer, cannot stand properly in the ranks, an'd another honorable member'3 ' objection that the Constabulary are too well " seb up " — stand tod straight — -as -he terms -it-,, 1 shall now enter into details. A number of persons meet to form the nucleus of a Volunteer Company; this done, officers are nominated,' &c.y proceedings are forwarded for approval' and sanction of the Government; and the, Company duly gazetted as " the New Zealand Crushers" or some such appropriate sobriquet. The officers are allowed six months to attain military "proficiency, meantime parades and drill are commenced ; for a time the attendance is regular and everything goes on as smoothly as could be wished, but by and bye the charm of. uovelty .wears off, and' wifch it falls off .the, atteodance of the men. Now, allow each company to have For remainder of news see fourth page. .