DEFENCE DEPARTMENT, £700.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 382, 6 July 1889, Page 4

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT, £700.

Attention was called by Mr Hutchison to tbe increase of the Under-Secretary's salary from £375 to £400, and he sarcastically remarked thatLieut.-Col. Humfrey had better be made Field Marshal ab once. He moved 'that the item be reduced by £75. ' Mr W. P. Reeves wanted to know what were Lieut. -Col. Humfrey's special qualifications for his recent "startling and rapid promotion," and what extra salary

[ and allowances he received. Mr Monk I characterised our defences apart from the 1 torpedo corps as a huge farce and said that in one of the harbours of the colony the disappearing guns had been disabled in ordinary practice, so that if the existence of the Empire had depended upon them they could not have been fired again. In conclusion he stigmatised the whole system as rotten. The Dotonce Minister, in answer to the various speakers, said that the Under-Societary was performing increased duties, and another reason for his promotion was that in his former rank he had no statns in the force. When, for example, an inquiry came to bo hold into the conduct of any oilicers. every commanding oih'cor in tho colony had written to Col. Hum trey congratulating him upon hi 3 well-merited promotion. Mr W. L\ Reeves referred sarcastically to ."this trumpery captain" now promoted to the rank ot a " paper Colonel," who, feeling himself in an interior position, had raised himeelt abovo experienced oilicers. The Minister for Defence, replying to Mr W. P. Ueoves, said that aH'Colond Humfrey's emoluments were embodied in tho amount now under notice. The amendment for reduction was lost by 31 to 34. Mr W. P. Reeves moved to reduce the vote by £25 as a prote&t agai.ist the audacity of this Colonol in piomoting himself over the heads ot all other experienced and efficient oilicers of the bcvvice. This was lost by 35 to 32 and the vote was agreed to. PERMANENT MILITIA, £27,162. Mr Newman askod for information as to j tho To Kooti affair. The Defence Minister said this came under the heading Volunteers. Mr Hutchison said ho was aware that Major-General Stewart, in a memo, to the Government, had pointed out that in consequence ot the advance of military science, all the chief ports ot the colony were at this moment practically undefended against the high angle lire introduced into tho naval systems of tho European Powers, lie dealt further with this memo, of Stowart'b, stating that it showed oui ports were constructed on a system that j conduced to their destruction by artillery I fire amis, and that had been abandoned elsewheie, and further that JNlajor-Geneial Stewart recommended the mounting ot 7inch guns at each port. Hon. Mr Fergus replied that lie did not know that a &inglo statement made by Mr Hutchison was accurate. Mr Hutchison : " Then 1 shall move for the papers." The Defence Minister, continuing, said that if the hon. gentleman had obtained any such infoimation it had been given very wrongfully indeed. It was exceedingly unwise to give information astoourfortificutionswhich would be published in a very widespread" fashion by tho newspapers. He had the assurance of one of the fiist engineers of the time, Major-General Schaw," thab the forts ot Now Zealand were in a moie advanced condition than any others in the world. (Roars ot laughter.) We had better mounted guns than in England. Some personalities were exchanged between tho Minister (Hon. MiFergus) and Mr Mitchelson in reference to the latter's volunteering exploits. Mr Hnfcchicon stated that any person could have obtained tho information that was given at tho Agent-General's Oflicc. The hon. gentleman quoted the date and number of memorandum, and the Minister undertook to, look up the matter in the Defence Office. After fcome further discussion, the vote was agreed to.