DEFENCE STATEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 196, 22 September 1900, Page 2

DEFENCE STATEMENT.

[Hf TELEQUAPB,] Wellington, September 21. The Joint Defence Secret Committee have the honour to report as follows : " That the Government In recommended to accept tho service of all the volunteer corps offering, and which with those now accepted will bring up the volunteer forca of the colony approximately to 18,000. Signed, Albert Pitt, Lieut.-Colonel, OhairmaD, 16th August, 1900. REPORT. The Joint Defecca (Secret) Oomraittee of both Houses of Parliament have the honour t> repart that they have takon evidenco and have considered a number of important documents and records re coloniil forces, and after the evidence bcfi-ro them have the honour to report as fullows: — FORTIFICATIONS AND MINEFIIST.D3. 1. Your Committee think it nocsssary that the fortifications and harbour defences of the colony should be perfected, extended, and strengthened. 2, Your Committee having rjgard to the fact cf Auckland possessing the Calliope Dock, also to the arrangement existing between tho Adoiirn'tyauilioiities and the Auckland Hail our Board ro that dock, for procurement and maintenance ef the »<ov,>,wy nvichineiy and equipment, con.id-r is if fitst importance that the defences of Auckland ro fortifications, submarine mines, and r.ecasßary permanent and volunteer forces, should bo completed without djlay, 3. That tho i:cc.ssnry quickfiring guns of the latofit pit torn and requisite calibrobe obtained fir Auckland. 4. A s'.ock if Weal-port co;;l should bo always kept at Auckland for tho use of warships, proper financial arrangements being made botweon tin Imperial and New Zealand Governments in reft renco to such stock. 0. That additional fortific itious, guns of moro modern typ'S, and quick-firing guns are required for tho c.ireploto fortifications cf Wellington. Too min-2-fioldH at Wellington v quiro strong'hcning, and additional men r.re needed ilvie, (i. That tho fortificitions at L) tvlt on should be i-.lUrod r-t position of ' f-un- (tlio gur.3 at Itipi 15!:,i:..l ii : ":Ula l'-'l r&movui to tho Kcadv), as,.; t-.ho iiueta-;:.t'y qv.ickiiring Runs poured and mine iiolds completed ; a>o triors r<>en required to support tho lurbcur uei'tnees. 7. The defences of Porfc Chaluiors should bo Ktreugthcnfd hyacomplotionof mine Geld, and tha necessary adjunetr.', and by additional guns. 8. ibo fertilisations at Wertport should bo strengthened and cotnplutul withi-ut delay, 9. The necessary steam Ja'.iSiduM (or minora) and pinnaces in connection with tho several fortifiud forts in the jolouy should bo piucuied, and ho of in up-to-daio tlfis'J.

GKNKKAL BBOOMMKNOATIOSS. ( (a). That arapla supply of ammuniion for guns in forts, also stores ra* j luired for the mine fields, and spire j >arts of the mechanism of guns be H wtained and always maintained, (b). ( That the Volunteers of the colouy t )a increased to a maximuu strength , )f all arms, and ranks of 18,000, aa . nentioned in the interim report, (c). t That the field artillery bo strengthened j ay obtaining three batteries (of newest j ype of guns) in addition to the field suns now in the colony, (d). That light Maxim guns of the latest pattern, \ ind the necessary ammunition, bo t )btained. (o). That 30,000 stand of s irms, rifles, and carbines of the Litest c pattern and tho necessary accoutre- t aonts be obtained, (f). That the c mpply of small arms and ammunition c 30 augmented soon to the extent that t ivould be necessary in time of war, and , ihat the supply in each volunteer die- , trict of the colony bo constantly kopt f up to that standard, (j:). That tlu ( present stock of boll tout, unrqu!:''.';,' ■ ind camp equipments, bo increased to . moot the requirements of the increased ( forces, (h). That tho whole volunteer ( force of the colony bo properly equipped , —such equipment to iuclu lo overcoats , and waterproof sheets (to be tho pro- , porty of tho corps), (i). Thai: tho | term of enrolment of volunteers for ( service bo three years, (j). That ( schools of instruction bo provided at ] Auckland, Wellington, Christckurcb, , and Dunedin at least, and thas it be j obligatory on officers and non-coms ( to attend at one of such schools for , instruction forsuch period, and to pass such exams as shall be prescribed, (k). , That during the camps of instruction volunteers of all branches shall remain in camp for seven days, consecutively in each year, and bj paid by the Government the wages to be prescribed, (1), That it is necessary that suitable rifle ranges be obtained in each volunteer district where recommended by the commander of the forces; that the necessary legislation bo passed to enable tho Government to take lands necessary for such rifle ranges according to the Public Works Acts value, land and compensation in respect to other lands injuriously affected to be assessed on the basis of tho land tax value, plus 10 per cent; that except as above mentioned, upon any land being legally proclaimed a rifle range, no property owner or occupier shall have the right of compensation in respect of such land being used as a range nor legally thereafter to object to such land being used as a rifle range. Tho wholo coat of maintaining raugas and targots shall be borne by the Government, (in) that existing payments for daylight parades bo continued, a condition being that half the nominal strough of the Company bo present on paiade. (n), That any voluutetr absont from three Government parades consecutively without a certificate from the volunteer medical officer of his corps, or in writing from tho officer commanding his company, shall cease to be the member of the company and shall not be eligible for enrolment in any other company for two years, (o). That for garrison artillery and volunteer submarine miners, the annual capitation to he £3los instead of £2 los as at present, (p). That tho unifotms acid caps uf th< sub-marine branch of tho fsorfieo hi restored to the [attorn previou-ly in use. (q). That the medical bra'di oi '•ho defence force ho ivirgmle i, iw Uio general modha! list l.y striking n:>m:3- ■Jjcr :-fuw> uwi aioc ! ling tho crmnis-i .1; if „h.;-i'. m ti; ollicew u'viUo to \r. ri'wi'u l-ien' b : ii. diri.s. TiiaS im. iiftc<:...,'y „, •'[:• ind surgical upphaiucsr. \nu >'. I'm. J, iel'once force** bo procured a;.d main taincd; that proper arrar,;>eii)eui - ' bo made for ensuring tho necessary Gold, and base hospitals t j b.j available in the event of the outbreak of hostilities, and the requisite arrangements with the principal hospital at < oach provincial contre foe tho reception > of patients from field hospitals in time jf war; that the medical officer of oach company should give lectures and ' instruction to members of his corps ( upon first aid to the injured; tint ' volunteer medical officers be romuua- s rated for their time in attending the • camps of excerciso according to a scale 1 to be fixed, (r). That the number and 1 strength of the bearer corps ba increased and supplied with the necss- ( *ary equipments, acd the necessary 1 arrangements made for the transport t of the wounded in case of hostilities, t (-). That proper arrangements be « uado for oasuring sufficient transport > to meat the cas j of a sudden outbreak 1 of hostilities. • I HEADQUARTERS STAFF. < (11).' That tho headquarters staff in ' each district in tho colony requin . ' organising so as to put tho samo upon ' a mora serviceable footiug than at pre- ' sent exists. ( IMPERIAL RESSRVB. 1 12. With wwppct to tho formition of t ,in Imp rial Rjscrve, your committee ji recommond tho following provinions j n shall apply: —lt shall bo opon to a'l A oluccrs aad mem bplonging to ordinary c volunteer corps to become efficient in v both services, and fo enlist for threa i yonrs in tho reserve. The officers and i J men i?o enliating shall receive- a fired i S sura of £5 per annum as a perusal payment on being certified a3 efilci■ , »:* ! •'? and slull bs required to go into < nip, ,o at stited periods, for cay two rocks jtl each year—drills in camp as a vnlu" Iteer to count as pin cT tho two w'-ak". i n Wh?n in camp, officers, noo-coiumin- j» tfioned officers, and privates shall be I It puii-uch amour fc> lib may a> b) lfuH+H S fill s »vo ' ill b) U l rr-wl o i' apt! n uon im' 0 3 lu p t a a <■ h " l j 'at ' ] 1 i d j J 1 111! i nt tai ' t ) l l w 1 1 ') 1 i i tl i 1 > tl j lilt t I own J tiu u A pita*wi J , )f Kie i o i j i i n ho to t y c \i a tl o 1 l I ij, hu col mil Gin in ii u I i I 01 ihu (. | ! i \ I ! ItUKO OUf ill i < 1 I I to C ] US 1 ' nmen tho Imp n 1 l< \ i i ly tlit) wlioly of tho i lar \ i i, viu i«> vo Jioioiuii ol Hi» j ui i„im \ I i '

tmporial and colonial Govitnments, such agreement to bo subject to con finnation and ratification by th« New Zealand Parliament. Tho number of such force sluill not exceed at tbe commencement 2000, and half at least to be field artili try and tho otber half mountod rillon. Tho pay of officers and men whtm on tervico outside the colony shall net be less than that which is being paid to the Fifth Contingent in South Africa. IHFLIS CLUBS. 1 ! Tho formation of rifle clubs should be encouraged. A club [should ooinilti of not less than twenty or more jftwn sixty mombors, and where volunteer corps have been forfhed only ex-volan-teers of not less than threa yean efficient service and over thirty yean of age should ba enrolled. When there are no volunteer corps the dob* may enrol members who have not had volunteer service, but no rifle dob should be established within 6 milei of tiio headquarters of a volunteer corpt, Members of rifle clubs should, where practicable, attend a prescribed number of drills and parades in tho course of tho year, tho instruction being is respect to handling arms and firing exercise, tho Government to supply rifles and ammunition to enrolled meml>:'rs at cos*4 price. After one year's enrolment, members shall be tested at target practice, aud on being able to make the minimum number of marks at the prescribed ranges, and having attended tbe prescribed number of drills and parades they shall be entitled to receive a certificate as being efficient. For tho first year every enrolled memj ber of a rifle club shall reoeive a free grant of 50 rounds of ammunition, tad thereafter to every efficient member of a rifle club there shall be allowed a free grant of 100 rounds of ammunition to bo used at matches or practice; members also to have free railway passos when attending Rifle Association competitions. Kids clubs shall form part of the battalion of the volunteer district in which they are located, and are to be subjoet to the orders of he officer commanding such district, tnd shall be liable for active ssriios on the declaration of war. OADET CORPS. Cadet corps in connection with the various schools in the colony should be Ditiblished and encouraged, and be under the- control of the Education ' Boards and the Education Department, the Defence Department to supply a limited number of carbines and a oerain quantity of ammunition for the ise of tho elder boys in school corps. Aleo the formation of cadet corps to jousist of youths who have left school, but who are not old enough to join volunteer corps DEFENCE STORES. (15). They should be issued by th« Department to tho Commandant of the forces, who should be responsible for seeing the minimum war standard u:tintained. In addition to Welling* uu there should bo stoies at four of .he chief volunteer centres, FINANCE. Tho Imperial authorities to bo applied to by the Government to advanoe he capital necessary to enable the olony to carry out such of the above ecommondations as may be adopted by Parliament. NAVAL RESERVE. (18). Tho (Jommittoa consider tho natter ono of r.uch importance that ■ buy Mtcommeiid negotiations being >ponul up by tho Govm anient of New /upland with this (Joaiuionwealth of Australia and tlio Imp.rial Govern* n.'iit wiih a viow to ascertaining .vhcth'.r some wisfactory ariange'««iU v,i i bo m-iilo upon the subject. ■IMNVKIWION b'i'KAMERS. (1!)). The Committee further recomui u'Hho attention of the Imperial authorities to be drawn to the matter of conversion of merchant steamem trading with the colony into aimed cruisers aud the proper equipment of such steamers as cruisers. AUSTRALIAN SQUADRON. (20). The Committee recommend that representations be made to the Commonwealth of Australia and tho Imperial Government as to the necessity of strengthening the Australian squadron, tho increased cost to be paid by tho Commonwealth and New Zealand, The report is submitted on the assumption that the capital is advanced by the Imperial Government at a into of interest satisfactory to tho Parliament of New Zealand, and that a sinking fund will be provided for the ultimate extinction of the loan. If such arrangoments oanaot bo made, parts only of such scheme can bo 4 carried out by the colony. If tho ' colony has to undertake the work without the assistance of the Imperial Government, your Committee submit for consideration an alternative:— Completing fortifications to only two ports. Your Committee estimate that tho capital cost ol carrying out tho improvement of defences as recommended would be approximately £3/3,128. Tho annual extra cost, including interest and sinking fund, would bo jSu'J,3o3.—(Signed) Albcbt Put, Liouwnaut-Coloue', Chairman Joint Defence (Secret) Committee, September 21 nt, 1900." j Tl.o schedule att iched to tho report ■fivca tito approximate cost in detail of modifying the present ar.uaments of tho forts at Auckland, Wellington, hyttvltou, i/iid I'ort Chalmers,completing tho -mine Holds, the <«\ :tion of a new fort at Dorset Point, Wellington, fortifying Westport, supplying extm "or Wellington. J