VOLUNTEERING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 224, 15 September 1908, Page 4

VOLUNTEERING.

THE DEFENCE COUNCIL'S REPORT. The reports by the Council of Defence and the. Inspector-General of the New Zealand Defence Forces contain much matter of inLerest to volunteers. Under the head of "Policy," the report says: • • . It is absolutely necessary that means may lie devised whereby the whole of the Field Force shall do as much wonk as possible by daylight in the lield, the larger units (regiments and battalions) being brought together as often as possible, and the various arms of which the Force is composed working together more, frequently than at present in order that all ollicers, and especially those of the higher ranks, may obtain some knowledge of their work. It is the intention of the Council to so revise tlie regulations governing the earning of capitation and payment for daylight parades that this object may be attained.''

Volunteers will ilie pleased with the following recommendations: That greatcoats be supplied to the rank and iile;. a valuation be made for units already supplied, of those serviceable, the value agreed upon to be paid to those units in lieu of issue. Units receiving issue of greatcoats to have 10s per year, for three years, deducted from capitation. Field service uniform to be maintained as at pro-tent out ol capitation, but dress regulations must be adhered to. Arms, accoutrements, water-bottles, haversacks, mess-tins, waterproof sheets, nose-bags, and headropes for Mounted Rifles .be a Government issue. That each officer, in addition to capitation, on passing for his commission, be granted ail annual personal bonus, so long as ho remains efficient, as follows—Lieutenants, £2 10s; captain, £5; major, £7 10s; the maintenance of uniform, upkeep of his position, &e. To include officers of Defence Cadets, except that half of the above rates bo paid. That a Board of Selection he set up in each district, which will select and forward names for approval of Council of Defence, when vacancies or openings for promotion ccur, preference by right to be given to officers or non-commissioned officers in the forces, provided the Board is satisfied of their fitness, before recourse is made to selection, from outsiders. A list to be opened where gentlemen desirous of 'becoming officers may register and receive preliminary training, from which list the Board may select when necessary to go outside those at present serving." If election must be adhered to, the Board of Selection should ap prove of candidates before they go up foT election. . . . For next Easter the manoeuvres willprobably bo under the personal command of cacli O.C. district and his staff, as in war, affording opportunity for volunteer officers to command the troops they lead in peace, giving to the volunI teer officers the chance of further in- ! struction under the loaders who would command them in case of the Dominion being attacked. ... On the experience gained last year the continuous courses will be divided into grades, instruction being given as 'follows:—(a) Mix days' continuous, for 'non-commissioned ollicers; (b) junior officers' course; (c) senior officers' course. Spfeaking of rifle shooting, the report states: ''The Commonwealth CouuJ cil of the Rifle Association of Australia has extended a cordial invitation to Now Zealand to be represented in the second Empire match, to bo tired in October, 190!), and, as there js every prosi pect of the Eifipire, being represented not only by the Mother Country, but I by several units of his Majesty's domili- | ion, the Council of Defence ventures to hope that a representative team may be sent from New Zealand.''

From the statistics given we lusivii that the total strength of - t.lie adult voinult't'i' force. iill ranks, 011 February 20th of tliis year was 13,04'J, showing a decrease of 1507 ill the year. Mine adult volunteer corps (one artillery ami eight mounted rilles and infantry) were disbanded during the year. I The Wellington district, of which Ta'ranaki forms a part, had by far the largest percentage of volunteers at the 11)08 Easter manoeuvres. Auckland, with 2808 volunteers, sent 793, or 27 per cent; Nelson (1103), 551, or 47 per cent; Canterbury (2283), 1153, or 50 per cent; Otago (31-17), 1105, or 35 per cent; and Wellington (3538), 2273, or 04 pel cent, ft would be, interesting to see the percentages of tli-a various .battalions. The. Inspector-General's remarks upon mounted infantry and of the infantry companies show that our line of defence is not over-strong. Of the ''mounteds," he says: "The establishment for the Dominion at the end of the volunteer year was 0000, the actual strength 31123, and the total number paraded for inspection 184!), or 30 ]ier cont. of the establishment, and 47 per cent, of strength. This, 1 need hardly point out, is an entirely unsatisfactory state. . . The squadrons vary from a fair number .... that are in a most satisfactory state,.to some that are in all respects quite useless, being without diciplinc or knowledge, and very slack and slovenly in turn-out and appearance. The want of discipline and general slackness is, of course, the fault of the oflicers, who are not fit for the position. . . . "Like tho mounted rifles, the infantry corps vary very much in usefulness and elficioney, owing generally to the same causes. A few corps ill each district are really .excellent i~ all the work they do, have, excellent discipline, and in some cases where tliev have exceptionally enthusiastic and capable officers (.very effort is made by the latter to get as'much daylight training as possible, but unfortunately the opportunities are very few. At the otiher 'end of 'the scale there are some corps (about twentv) so bad and useless in every way that there is no justification at all for the expense incurred upon thein ill their present state. There, is no reason whatever whv they should not improve ii all ranks 'make an effort and mean business. . . . 'there is plenty i.f interesting and very useful work that infantry call be taught in drill halls, .but 1 am convinced that in order to unde pstand what is wanted, and even how to make their indoor work interesting, tliev must be taken out into the field in davlighl. and shown what they are for. * A few odd hours scattered over the year will never accomplish this, J am certain. f regret to say that in manv corps the N.0.0.'s and sometimes the officers have little or no idea, of instructing or handling their men, cannot sometimes carry out the simplest manoeuvre (such as putting half a dozen men quickly into the required position), have practically no knowledge of ficid duties, lire control, or fire discipline, and I have even several times found that they have not been able to sight ritles correctly when instructed to show men who were ignorant."