VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMENTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2470, 28 February 1893, Page 3

VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMENTS.

It lias just been decided that during Easter separate Volunteer encampments shall be held at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunediu, Nelson, and Westland, or if the Volunteers of the last two -named districts prefer they may combine to form one encampment. At auy rate the Volunteer forces of Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago, will assemble at Auckland, Christehurch, and Dunedin, respectively, while the Volunteers of Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Wangamii, Manawatu, and the Waira r.ipa, will all converge upon the metropolis ana join with the local corps iu investing tho forts and engaging with thorn in resisting tha attempts of the imaginary hostile force to land. Iu each centre the operations will proceed upon the same theory, viz., that the cruiser of the auxiliary squadron has had to run for the shelter of the forts, that the foe has appeared and is about to attempt a j landing in force, and that he must be repelled, the local authorities being left to work out the details of the plau of attack and defence. For the cavalry of the North Island exclusive of Auckland) there will be a special encampment at Palmorston North which offers great advantage for tho purpose by reason of its central situation. The encampment at Wellington bids fair to be the largest display of the kind ever held by thVolunteers of the colony and will afford ji capital means of testing their aptitude, state of discipline ant] general elijcieucy when brought together and exercised in large bodies. It would greatly add t'> the geueral effect if arrangements were made, say, to enclose the encampment with a grand review, which should also include the oavah-y troi>ps ? who might easily be brought down from Palmerston for the purpos<\. It will doubtless be remembered that shortly after Mr SeJdou's accession to office he visited tho four cities of the Colony, summoned a conference of the local Volunteer officers at each place, submitted to them a programme baaed on the lines just outlined, and invited an expression of opinion with regard to it. The consensus of opinion was that the Minister's plan furnished an excellent method of practically testing the efficiency of the Volunteers, and of training thorn in useful work which would bo required of them in case of energency. It will not be known until Colonel Fox's report is made public whether the commandant is disposed to permanently endorse this ggfteiuo of operatiqns, uud jt W*y pro-

bably be that the Minister, with his usiuii firmness of purpose is taking this last opportunity of giving effect to the programme stretched out by him 18 months ago. It certainly commends itself to the common fense of laymen, and if approved by the commandant will ik> doubt be brought into force. It will, at any rate, Jfurniah Colonel Fox with an opportunity of judging with what measures of celerity the men can be moblished at a required point and how they work together in a considerable body.—N.Z. Times.