Volunteer Reorganisation.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4230, 22 July 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

Volunteer Reorganisation.

(From Capt. Small's pamphlet.) • It would be an undoubted advantage to possess a highly drilled force on full pay, but the question is can the colony afford to maintain such a force. Is it necessary to do so in times of peace ? or can the required result be obtained so that the colony may be placed in a position to meet an emergency when it might occur and without committing the error of " false economy " and yet at a much reduced cost to that proposed. It is belieted that this can be accomplished as shall presently be shown. 1. The whole of the present defence system, together with the armed constabulary, to be abolished. 2. Tlie new volunteer force to be enlisteQ for a period of service of three years. 3. The new service to consist of all the branches, including cavalry, artillery, engineers, rifles, and navals. 4. Each volunteer will attend twelve daylight drills of three hours each per annum, to be held monthly, for which he will receive £3. He will also be required to attend at the least two night parades each month and one target practice, to be arranged to suit the employment which volunteers follow as the rules will allow. '5. Voluuteers shall be entitled to preference for Government employ. 6. AH Government civil servants and employees of whatsoever description, including the servants of all county, municipal, and other corporate bodies under Government control, must be volunteers without allowance for drill. 7. The full control of the volunteer service to be under a board appointed for that purpose, - . ' 8. Volunteers leaving the colony will be entitled to their discharge, although they may not have completed their term of service. 9. Volunteers cannot transfer from one company to another unless they are leaving the district, and in this case only to a company belonging to the same branch of the service to which they belong in the district to which they are about to proceed. 10. Volunteers who have completed their term of service to the satisfaction of the commanding officer will upon reenlistment receive extra consideration.

11. Volunteers having completed twenty years bf ; good character service will be entitled-Jto\one "pound per month pension. 12. Volunteers of five years' service in old organization? will be entitled upon joining the new service to have the five years count for pension ; they will also be entitled to the extra consideration amount.

13. All or any part of the volunteers are liable to be called out at any moment for actual service, when they will be placed on full pay. 14. These few rules will give some idea of the nature of the proposed new service. It will be seen that the whole of the present expenditure for defence purposes is absorbed into one fund, the abolishing of the present defence system with the armed constabulary having that effect. Next the new force is enlisted for a stated term, and under such conditions that part or the whole will be available at. any moment when required, so that the necessity for maintaining an expensive force constantly on full pay will be dispensed with. Another leading feature is that that large body of individuals composing

the Government servants, together with the servants of all bodies under Government control, will become members of the volunteers without pay: thus a large saving will be effected. Then it will be seen that the amount of £3 each- member is small as compared with the sums of £5, £10, and £20. Next, the system _of pro posed drills and target practice, if faithfully carried out, will produce a well drilled body of men, snperior in shooting ability to any body to be found elsewhere, I because every man if not a crack shot will at the worst be-a fair medium shot; besides the men will be able to calculate the distance of an object without-having the ground measured for them, as is done under the present system. Now, are the inducements held forth sufficient to cause the enrolment of as large a number as may be required ? Yes, and the double number if wanted. Iv the first place a volunteer's drills need not interft re with his regular employment. 2nd, he will re ceive at the rate of 5s for about three hours' daylight drill eneh month, i c., £3 a year. 3rd, the fact of being a volunteer will entitle him to preference for employment on Government works, &c 4th, by re enlisting for another period of service after completing his first period will receive a bonus of say £3. sth, after a period of twently years' good character service will be entitled to a pension of one pound per month for ten years or a substantial grant of land. 6tb, the fact of being a volunteer does not tie a man to any particular district nor to the colony as he could leave when he .pleases. 7lh, other privileges could be granted to volunteers from time to time, for instance a volunteer could be entitled to a free pass for himself and family on any Government railway on any day not being a general holiday. It will be perceived that although the cost to the colony would be comparatively moderate to anything yet proposed for an efficient defence force; yet it will be well worth a man's while being a volunteer, as he will thus; by devoting a little of his spire time in learning to be an efficient soldier, at the i same time secure for himself a number of privileges as well as earn a little money. The examination for commissions should depend upon the rank for which the candidate aspires and the practicable ability of the candidate to perform the duties which accrue to such rank as also to the next in seniority. For instance, if the competition be for a subaltern com mission he (the candidate) should be required to take his position as such in a company, and the company be then put through a number of movements from a programme unknown to him. He should then be told to take his post as captain, and his knowledge of that position tested by the company being exercised as a company in battalion, He should then be called to the front and required to exercise the company in skirmishing, including the various changes of front, within a prescribed area, also any other company drill that the examining officers may think fit. For higher ranks greater tests, to handle with rapidity and precision larger bodies of troops, other bodies being required to act as a supposed enemy. The candidate can be tested as to his ability, including his foresight to calculate the probability of movements being made and take measures accordingly, presence of mind to rapidly meet with coolness any unexpected emergency, caution to count the cost and not attempt what cannot succeed, strategy to deceive the enemy as to actual intention and attack when and where least expected, the power to judge distance, to retreat in an orderly, soldierlike, and effective manner. This system to be regulated according to the branch of the service, if artillery a thorough knowledge of gunnery; if navals, of navigation, &c, and so on.