THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 158, 16 February 1871, Page 7

THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

The " New Zealand Herald," of the 19th inst., contains an able article on the necessity of encouraging the Volunteer force of the colony. The limited space at our disposal precludes us from transferring the whole to our columns, but we copy the concluding paragraph :—: —

" If tha colony of New Zealand is willing to pay £50,000 a year for the presence of an Imperial regiment, the movements of which it would scarcely expect to dictate, even if the services of such a force were ever called into active operation, surely it should be willing to pay as much for an equal number of thoroughly drilled and efficient men taken from its own population, and subject to its orders in every respect? And yet such a force the colony might possess for half the sum it is willing to pay for the mere presence of a regiment of the line. Twenty-five thousand, or thirty thousand pounds per annum spent on our Volunteer force would ensure the services of a full regiment of Rifle Volunteers in either island, of some four or five full troops of cavalry, and of a sufficient number of artillery corps. Arms, such as the Spencer repeating rifle, might be furnished them, which would in actual value quadruple their numbers ; and heavy guns for the defence of our principal ports might also be obtained, and placed in position. There is very little doubt that the mother country

would largely assist a detennino'l action of the colonists, in providing for their own permanent defence, !>y tho presentation of suitable guns \\>: the protection of our harbours i.on hostile cruisers ; aud with sucli a vulo as we have suggested by the Parliament, the men to handle these guns, and the ordinary infantry and cavalry corps, could be maintained. Volunteering, instead of being taken up as a mere boyish whim to be soon laid down when tho novelty had worn off, and the discouragements incidental to the service as at present conducted, came to be experienced, would take a wider and a deeper root. The capitation allowance for dress and other purposes should be liberal, the arms the best that could bo provided, the prizes for shooting numerous and of themselves worth competition, and conducted under such circumstances and in such a manner as to give eclat to the contest, while convenient firing grounds for practice Avould be provided for the men. We should have our field days and our sham fights, and these should bo made the special feature of the holiday on which they occurred. Tho members of the force should be made to feel proud of their service, and in return a thorough discipline, an efficient state of drill, and an understanding that they would servo where necessary, should be exacted. If the movement is to flourish, we must, as the people of Great Britain did, feel proud of our Volunteers, and make them feel proud of themselves. There^s a sufficiency of martial pride in the race to ensure this, if the force were only once put upon a proper footing, and this the Government of the colouy could do for just half that which it is willing to pay for the presence of a British regiment. Surely it is worth something to train our youth to arms, to teach them the value of order and discipline, and make them self-reliant men. Such a force, too, would render really unnecessary the more irksome militia duty, against which every settler is inclined to rebel. Gradually we should become a people of trained and soldiei'-liko men, and we could have no better guarantee than tins of the future manliness and independence of the State we are building up, when, in our children's days, Now Zeal an d takes her place as one of the nations of the world.