DEFENCES AND VOLUNTEERS IN VICTORIA.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 883, 4 November 1871, Page 3

DEFENCES AND VOLUNTEERS IN VICTORIA.

The " Argus " in its Summary for England, on the 9th ult. says:—" An important decision has been arrived at in respect to our land defences, and it is that which was indicated in our last English Summary, viz., to retain the services of our little army of paid artillerymen. This is composed of a small number of men trained in the Imperial service, and about ninety men selected in the colony, who, after livinglnj barracks and undergoing a severe course of discipline and training as artillerymen, constitute, a body from which the police, and the wardens <fec, in the penal department, are to be in future recruited. When the Treasurer of the present Government made his financial statement, he announced that this corps would be diabanded. Fortunately, before that was agreed to, a select committee was oppointed to inquire into the efficiency of the said corps, and one of that committee was the Treasurer himself. They made inquiries, examined many witnesses, and personally inspected the men on parade, in barracks and at their exercises, and the result was so abundantly in favour of maintaining the corps in its present form, that the Government have announced their intention of asking Parliament for a full year's pay, instead of pay for six months only, as was originally intended. The report of the committee set forth the expense of the corps was £l3 less per man (including officers) than that of a battery of Imperial artillery, which might be called away in time of war; also that there were many duties required to be performed which the local corps could undertake, and that a reduction of £12,000 per annum was effected by there being no necessity for police supernumaries. Lastly, the committee which nevertheless recommended the gradual reduction of the men from the Imperial service, stated:—" It will be seen by the evidence, that this corps is the nearest approach in point of efficiency it is possible to establish in lieu of Imperial troops; that the men, both as to character, physique, and education, are superior to the general average of those in the Imperial service, consequently that they learn their drill sooner than recruits for the Imperial artillery, from twelve to eighteen months being considered sufficient to turn them out thoroughly efficient artillerymen."