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Blenheim Cavalry. —2oth October, 1886 : Included below. Inspected corps at its annual training. It had been lately reorganized, but was very much better than before. The attendance was good, and the drill and horses very creditable. Blenheim Volunteers. —22nd October, 1886 : Present, 168; absent, 32. An improvement on last year, when the town corps was above the average. The Spring Creek corps has since been disbanded. Some absentees without excuse were fined, but some were cadets without arms. Nelson Volunteers. —3oth October, 1886: Present, 330; absent, 11. It is always a pleasure to inspect this station. Almost every man was present who could have been. I only heard of one man being fined. Lieut.-Colonel Pitt deserves great credit for the way in which his force manoeuvres. It was good last year and even better this. The Cadets were excellent as usual. Westporl. —2nd November, 1886 : Present, 48 ; absent, 1. I had not previously inspected this station, and the Volunteers were not accustomed to annual inspections, &c. I made some concession to their convenience. Almost every man was present. The men were of admirable physique, and did their company drill well. The cadets were good. Greymouth. —3rd November, 1886 : Present, 124 ; absent, 8. The same remarks apply as for Westport. Kumara. —4th November, 1886 : Present, 55; absent, nil. The same remarks apply as for Westport, only there were no cadets. Dunedin. —9th November, 1886 : Present, 1,005 ; absent, 313. I varied the usual custom, as it was a public holiday, and accepted a review and sham-fight at the Heads. The attendance was rather less than if I had seen the men at Dunedin. The men, though drenched with rain, showed much good spirit, and moved under disadvantages very well. The High School Cadets deserve special mention. Invercargill. —l2th November, 1886 : Present, 260; absent, 72. The attendance of the Cavalry might have been better. It seems there was some mistake in giving notice of the inspection. The attendance of the rest was good, and the men's appearance was smart, and their drill fairly good. Perhaps there was some room for improvement, but the force is under exceptional disadvantages. The absentees were chiefly Cavalry and Naval Volunteers who were at sea. Odmaru. —16th November, 1886 : Present, 461; absent, 20. The attendance was very creditable, and few if any men were absent who could have been on the ground. The number of Cadets who were fairly well trained was remarkable. The inspection was unusually satisfactory, and showed much progress since last year. The two heavy guns might be better kept. Timaru. —l7th November, 1886: Present, 364 ; absent, 129. The same remarks apply as to Oamaru, only the force present was smaller, and the absentees more numerous. The two heavy guns at this station were well kept. Ashburton. —18th November, 1886 : Present, 94 ; absent, 15. I had not inspected this station before. One corps was almost perfect. The other, an honorary corps, was also fairly good. The attendance was good. The two corps moved well together. Christchurch. —l9th November, 1886 : Present, 1,008; absent, 95. This was the best inspection I had ever been present at in this colony. The force was large, the attendance almost to a man of those who could have been present, and the Artillery, Cadets, and the Ist Canterbury Battalion quite as good as can be required of New Zealand Volunteers. The manner in which the troops marched and manoeuvred was most creditable. The Cavalry were only partly present, other detachments having paraded at other stations. I wish to call special attention to the excellence of the Cadets and Mounted Infantry, on which I have not before reported. Wellington. —llth December, 1886: Present, 531; absent, 107. Last year I was not able to report as favourably as I can this year of the Cavalry (whom I saw this year at the Hutt) and the Infantry battalion, which is now complete in its officers and organization. The improvement in so short a time has been very remarkable. There were some absentees, but few who, under the Act, were necessarily fined. The Navals here were as good as last year, as were the Artillery, and quite up to the average of other stations. Waiuku Cavalry. —6th January, 1887 : Present, 61; absent, 3. Two men only absent without leave; one, prevented by his employer, resigned; the other had a reasonable excuse. I inspected the corps both mounted and dismounted. The men were steady, and well trained with their carbine and in skirmishing. Horses useful and steady. South Franklin Mounted Infantry. —7th January, 1887. The less I report of the attendance of this corps the better. It was not good. But, as it was harvest time, and some mistake occurred about the notices, and as the men wrote expressing regret, I have allowed it to pass as no inspection. What men I saw were efficient in their special arm. The attendance at the Auckland encampment was good. Te Awamutu Cavalry. —Bth January, 1887 : Present, 38 ; absent, 5. Te Awamutu men almost all present, or had a reasonable excuse. The Eaglan contingent (18) were all absent, not yet being in uniform. This corps deserves equal credit with the Waiuku for its efficiency as a frontier force. The horses were excellent, and the men's drill was very creditable. Thames. —llth January, 1887 : Present, 123; absent, 15. The two corps at this station keep up the character of the celebrated Thames Volunteers. Their appearance was excellent, and their movements very creditable. The attendance was good, and few, if any, were absent without good cause. New Plymouth. —l4th January, 1887 : Present, 190; absent, 35. Several country corps and cadet corps were assembled. The movements of the Volunteers were an improvement, as regards the country corps, upon last year. The local corps was very good then, and has kept up its character. The number of absentees was not so large as it appears. Waverley-Patea Light Horse. —lsth January, 1887 : Present, 52 ; absent, 6. This corps was well drilled last year, and is better now. The absentees without good excuse were very few, if indeed there was one. I was particularly struck with the steadiness and excellence of the horses,