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H.—9

S.—GBNBEAL EEPOET ON VOLUNTEBES. Generally throughout the colony a very good spirit exists amongst the Volunteers. It was hardly to be expected that this good spirit should prevail throughout. In the few cases where a bad spirit was found I have noted it in my report on individual corps, and need refer to it no further. It is, however, generally urged that not sufficient is done for the Volunteers ; that there is an insufficiency of capitation, worn-out rifles, bad ammunition ; a tax of about 27-J per cent, levied on uniforms imported from England, or else an increase of more than that amount in extra cost of uniforms made up in the colony over the cost of that manufactured at Home, while the cut and wearing capability of the colonially-made stuff is not to bo held in comparison with uniforms of Home manufacture ; that this uniform is obtained solely for the benefit of the country, as without uniform no men could go on service without being liable to be strung up to the nearest tree did they fall into the hands of the enemy; and that generally, while many promises have been made, no real interest is taken in their welfare. There are also other most material reasons for inefficiency, in that the Volunteers and other forces of the colony have seldom, if ever, been really inspected; that the infantry sergeant-instructors are generally far behind the time in their knowledge and power of imparting instruction ; that there has been a very great insufficiency of instruction ; that the officers, however willing to learn, have not had proper opportunities of acquiring knowledge; and that there has been no system of any kind on which either officer or man could depend for more than twelve months at a time. As will be seen elsewhere, I have no fault to find, but, on the other hand, great praise to bestow, on the officers commanding centres* for the way in which they have worked. Any one taking the example of work done by Lieutenant-Colonel Newall in the Wellington centre will at once understand that his whole time is taken up in attempting to do more than a man's possible work. However willing—and he is most willing—he may be to teach individual officers, or to organize classes of instruction, he has not the time for it. The other commanding officers are generally in the same plight. It must also be borne in mind that the officers commanding centres have not had the opportunities afforded to Imperial officers during these last few years of going through classes of instruction and brushing up their knowledge. Military instruction in these days is an absolute necessity, and that it must be of the best kind goes without saying. Officers and men of intelligence, very willing to learn if properly taught by a man of superior knowledge, will not submit to be instructed by a man whom they know to be inferior to themselves in learning. This is remarkably exemplified in the case of the Oamaru District, where neither commanding officer nor instructor are in any way capable as accepted under modern ideas, the result being almost absolute inefficiency on parade and disorganization generally in the corps throughout the command, the nearly sole exception being the North Otago Mounted Eifles, who have but little to do with the commanding officer, and nothing with the staff sergeantinstructor. 1. Naval Aktilleby Voluntbbes. I believe that these corps, which are scattered over the colony, were originally intended for service on board ship. They have long ago been turned to other work. The corps belonging to the four centres have been organized in such a way that each is supposed to contain a proportion of gunners and submarine miners. The corps in the smaller towns are simply infantry corps, dressed in Naval uniform. Prior to my arrival in the colony it had been the general custom for the gunnery portion of the Naval corps of the four centres to learn a certain amount of drill pure and simple, not sufficient trouble being taken to interest the men in their work. Where instruction in gunnery has been combined with drill, as at Auckland, under the supervision of Lieutenant-Colonel Goring, I found that those men, who had attempted to learn, possessed an intelligent grasp of their work, and were to be relied on. I have endeavoured to inculcate this doctrine generally, and have greatly succeeded. It appeared to me certain that if the men only knew why they were told to do certain things they would have much more interest in their work, and would give up their time much more willingly. In Auckland the Officer Commanding the District happens to be the officer commanding the Permanent Artillery. He found himself to be responsible for the efficiency of each corps in his district, and, knowing what was to be expected of his Naval Artillery Volunteers, he devoted much care and time to their instruction, with good results. In the other centres there is a commanding officer other than the officer commanding the Permanent Artillery, and the latter officer has had no responsibility placed on him as regards the command and instruction of the Artillery Volunteers in his district. This is wrong, and must be altered. In future he must be responsible for their efficiency. During the last few months excellent work has been done generally. Captain E. G. Bourke, E.N., commanding H.M.S. " Eingarooma," most kindly gave the Auckland Naval Artillery Volunteers great encouragement in taking a large portion for a three days' cruise, so that they might have instruction, and learn how gunnery and torpedo work is carried out on board one of Her Majesty's ships. The Wellington Naval Artillery were in camp for fifteen days; the Petone Naval Artillery— port watch, fourteen days, starboard watch, ten days; the Lyttelton Naval Artillery, nine days; the Dunedin Naval Artillery, fourteen days ; the Peninsula Naval Artillery, fourteen days. In each case wonderful improvement has been made. I may specially mention that prior to going into camp the Dunedin Naval Artillery knew nothing of the drill or working of a 6in. B.L. gun. Some little time subsequently I found three really excellent detachments, composed of men who knew a very great deal about everything concerning their work, even to range-finding —a state of affairs very highly creditable to them and their instructors.

*In speaking of centres, I refer to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.