VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 102, 1 May 1889, Page 2

VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEERS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—The recent trouble with some bad volunteers is easily accounted for. It proceeds from that regulation which requires a minimum of sixty to a maximum of a hundred members on parade, a& a claim for a parade etate counting for capitation. From the desire of corps to capitate, some members have been taken into corps from the morally halt, lame and blind of the community, _ and thus a bad element was admitted, which has resulted in the present trouble. When I first joined the force, many years since, I had to be proposed by one efficient member and seconded by two others before I was elected.' Thus three members of the corps became in a manner responsible for my being1 a decent fellow. But now ib is (slightly altering Chesterfield's words) "get members,^ honestly if you can, but get them." This is the result of demanding a high minimum to constitute a corps, or qualify for capitation. Another bad result of the demand for a high minimum is, that owing to it the numerous corps formerly in existence are fast disappearing. Now each of these corps was a school for officers and non-commissioned officers, through which a large number of them were being educated in their respective duties. And in the event of trouble arising iv the future requiring the militia being called out, trained officers and non-commiesioned officers would be vatuableaseetsinorganising a quick defence. It has been objected that small musters of corps appear ridiculous. Just so; but if all corps wore one uniform, and when an inspection parade took. place the- weak corps were to bo absorbed by the stronger ones, so as to form decent companies of a stated number, the officers of the weak corps on parade having to fall out, they would be induced to exert themselves so as to obtain a better muster for the next parade. The same feeling would obtain with the absorbed members of their corps, for volunteers, as a rule, do not like being made use of by another corps. I might further show how this demand for a high minimum tends to create a feeling" of disgust in the minds of good volunteers. Say a corps has 60 names on the roll. Say 39 good volunteers attend every parade demanded by the Government for capitation ; because the other 21 did not attend, the corps gets no capitation at all, the 39 having spent their strength for naught. Again, I need not point out the temptation held out for cooking returns by making a comparatively bad muster appear a good one, where possible. It will also bo perceived that some of the 39 good attendants mentioned above gob full up of attending for nothing, stop at home or stand and look on, this feeling continuing to spread until the corps gradually disappears, if these reasons joined to the others I have advanced do not point to a system of payment of capitation by results, I do not know what will. The mischief of the volunteer regimsnts lies in too much militarism. Officers of the Imperial Service are set to draw up regiments for a class with which they have no sympathy, and of whose circumstances they have but litbla knowledge. Consequently they make a mull of ib. With regard to the discipline of volunteers, my experience tenches me that depends solely upon the right feeling and good sense of the members themselves, for a bad member will presume to do and say things when wearing a uniform which he would not dare to do and say as a mere civilian. Recent events bear out this assertion. The worst you can do with a bad volunteer is to expel him from the force. Now, if he is capable of doing that which would render him liable to expulsion, he would care but little for expulsion itself ; thus in every way he is a bad ngg. The iirst part of this letter I commend fco the consideration of the Government; the latter part to that of Volunteer Corps.—l aa, etc., An Old Voltjntkee. April 27th, 1889.